Mariska Hargitay, Harvey Weinstein
Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images;DON EMMERT/AFP via Getty Images(2)Mariska Hargitay slammed Harvey Weinsteinhas overturned New York state rape conviction in 2020.
The Law & Order: SVU The 60-year-old star investigates sex crimes in her TV series and recently revealed that she is also a rape victim.
“The overturning of Harvey Weinstein’s conviction is a painful and galling affront to survivors and advocates everywhere,” Hargitay wrote on Instagram on Thursday, April 25. “To every survivor in this case and every survivor who must bear witness to this incorrigible marriage of justice, my heart is with you today, tomorrow and forever.”
Weinstein, now 72, was arrested in May 2018 on charges related to the actress Lucia Evans and a second unknown woman. His arrest followed an investigation into allegations of sexual assault and harassment by several women in 2017. The Miramax co-founder was found guilty of rape in February 2020 and sentenced to 23 years in prison.
Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction was overturned, four years after he was found guilty of criminal sexual assault and rape. Weinstein, 72, was first accused in 2017 of decades of sexual assault and harassment by multiple women. The disgruntled film producer vehemently denied all allegations before checking himself into a treatment facility. One year later, […]
When Weinstein reported to prison, his legal team appealed the verdict. The New York Court of Appeals overturned the ruling 4-3 on Thursday.
The decision came after Weinstein’s lawyer Arthur Aidala claimed that his client did not receive a fair trial due to the trial judge’s decisions James Burkeclaiming that it was Weinstein’s character who was on trial and not the allegations he faced.
Hargitay’s condemnation of the backlash follows her revelation earlier this year that she was a victim of sexual assault several years ago.
“A man raped me in my thirties,” Hargitay wrote in an essay for People published January 10th. “It wasn’t sexual at all. It was dominance and control. Overwhelming control.”
Hargitay revealed that it was “a friend” who raped her.
“I tried every way I knew to get out of there. I tried to joke, to be charming, to set a boundary, to argue, to say no. He grabbed my arms and held me tight. I was shocked. I didn’t want it to escalate into violence,” she wrote. “I now know it was already sexual violence, but I was afraid he would become physically violent. I went into freeze mode, a common trauma response when there is no way to escape. I left my body.”
Hargitay has been an advocate for victims of sexual assault for two decades. In 2004, she founded the Joyful Heart Foundation, whose mission is “to transform society’s response to sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse, to support the healing of survivors and to end this violence forever,” it says on the foundation’s website.
As Hargitay protested the overturning of Weinstein’s conviction, the attorney representing eight of Weinstein’s victims also condemned the court’s ruling.
Although on the surface Hollywood appears to be full of glitz and glamour, the industry has seen its fair share of scandals over the years. The New York Times and The New Yorker first published investigative pieces in 2017 accusing disgruntled film producer Harvey Weinstein of decades of sexual assault and harassment. Soon after, Weinstein stood trial and was convicted […]
“Today’s decision is a major step backwards in holding those responsible for acts of sexual violence accountable.” Douglas H. Wigdor told Us weekly in a statement. “Courts routinely admit evidence of other unindicted acts when helping jurors understand issues related to the defendant’s intent, course of action, or plan. The jury was informed of the relevance of this statement and the overturning of the verdict is tragic in that it will force another trial on the victims.”
Despite the about-face in New York, Weinstein remains in prison in California on various charges.
In July 2021, he was extradited to Los Angeles, where he was found guilty on three of seven counts in December 2022. He was sentenced to an additional 16 years in prison, to be served separately from his sentence in New York.
The conviction in California is not affected by the New York ruling.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member provides confidential, non-judgmental support and local resources to help you heal, recover and more.