A big problem here is that juries are really resistant to rape convictions, especially for cases where the issue was one of capacity (i.e. the Cosby cases) rather than force by a stranger. Law enforcement and prosecutors know this, which contributes to how low these statistics are. Until we do better at educating…

I like this take.

ESPN had an amazing article about Aly and how she’s grappling with all the pressure of being a survivor and a prominent activist. It’s really fantastic.

Thanks Maude! I’ve never found a therapist who didn’t want to work on repairing the relationship so I really appreciate the advice. :) It’s good finding people who go through the same thing and get what its like. 

Haha, thanks Mike! It’s not for a few months but it’s nice knowing I’m holding up better than a Russian spy who is also about to enter her 30s.

Suddenly I’m feeling a lot better about my own upcoming birthday.

Yeah I remember that from the Crown but it’s just so weird to see on a birthday cake because it’s so formal. Why not just leave it at Happy Birthday?

This was so powerful. Just seeing so many survivors of Nasser’s together on stage made me cry.

I’m pretty sure defamation was another cause of action named in the complainant. Defamation of a public person is notoriously difficult to prove though. 

Thanks to Huckabee we also know the following are Not Spies!

And what the fuck is up with that message?? Happy Birthday Ma’am?! 

Thanks for this. I mentioned this somewhere else in this thread but even though I’ve been happily estranged from my dad for 15 years I still get really worried about how I will feel about everything when he dies. It’s reaffirming to know his death doesn’t have to change anything.

Thanks for this. I haven’t talked to my dad in 15 years and while I am confident that I made the right choice and I’m happy with it now, I still have anxiety dreams where I find out he died. I’m scared of how I’ll feel when that happens and it’s good to know it doesn’t necessarily mean I will regret anything or feel…

Weinstein is definitely going to use dirty tactics in all his court cases. That being said, while QPQ is easier the complaint specifically lays the groundwork for HWE and QPQ. His lawyers would be stupid to ignore the HWE and just focus on the QPQ.

I think there’s a huge difference between using the legal elements of harassment and a statement like that eye of the beholder remark, which was disgusting (especially in light of the fact that this is a sexual harassment case and beauty/attraction is not exactly unrelated to the case at hand).

Completely agree. The tone of the article just seemed to treat the argument like it was somehow novel or outrageous.

I haven’t read the complaint but if Weinstein’s lawyer is arguing this then the complaint probably alleges hostile work environment. It may also argue quid pro quo, but he’s responding to a hostile environment claim.

I know - I tend to cringe at a lot of their in the moment legal reporting. The longer form investigative pieces are usually better but these kinds of hot takes really do nothing but show a fundamental misunderstanding of the law.

And I’m not saying that this kind of conduct shouldn’t be considered severe sexual harassment. I’m saying that the lawyer’s argument is fair under existing law.