Harvey Weinstein Trial: Expert Says #MeToo Movement Took Big Step Forward With Conviction
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Sexual assault survivors reacted Monday to the guilty verdict in Harvey Weinstein's trial.
Supporters of the #MeToo movement also chimed in, CBS2's Jessica Layton reported.
The Weinstein case propelled the issue of sexual assault and the #MeToo movement into the national spotlight. Many women felt compelled to share their stories, inspired by the courage of others.
One former sex crimes prosecutor believes the #MeToo movement took a crucial step forward Monday.
"Women who were raped and sexually assaulted by Harvey Weinstein never thought that they would see justice, yet today they did," said Jane Manning of the Women's Equal Justice Project.
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Though Weinstein is behind bars, some said when it comes to how our legal system handles sexual assault, it still has a ways to go.
"We still have a criminal justice system that in too many cases doesn't believe women, doesn't believe survivors, doesn't take action against perpetrators. There's still a long way to go," Manning said.
Tarana Burke, the founder of the #MeToo movement, was in agreement Monday, expressing her thoughts on the verdict.
"This jury worked with an incredibly narrow and unjust set of laws governing sexual assault, and though he was not convicted on all counts, Harvey Weinstein will have to answer for his crimes," Burke said.
Meanwhile, Ronan Farrow, an investigative journalist with the New Yorker, tweeted the verdict is "the result of the decisions of multiple women to come forward....at great personal cost and risk. Please keep those women in your thoughts today."
Today's outcome in Harvey Weinstein's New York trial is the result of the decisions of multiple women to come forward to journalists and to prosecutors at great personal cost and risk. Please keep those women in your thoughts today.
— Ronan Farrow (@RonanFarrow) February 24, 2020
Actress Rosanna Arquette, who said she resisted unwanted sexual advances by Weinstein, tweeted, "We will change the laws in the future so that rape victims are heard and not discredited and so that it's easier for people to report their rapes."
Gratitude to the brave women who've testified and to the jury for seeing through the dirty tactics of the defense .we will change the laws in the future so that rape victims are heard and not discredited and so that it's easier for people to report their rapes
— ✌????rosanna arquette (@RoArquette) February 24, 2020
"This verdict sends a message, I hope, to all survivors that if you speak out and have courage maybe your day will come, too," Manning added.
That message from the Weinstein case: even if it seems impossible, if you are the victim of a sex crime, don't give up.