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Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a documentary filmmaker and wife of California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), thought about coming forward and Testimony at Harvey Weinstein trial as “one of the hardest experiences of my life”. The Hollywood film mogul was sentenced to an additional 16 years in prison on Thursday.
In a video posted to Instagram on Thursday, 48-year-old Siebel Newsom, who accused Weinstein of rape and sexual assault, spoke about the pain she suffered following Weinstein’s “appallingly traumatic” alleged actions. She called out those in the entertainment industry allegedly involved in his criminal network for perpetuating a culture of violence against women.
“For years he walked away unchecked while I spent years tending to my wounds,” she said.
Harvey Weinstein gets 16 more years in prison after California rape trial
Her comments follow a life sentence for 70-year-old Weinstein, adding 16 years to the 23-year sentence he is already serving in New York. In December he was found guilty in Los Angeles of rape, forced oral copulation and a third charge of sexual misconduct. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on the charges related to Siebel Newsom’s allegations, the Associated Press reported.
Weinstein’s downfall began in 2017 when the New York Times and The New Yorker published research exposing years-long patterns of sexual abuse, sparking the popularization of the #MeToo movement and a global cultural reckoning.
Among dozens of women who have accused Weinstein of sexual assault, Siebel Newsom became one of the most notable figures at his Los Angeles trial after she made a particularly intense testimony last fall. In a graphic retelling, she detailed how Weinstein allegedly raped and sexually assaulted her in a hotel room after they met at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival.
Siebel Newsom shared her experiences with Weinstein in a 2017 HuffPost article.
Thursday’s verdict was possible because “eight very brave women have come forward to confront this serial rapist,” said Elizabeth Fegan, Siebel Newsom’s attorney at the trial, after the verdict was read. She said these women understood they would face “brutal, misogynist attacks” from Weinstein’s attorneys and commended them for using the testimonies “to reclaim their votes.”
“It can’t erase the trauma suffered, but it can serve as a catalyst for change and bring hope to other survivors,” Fegan said.
During the trial and in the years leading up to it, Siebel Newsom was asked to “relive and disclose the most terrifying and humiliating experience of my entire life with complete strangers, the general public,” she said, her voice cracking “- and even my own family.” in a way that is so harmful, more harmful than you can imagine.”
That pain is compounded by the skepticism with which society views survivors, she said. “When we ignore a woman’s cries of pain, when we tell her it’s her fault for asking… We deny her natural trauma response.”
The effects of such experiences have far-reaching consequences. The “bad apples” like Weinstein “have not only ruined the lives of individual women,” Siebel Newsom said, “but are stifling the female talent pool and dampening our creative and economic output.”
Siebel Newsom, who calls California’s “first partner” instead of “first lady” to signal inclusion, has become an advocate for gender equality. She is the founder of the organization The Representation Project, which aims to “combat sexism through film, education, research and activism.” She also directed a documentary about sexism in American media, Miss Representation, in 2011.
The key takeaway, Siebel Newsom said after Weinstein’s sentencing, “is that we all have a role to play in healing this culture where violence against women is the norm.”
Adela Suliman contributed to this report.
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