While many are celebrating the sentencing of Harvey Weinstein, it's possible there will never be an end to the revelations about his alleged behaviour towards women. Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years for one count of a criminal sexual act and one count of rape in the third degree. In light of the sentencing, Kate Beckinsale took to Instagram to say that she experienced so much other behaviour from the producer that didn't qualify as a crime, but should be made unacceptable in the entertainment industry. In one particularly harrowing anecdote, Beckinsale details an outburst from Weinstein when he felt the actress didn't behave sexily enough at the 2001 premiere of Serendipity, just weeks after the 9/11 tragedy.
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"We all refused to go because holding a premiere mere weeks after 9/11 with the city still smoking felt like the most insensitive, tone deaf, disrespectful idea possible," Beckinsale captioned two photos from the event. "But Harvey insisted."
Beckinsale says they got through the premiere with gritted teeth, but the next day Weinstein invited her over so their children could have a "playdate." Turns out, it was actually an excuse to scream at her.
"The minute the door closed he started screaming 'you stupid fucking CUNT, you CUNT you ruined my premiere,'" she continued. "I had no idea what he was talking about and started to shake. He said, 'If I am throwing a red carpet you get in a tight dress, you shake your ass you shake your tits you do not go down it looking like a fucking lesbian you stupid fucking cunt.'"
Beckinsale tried to explain that the whole cast felt the celebration was in poor taste given the national tragedy, but Weinstein didn't relent.
"He said, 'I don’t care -it’s my fucking premiere and if I want pussy on the red carpet that’s what I get.' Screaming. Livid," she wrote. "I managed to get myself and my child out of there and yes that was one of many experiences I had that there was no recourse for, and falls under no felony."
While celebrating his sentencing, Beckinsale says she's still lamenting the fact that there's no clear course of action for reporting — and putting a stop to — abusive behaviour that doesn't qualify as a crime. She says what starts with Weinstein should end with the eradication of all abuses of power in the workplace.
Harvey Weinstein is currently in the hospital for chest pains before serving his 23-year sentence. He is also awaiting trial for additional charges in Los Angeles, California.
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