Weinstein effect

The Weinstein effect is a trend in which famous or powerful figures - previously thought to be immune from most consequences due to their fame - are later accused of sexual abuse, harassment, or misconduct.

The two events are categorized by a cascade of abuse and assault allegations against many notable figures such as Kevin Spacey, Charlie Rose, Louis C.K., Dustin Hoffman, Matt Lauer, U.S. Representative John Conyers, United States Senator Al Franken, former Senate candidate Roy Moore, Les Moonves, Garrison Keillor, Welsh MP Carl Sargeant, Asia Argento, and U.S.

[3][4][5] In July 2016, Fox News television host Gretchen Carlson filed a lawsuit against the station's chairman Roger Ailes, which led to his removal and encouraged journalists to pursue rumors about Weinstein's conduct and political commentator Bill O'Reilly.

In film and television, television producers Mark Schwahn, Dan Schneider, and Peter Aalbæk Jensen;[11][12][13] animators John Lasseter, John Kricfalusi, Chris Savino, and Justin Roiland; actors such as Russell Brand, Kevin Spacey, Jeffrey Tambor, James Franco, Cuba Gooding Jr., Louis C.K., Danny Masterson (convicted of rape), Chris Noth, Ron Jeremy, and T.J. Miller; voice actor Vic Mignogna; writer Neil Gaiman; and filmmakers such as Bryan Singer, Brett Ratner, Max Landis, James Toback, and Rob Cohen were all implicated.

[15][16] In the journalism industry, allegations led to the firing of editors, publishers, executives, and hosts, including high-profile television figures such as Charlie Rose, Mark Halperin, and Matt Lauer.

[14] In technology, the Weinstein effect went underway when Intel CEO Brian Krzanich was investigated after being accused of violating the company's anti-fraternization policy over a consensual relationship he engaged in with an employee.

CBS chairman and CEO Leslie Moonves was one of Hollywood's most prominent supporters of the movement and a founding member of the "Commission on Sexual Harassment and Advancing Equality in the Workplace", formed in late 2017 to "tackle the broad culture of abuse and power disparity".

[20] On August 19, 2018, an article published in The New York Times detailed allegations that Asia Argento sexually assaulted Jimmy Bennett, a then-17-year-old actor and musician, in a California hotel in 2013, and arranged to pay $380,000 to her accuser.

In the United Kingdom, allegations of sexual misconduct against many British politicians became a public scandal involving dozens of women accusers across decades and political parties.