Toronto writer’s story of sexual harassment spurs others to share experiences
TORONTO — A Toronto writer’s tweet relating her sexual harassment at the hands of an employer has sparked an online outpouring of similar stories, a discussion she says is the first step in tackling a culture in which such abuses are pervasive.
Anne T. Donahue put out a call for such stories on Twitter in light of sexual harassment allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, which were published Thursday in The New York Times. Among them are accusations that he sexually harassed actresses, including Ashley Judd, and former employees.
Weinstein has said he is taking a leave of absence from his company and acknowledged he has behaved poorly, but has accused the Times of rushing its story to publication because of a “vendetta” against him. The Times has said it is confident in the accuracy of its reporting.
“Reading that Harvey Weinstein piece, it was familiar and exhausting in that I think many of us have come to recognize patterns of abuse of power, whether in our own lives or in the lives of friends and family or even in government,” Donahue said.