Surely I’m not the only one surprised that Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to not three, not six, but twenty-three years for sexual assault and rape. In our heart-of-hearts many of us figured someone of his wealth and previous stature would walk. That’s why so many women don’t speak up about sexual assault and rape as well as other forms of sexual misconduct that I’ve written about here.
It’s why in my crime mystery, DAMNED IF SHE DOES, young female professor. Meg Doherty, kept a dark secret for six long years – until she stumbles upon the body of the man who caused it all and quickly becomes the prime suspect. Here is a woman who despite witness credibility chose to be silent and, faced with the prospect of prison, struggles with whether to stay that way.
Does writing about this mean I’ve been there? I’ve been asked that quite often. As so many women have said to me, “Who of us hasn’t?” Maybe not at the worst levels, but few women of a certain age have totally escaped.
We know the confusion, self-blame and sometimes sheer terror involved in deciding whether to step forward and speak up. Even after the many benefits of #MeToo and the Weinstein sentence, fears linger. It remains to be seen how deep they run. But at least this time the perpetrator did not simply walk away smiling – not yet. The judge took it seriously. Women stood up and spoke up. It had to have been painful. But they did it!
