Book Review: ‘She Said: The true Story of the Weinstein Scandal’
Given that this book speaks of harassment and sexual offences, discretion for the reader is advised. And if this subject is one which makes you uncomfortable please refrain from reading.
Introduction
It’s estimated that 1 in 4 women have been raped or sexually assaulted as adults (ONS, 2023 as cited on Rapecrisis.org, 2024). 2 in 100 rapes recorded by police between 2022 and 2023 resulted in the charging of someone within the same year (Home Office, 2024 as cited on Rapecrisis.org). These are the statistics as I opened the book ‘She Said: The True Story of the Weinstein Scandal’ written by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey.
Recent news of the 72 year old former producer Harvey Weinstein is that his conviction in 2020 for rape has been overturned due to the Court of Appeals stating that prosecutors had called witnesses to the stand who were not originally part of the charges brought against Weinstein (Baker, 2024). Many have stated that this represents a huge step backwards in the search for justice for victims.
This book covers a lot of ground, thus it is challenging to pick out parts to whet the appetite. However, I have broken this review down into three particular themes found within the narrative.
Theme 1: Power
Trawl any true crime or police procedural TV show and you’ll come across the term modus operandi (MO) meaning the crimes all contain a unique identifying signature or ‘fingerprint’ that can be used to not only apprehend the criminal but also understand their psychological profile. The MO which leaps out of the pages of this book is Weinstein’s attraction and utilisation of power to both victimise women and to defend against potential consequences. The accounts of the victims all converge upon Weinstein promising soaring careers if they would submit to his advances, but he did so in hotel rooms of which there was little chance of escape. Weinstein effectively made himself the gatekeeper of the future of many women, and if this didn’t work as even the promise of a lucrative career can hardly make Weinstein an attractive proposition, then he would resort to out and out physical attacks or perpetual harassment and threats. This was explicitly recognised in 2015 when Lauren O’Conner submitted a complaint about the Weinstein Company and Weinstein himself:
“I am a 28 year old woman trying to make a living and a career. Harvey Weinstein is a 64 year old, world famous man and this is his company. The balance of power is me: 0, Harvey Weinstein: 10.” (Kantor and Twohey, 2020 pg. 135)
It would be naive to assume that Weinstein himself didn’t recognise the power imbalance. This theme of power was also manifest in the way Weinstein sought to control the narrative once he was aware that Kantor and Twohey were close to publishing the damning article.
When conversing on the phone he threatened to take the air out of their article by taking it to another publication if he decided they hadn’t allowed enough time for him to rebut the accusations:
“If the timing isn’t good, then we will cooperate with someone else…” (Kantor and Twohey, 2020 pg. 155):
Over and over this book illustrates the peril of power in the hands of a serial offender. One cannot read the accounts of the unfortunate women who encountered Weinstein and conclude anything else than that power was of vital importance to Weinstein. Dangling their futures like a carrot he was just as capable of wielding power to threaten lawsuits and the like.
Theme 2: Money and silence
An interesting section of this book and what emerges several times, is the drawbacks of having settlements with hefty NDAs attached to them. A measure that is supposed to serve to protect the victim and offer justice, seems to in fact be a useful way for abusers to buy their way out of a tight spot. Over and over this book highlights the harsh code of silence which is imposed upon victims.
“The United States had a system for muting sexual harassment claims, which often enabled the harassers instead of stopping them.” (Kantor and Twohey, 2020 pg. 54)
What develops from the narrative is the sheer number of settlements Weinstein settled out of court, and thus kept hidden from the world he was given a free pass to victimise over and over again. One former victim tried to negotiate a heaver settlement which included therapy but to no avail, in fact the terms to settle were extreme:
“…not to speak to any other media now or hereafter existing” (Kantor and Twohey, 2020 pg. 66)
Then if a disclosure was released:
“Provide reasonable assistance as it may request intaking such steps as are prudent to deal with the foregoing to prevent any other disclosure…” (Kantor and Twohey, 2020 pg. 66)
As the authors note, this implies that the victim assists in hushing up the truth of the crime should it come out. Kantor and Twohey illustrate clearly the factors which enable abuses to continue, including the terms of settlements which deprive the victim of a voice. The reader will be unable to believe the depth to which these settlements act against the victim whilst in the public image they seem to protect and recompense the victim for trauma. Furthermore, it becomes clear the more one reads that significant policy changes are needed to protect the victims of wealthier predators.
Theme 3: Complexities of journalism
The reader will feel deep sympathy for the difficulty of trying to create and ultimately publish a story as damning as the one Kantor and Twohey were planning. Time and again, there are questions of whether sources will go on the record and potentially live through the trauma again for uncertain gains. Trying to balance the privacy of victims whilst at the same time trying to build a robust evidentiary base for the story at times seem incompatible. But one has to respect the legwork and diligence by two reporters who knew they were taking on an almost insurmountable challenge. Most of the victims had tried to live a life separate from the trauma of being victimised by Weinstein. And thus more than a few were reluctant to destroy their own lives by going on the record. This theme runs throughout the book and the reader cannot help but feel respect and admiration for the two journalists who are aiming for the impossible.
Conclusion
‘She Said: The True Story of the Weinstein Sandal’ is a fascinating book which exposes not just the abuses of Harvey Weinstein, but the broader implications of the legal policies which enable abuses to continue. Kantor and Twohey slide effortlessly between compassionate narrative and objective journalism. Writing they show what it takes to build a story which is verifiable and thus credible, whilst protecting the rights of their sources in this case the victimised women. But more than this, the book champions the courage shown by women who came forward with their stories. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book, not just to understand the broader narrative and crimes of the former producer, Harvey Weinstein, but the factors which go to enable and perpetuate abuses.
References:
Baker, G. (2024) ‘Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction overturned in New York’, BBC News, 26 April. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68899382 (Accessed: 28/04/2024)
Kantor, J. Twohey, M. (2020) ‘She Said: The True Story of the Weinstein Scandal’ London: Bloomsbury Circus
Rapecrisis.org (2024) Rape and sexual assault statistics: Available at: https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-informed/statistics-sexual-violence/ (Accessed: 28/04/2024)
