The trial of two prominent Chinese rights activists who have been in detention since 2021 are due to begin and they are reportedly expected to appear before a judge in a closed-door hearing, on Friday (September 22). The case has attracted widespread attention to Beijing’s effort to dismantle and repress what remains of the country’s civil society.

The trial is being held for independent journalist and rights activist Huang Xueqin who covered China’s #MeToo movement and labour rights activist Wang Jianbing. Both were&nbsp;detained by Chinese authorities in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou in September 2021.&nbsp;

The detention also came shortly before Huang was due to move to the United Kingdom to study.&nbsp;

<h2>What has the duo been accused of?</h2>

A month after their detention, they were charged with “inciting subversion of state power” which typically carries a sentence of up to five years but can be raised if the case is deemed severe. Huang and Wang, according to their supporters will be tried at the Guangzhou Intermediate People’s Court, reported CNN.&nbsp;

The roads around the courthouses appeared to be closed to public access on Friday morning, said a report by the Guardian, citing their supporters.&nbsp;

Huang who also covered the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong in 2019 as a journalist was later detained in Guangzhou and prevented from attending the postgraduate programme at the University of Hong Kong.

Huang was released in 2020 and awarded the Chevening scholarship by the British Foreign Office in 2021, and was set to attend the University of Sussex for her master’s degree in autumn.&nbsp;

The UK-based university said that they remain “deeply concerned” about her “safety and her wellbeing” and “consistently raised her case in meetings with the UK government and in correspondence with the British embassy in China.”

<h2>A ‘complete sham’</h2>

Huang and Wang reportedly organised weekly meetings at the latter’s apartment for like-minded progressives, to discuss issues such as feminism, LGBTQ+ rights and labour issues, but also to watch films and play board games.

According to the United States-based, Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD), nearly 70 of their acquaintances have been interrogated by the police, several of them even reportedly forced to leave Guangzhou.

“They were trying to rebuild a network, to bring together every isolated individual,” said a report by the Guardian citing a friend, who regularly attended what was described as casual meetings. “We never thought that this was dangerous, or even offensive to the government,” they added. &nbsp;

The pair has also held largely incommunicado while advocates have claimed that they have been subjected to secret interrogations, torture and ill-treatment. &nbsp;

“We don’t know for sure what the substance of the Chinese government’s case against Huang Xueqin and Wang Jianbing is, but we can be certain that the process will be a complete sham,” said William Nee, a research and advocacy coordinator at CHRD, as quoted by CNN.&nbsp;

He added, “Huang has not seen a lawyer of her choice in two years of detention. They were both reportedly subjected to prolonged interrogations and police frequently would wake Huang up in the middle of the night and start interrogations.”

On Thursday, dozens of civil society groups, including Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders (RSF), released a joint statement calling for the duo’s “immediate and unconditional” release. 
 
&nbsp;

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The trial of two prominent Chinese rights activists who have been in detention since 2021 are due to begin and they are reportedly expected to appear before a judge in a closed-door hearing, on Friday (September 22).

The trial of two prominent Chinese rights activists who have been in detention since 2021 are due to begin and they are reportedly expected to appear before a judge in a closed-door hearing, on Friday (September 22). The case has attracted widespread attention to Beijing’s effort to dismantle and repress what remains of the country’s civil society. The trial is being held for independent journalist and rights activist Huang Xueqin who covered China’s #MeToo movement and labour rights activist Wang Jianbing. Both were detained by Chinese authorities in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou in September 2021. The detention also came shortly before Huang was due to move to the United Kingdom to study. What has the duo been accused of? A month after their detention, they were charged with “inciting subversion of state power” which typically carries a sentence of up to five years but can be raised if the case is deemed severe. Huang and Wang, according to their supporters will be tried at the Guangzhou Intermediate People’s Court, reported CNN. The roads around the courthouses appeared to be closed to public access on Friday morning, said a report by the Guardian, citing their supporters. Huang who also covered the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong in 2019 as a journalist was later detained in Guangzhou and prevented from attending the postgraduate programme at the University of Hong Kong. Huang was released in 2020 and awarded the Chevening scholarship by the British Foreign Office in 2021, and was set to attend the University of Sussex for her master’s degree in autumn. The UK-based university said that they remain “deeply concerned” about her “safety and her wellbeing” and “consistently raised her case in meetings with the UK government and in correspondence with the British embassy in China.” A ‘complete sham’ Huang and Wang reportedly organised weekly meetings at the latter’s apartment for like-minded progressives, to discuss issues such as feminism, LGBTQ+ rights and labour issues, but also to watch films and play board games. According to the United States-based, Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD), nearly 70 of their acquaintances have been interrogated by the police, several of them even reportedly forced to leave Guangzhou. “They were trying to rebuild a network, to bring together every isolated individual,” said a report by the Guardian citing a friend, who regularly attended what was described as casual meetings. “We never thought that this was dangerous, or even offensive to the government,” they added. The pair has also held largely incommunicado while advocates have claimed that they have been subjected to secret interrogations, torture and ill-treatment. “We don’t know for sure what the substance of the Chinese government’s case against Huang Xueqin and Wang Jianbing is, but we can be certain that the process will be a complete sham,” said William Nee, a research and advocacy coordinator at CHRD, as quoted by CNN. He added, “Huang has not seen a lawyer of her choice in two years of detention. They were both reportedly subjected to prolonged interrogations and police frequently would wake Huang up in the middle of the night and start interrogations.” On Thursday, dozens of civil society groups, including Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders (RSF), released a joint statement calling for the duo’s “immediate and unconditional” release. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

China: Secret trials of #MeToo journalist and labour rights activist begin in Guangzhou

Harvey Weinstein's case, which spearheaded the #MeToo movement across the world and rocked Hollywood, is now going to be on the big screen. 'She Said' is based on the New York Times Pulitzer Prize-Winning Investigation by reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey and narrates the incidents that led to Weinstein's arrest.&nbsp;

The story digs into one of the most powerful and influential Hollywood personalities,Harvey Weinstein.&nbsp;

'She Said' revolves around the story of two Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporters, Jodi Kantor (Zoe Kazan) and Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan), who are relentless in their pursuit of the truth, and the courage of survivors and witnesses who chose to come forward to stop a serial predator in his tracks. Together, their courage and commitment sparked a national debate fueled against Harvey Weinstein and started conversations on sexual abuse, particularly in Hollywood.

On why she agreed to play Megan Twohey, Carey Mulligan shares, “With Megan, it felt to me that journalism is a vocation for her. It’s not a job. She couldn’t have done anything else. It’s incredible, the balls that you have to have to show up on someone’s doorstep, knock on the door and say, ‘I’m here to ask you about something that’s probably the biggest secret in your life. I want you to tell me that and trust me that you telling me that can change things or make things better.”

Watch the trailer of 'She Said' here:&nbsp;

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“We felt the partnership of Jodi and Megan was one of the important parts of the story that we wanted to tell,” Kazan says on working with Cary Mulligan. “It’s something that you get to see very rarely on screen. I mean, it’s very rare that you get to act with another woman, period—let alone be in an onscreen partnership. The symbiosis between these two women and what they were able to achieve by leaning on each other and balancing off each other’s intelligence and integrity and perseverance was inspiring to me.”

Produced by Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and directed by Maria Schrader, She Said features two-time Academy Award nominee Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan along with Patricia Clarkson, Andre Braugher, Jennifer Ehle, with Samantha Morton.&nbsp; 
The film is set to hit theatres on November 18.&nbsp;

Harvey Weinstein's case, which spearheaded the #MeToo movement across the world and rocked Hollywood, is now going to be on the big screen. 'She Said' is based on the New York Times Pulitzer Prize-Winning Investigation by reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey and narrates the incidents that led to Weinstein's arrest.

Harvey Weinstein's case, which spearheaded the #MeToo movement across the world and rocked Hollywood, is now going to be on the big screen. 'She Said' is based on the New York Times Pulitzer Prize-Winning Investigation by reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey and narrates the incidents that led to Weinstein's arrest. The story digs into one of the most powerful and influential Hollywood personalities,Harvey Weinstein. 'She Said' revolves around the story of two Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporters, Jodi Kantor (Zoe Kazan) and Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan), who are relentless in their pursuit of the truth, and the courage of survivors and witnesses who chose to come forward to stop a serial predator in his tracks. Together, their courage and commitment sparked a national debate fueled against Harvey Weinstein and started conversations on sexual abuse, particularly in Hollywood. On why she agreed to play Megan Twohey, Carey Mulligan shares, “With Megan, it felt to me that journalism is a vocation for her. It’s not a job. She couldn’t have done anything else. It’s incredible, the balls that you have to have to show up on someone’s doorstep, knock on the door and say, ‘I’m here to ask you about something that’s probably the biggest secret in your life. I want you to tell me that and trust me that you telling me that can change things or make things better.” Watch the trailer of 'She Said' here: “We felt the partnership of Jodi and Megan was one of the important parts of the story that we wanted to tell,” Kazan says on working with Cary Mulligan. “It’s something that you get to see very rarely on screen. I mean, it’s very rare that you get to act with another woman, period—let alone be in an onscreen partnership. The symbiosis between these two women and what they were able to achieve by leaning on each other and balancing off each other’s intelligence and integrity and perseverance was inspiring to me.” Produced by Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and directed by Maria Schrader, She Said features two-time Academy Award nominee Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan along with Patricia Clarkson, Andre Braugher, Jennifer Ehle, with Samantha Morton. The film is set to hit theatres on November 18.

'She Said' trailer: Film chronicling the Harvey Weinstein case to release on this date

A New York appeals court on Thursday upheld Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 conviction on felony sex crimes, increasing the likelihood that the disgraced movie producer will serve a significant portion of his 23-year sentence.

Since last summer, Weinstein, 70, has been awaiting trial in Los Angeles, where he has been charged with several counts of forcible rape and forcible oral copulation, as well as other counts related to sex crimes. A trial date is expected to be set this month.

The New York decision had been hotly anticipated by the state’s legal community, particularly after oral arguments in December, when members of the five-judge panel that heard the case seemed sceptical of some decisions made by the trial judge.

But the decision Thursday was unanimous — and clear.

“We reject defendant’s arguments, and affirm the conviction in all respects,” wrote Judge Angela M. Mazzarelli, the opinion’s author.

An attorney for Weinstein said his legal team would ask New York’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, to review the affirmation. That court will not automatically take the case.

“We are obviously disappointed in the court’s decision and look forward to asking the Court of Appeals to review what we believe are substantial meritorious legal issues,” said the attorney, Barry Kamins. “Mr. Weinstein will continue to pursue all available legal remedies to establish that he did not receive a fair trial.”

Reports of Weinstein having sexually abused women appeared in The New York Times in the fall of 2017, leading dozens of others to speak about their own experiences and eventually igniting what became known as the #MeToo movement, a global repudiation of sexual misconduct by powerful men.

The Weinstein case led to a cascade of accusations against other prominent figures and widespread discussion about the ubiquity of sexual harassment and assault, and the harm such behaviour caused.

Less than a year later, Weinstein was indicted by Manhattan prosecutors and charged with sex crimes.

His trial began in January 2020, and late the following month, a jury found him guilty of two felonies: a criminal sexual act in the first degree and third-degree rape. He was acquitted of two charges of predatory sexual assault. In March, he was sentenced to 23 years in prison.

The former Manhattan district attorney who charged Weinstein, Cyrus Vance Jr., said Thursday that the decision of the appeals court was a “relief,” but added that he had always been confident in the strength of the evidence.

“The trial court issued balanced rulings and by any measure provided the defendant a fair trial,” Vance said. “Most of all, I am grateful that the appeals court credited the testimony of the women in framing its legal analysis.”

His successor, Alvin Bragg, added that the appeals court had upheld “a monumental conviction that changed the way prosecutors and courts approach complex prosecutions of sexual predators.”

Weinstein’s attorneys appealed his conviction in April 2021, arguing that three women who had accused Weinstein of sexual assaults for which he was not charged should never have been allowed to testify and that prosecutors had “tried Weinstein’s character not his conduct.”

But Mazzarelli said the women had provided “useful information” and that their accounts had been key in showing Weinstein’s pattern of behaviour. They demonstrated, she said, that Weinstein did not see his victims as “romantic partners or friends,” but that “his goal at all times was to position the women in such a way that he could have sex with them, and that whether the women consented or not was irrelevant to him.”

She said the witnesses had helped the jury understand the dynamic between Weinstein and his victims, particularly because the women whom he had been charged for assaulting had continued relationships with him afterward.

A New York appeals court on Thursday upheld Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 conviction on felony sex crimes, increasing the likelihood that the disgraced movie producer will serve a significant portion of his 23-year sentence.

A New York appeals court on Thursday upheld Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 conviction on felony sex crimes, increasing the likelihood that the disgraced movie producer will serve a significant portion of his 23-year sentence. Since last summer, Weinstein, 70, has been awaiting trial in Los Angeles, where he has been charged with several counts of forcible rape and forcible oral copulation, as well as other counts related to sex crimes. A trial date is expected to be set this month. The New York decision had been hotly anticipated by the state’s legal community, particularly after oral arguments in December, when members of the five-judge panel that heard the case seemed sceptical of some decisions made by the trial judge. But the decision Thursday was unanimous — and clear. “We reject defendant’s arguments, and affirm the conviction in all respects,” wrote Judge Angela M. Mazzarelli, the opinion’s author. An attorney for Weinstein said his legal team would ask New York’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, to review the affirmation. That court will not automatically take the case. “We are obviously disappointed in the court’s decision and look forward to asking the Court of Appeals to review what we believe are substantial meritorious legal issues,” said the attorney, Barry Kamins. “Mr. Weinstein will continue to pursue all available legal remedies to establish that he did not receive a fair trial.” Reports of Weinstein having sexually abused women appeared in The New York Times in the fall of 2017, leading dozens of others to speak about their own experiences and eventually igniting what became known as the #MeToo movement, a global repudiation of sexual misconduct by powerful men. The Weinstein case led to a cascade of accusations against other prominent figures and widespread discussion about the ubiquity of sexual harassment and assault, and the harm such behaviour caused. Less than a year later, Weinstein was indicted by Manhattan prosecutors and charged with sex crimes. His trial began in January 2020, and late the following month, a jury found him guilty of two felonies: a criminal sexual act in the first degree and third-degree rape. He was acquitted of two charges of predatory sexual assault. In March, he was sentenced to 23 years in prison. The former Manhattan district attorney who charged Weinstein, Cyrus Vance Jr., said Thursday that the decision of the appeals court was a “relief,” but added that he had always been confident in the strength of the evidence. “The trial court issued balanced rulings and by any measure provided the defendant a fair trial,” Vance said. “Most of all, I am grateful that the appeals court credited the testimony of the women in framing its legal analysis.” His successor, Alvin Bragg, added that the appeals court had upheld “a monumental conviction that changed the way prosecutors and courts approach complex prosecutions of sexual predators.” Weinstein’s attorneys appealed his conviction in April 2021, arguing that three women who had accused Weinstein of sexual assaults for which he was not charged should never have been allowed to testify and that prosecutors had “tried Weinstein’s character not his conduct.” But Mazzarelli said the women had provided “useful information” and that their accounts had been key in showing Weinstein’s pattern of behaviour. They demonstrated, she said, that Weinstein did not see his victims as “romantic partners or friends,” but that “his goal at all times was to position the women in such a way that he could have sex with them, and that whether the women consented or not was irrelevant to him.” She said the witnesses had helped the jury understand the dynamic between Weinstein and his victims, particularly because the women whom he had been charged for assaulting had continued relationships with him afterward.

Weinstein’s conviction for sex crimes that set off #MeToo is upheld

When sexual harassment allegations were made against former mega-influential Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein in October 2017, a few would have estimated the power of exposé and how it can redefine and reshape the mindset of people in a male-dominated society. As per reports, more than 80 women came forward and had made allegations against Weinstein by October 31. The report led to a backlash over how women are mistreated, unleashing the historic #MeToo movement.&nbsp;

From Hollywood to Bollywood, the Weinstein case gave women the much-needed courage to speak loud enough so that they can't be shushed by powerful men around the world. Although all of the cases haven't been as successful as the Weinstein one, as after the investigation, Weinstein was found guilty of two of five felonies in February 2020 and was sentenced to 23 years in prison.&nbsp;

The exposé led to an outpouring of horrific stories on social media forums and beyond. Even today, women are using #MeToo as a free space to tell their stories but if we talk about the success rate, some times women are too late to provide any evidence and in some cases the probe continues but at least now the women are speaking up, which is definitely a positive development.&nbsp;

But when we assess the impact of the #MeToo movement on society as a whole, can we include the entire world? What about countries where the #MeToo hasn't reached or is being neglected? What about the countries where the status of women is still being defined by men? What about the countries where women are still tangled within the complexities of a patriarchal society?&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/womens-mental-health-deteriorated-more-in-covid-pandemic-study-419561">Women's mental health deteriorated more in Covid pandemic: Study</a>

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MeToo movement in China

Say China for example, where the #MeToo movement appears to be failing. China's #MeToo movement took off in 2018 when a college student in Beijing publicly accused her professor of sexual harassment. It spread to NGOs, media and other industries.&nbsp;

It gained momentum when Zhou Xiaoxuan, who is now 28-years-old, came forward in 2018 to accuse former state TV host Zhu Jun of forcibly kissing and groping her during her 2014 internship at the broadcaster.&nbsp;

But recently, in a blow to the country's #MeToo movement, a Chinese court threw out the landmark sexual harassment case on the basis of insufficient evidence and ruled there was not enough evidence to proceed.&nbsp;

"The evidence provided by the plaintiff Zhou was insufficient to prove her argument that she was sexually harassed by the defendant Zhu," Beijing Haidian District People's Court said in a statement, adding that the case would not proceed to trial.&nbsp;

Zhou's case against Zhu was originally filed under the "personality rights" law that covers rights relating to an individual's health and body, however, her lawyers later asked for it to be considered under new sexual harassment legislation that was passed last year.

Despite the new law, many women in China are still reluctant to come forward with harassment charges, and it is rare for cases to make it to court. Zhou, also known by the pen name Xianzi, was seeking&nbsp;a public apology from Zhu and 50,000 yuan ($7,600) in damages.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-china-chief-trade-negotiators-hold-candid-exchange-419381">US and China chief trade negotiators hold 'candid exchange'</a>

But is the country helping women? Doesn't look like because Beijing has increasingly tightened the space for civil society, and China's #MeToo movement has been restrained by online censorship.

Zhou's Twitter-like social media platform Weibo account has been blocked, while several prominent women's rights accounts appeared to have been deleted after sharing posts about the case.&nbsp;

In a recent report published by BBC, Zhou's side was reported highlighting how she has become a target of criticism. The report stated that some nationalistic bloggers accused her of lying and alleging she was "colluding with foreign forces" to stir up controversy.&nbsp;

The problem here is not about who said what and who is right and who is wrong, but the lack of proper investigation poses a huge obstacle for achieving a balanced society. Also, a growing clampdown in the country by authorities to shut down discussions over the same is a huge setback.&nbsp;

In recent years, some academic reports have shed light upon how the status of women has improved in China since 1949, and it might surely have but the Zhou's&nbsp;case portrays a different picture that tells the country has to go a long way.&nbsp;

When sexual harassment allegations were made against former mega-influential Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein in October 2017, a few would have estimated the power of exposé and how it can redefine and reshape the mindset of people in a male-dominated society.

When sexual harassment allegations were made against former mega-influential Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein in October 2017, a few would have estimated the power of exposé and how it can redefine and reshape the mindset of people in a male-dominated society. As per reports, more than 80 women came forward and had made allegations against Weinstein by October 31. The report led to a backlash over how women are mistreated, unleashing the historic #MeToo movement. From Hollywood to Bollywood, the Weinstein case gave women the much-needed courage to speak loud enough so that they can't be shushed by powerful men around the world. Although all of the cases haven't been as successful as the Weinstein one, as after the investigation, Weinstein was found guilty of two of five felonies in February 2020 and was sentenced to 23 years in prison. The exposé led to an outpouring of horrific stories on social media forums and beyond. Even today, women are using #MeToo as a free space to tell their stories but if we talk about the success rate, some times women are too late to provide any evidence and in some cases the probe continues but at least now the women are speaking up, which is definitely a positive development. But when we assess the impact of the #MeToo movement on society as a whole, can we include the entire world? What about countries where the #MeToo hasn't reached or is being neglected? What about the countries where the status of women is still being defined by men? What about the countries where women are still tangled within the complexities of a patriarchal society? ALSO READ | Women's mental health deteriorated more in Covid pandemic: Study × MeToo movement in China Say China for example, where the #MeToo movement appears to be failing. China's #MeToo movement took off in 2018 when a college student in Beijing publicly accused her professor of sexual harassment. It spread to NGOs, media and other industries. It gained momentum when Zhou Xiaoxuan, who is now 28-years-old, came forward in 2018 to accuse former state TV host Zhu Jun of forcibly kissing and groping her during her 2014 internship at the broadcaster. But recently, in a blow to the country's #MeToo movement, a Chinese court threw out the landmark sexual harassment case on the basis of insufficient evidence and ruled there was not enough evidence to proceed. "The evidence provided by the plaintiff Zhou was insufficient to prove her argument that she was sexually harassed by the defendant Zhu," Beijing Haidian District People's Court said in a statement, adding that the case would not proceed to trial. Zhou's case against Zhu was originally filed under the "personality rights" law that covers rights relating to an individual's health and body, however, her lawyers later asked for it to be considered under new sexual harassment legislation that was passed last year. Despite the new law, many women in China are still reluctant to come forward with harassment charges, and it is rare for cases to make it to court. Zhou, also known by the pen name Xianzi, was seeking a public apology from Zhu and 50,000 yuan ($7,600) in damages. ALSO READ | US and China chief trade negotiators hold 'candid exchange' But is the country helping women? Doesn't look like because Beijing has increasingly tightened the space for civil society, and China's #MeToo movement has been restrained by online censorship. Zhou's Twitter-like social media platform Weibo account has been blocked, while several prominent women's rights accounts appeared to have been deleted after sharing posts about the case. In a recent report published by BBC, Zhou's side was reported highlighting how she has become a target of criticism. The report stated that some nationalistic bloggers accused her of lying and alleging she was "colluding with foreign forces" to stir up controversy. The problem here is not about who said what and who is right and who is wrong, but the lack of proper investigation poses a huge obstacle for achieving a balanced society. Also, a growing clampdown in the country by authorities to shut down discussions over the same is a huge setback. In recent years, some academic reports have shed light upon how the status of women has improved in China since 1949, and it might surely have but the Zhou's case portrays a different picture that tells the country has to go a long way.

Status of women and state of feminism in China

For years, the account given by Woody Allen’s then-7-year-old adopted daughter Dylan Farrow in the days following Aug. 4, 1992, when she says he sexually assaulted her, has been central to her case against him.

The specialists who heard the child’s account then and in later years have been divided on whether it was credible or whether it was coerced by her adoptive mother, Mia Farrow. But the public has only heard Dylan, as an adult, recount what she told her mother nearly 30 years ago.

Now Amy Ziering and Kirby Dick’s four-part documentary, “Allen v. Farrow,” which premiered Sunday on HBO (and streams on HBO Max), will for the first time include video footage of Dylan, recorded by her mother, describing what happened to her just days after she said Allen molested her.

The film is the latest development in a case that has been debated for nearly 30 years. It made headlines again in 2014 when Allen received a lifetime achievement award at the Golden Globes — and Dylan Farrow wrote an open letter, posted by New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, recounting her story in detail in response.

Then, in September 2018, New York magazine published a lengthy interview with Soon-Yi Previn, her first extended remarks on her relationship with Allen, who began to date her mother, Mia, when Previn was a young girl. Allen and Previn began a romantic relationship in 1991, when Previn was 21.

Allen has long denied assaulting his daughter and argued that Mia Farrow coached Dylan to say she had been assaulted after discovering that he and Previn were having an affair.

This timeline highlights important dates and developments in the narrative that has its roots in the 1970s. Based on New York Times articles and other news reports, it is a guide, not a comprehensive accounting, and will be updated periodically.

1977

Mia Farrow and her husband, André Previn, adopt Soon-Yi Previn from Korea; she is believed to be about 7 years old.

1979

Woody Allen and Farrow are introduced at Elaine’s, the Manhattan restaurant, and later begin a relationship.

1985

Farrow adopts a baby girl, Dylan, who was born in Texas.

1987

Farrow and Allen have a son, Ronan. Farrow would later suggest in a 2013 Vanity Fair interview that Frank Sinatra may have been his father.

December 1991

Allen adopts Dylan and Moses Farrow, one of Mia Farrow’s sons, whom she adopted in 1980. Allen, who is 56, begins an affair with Farrow’s 21-year-old daughter, Soon-Yi Previn, around this time.

Jan. 13, 1992

Farrow discovers nude photographs of Previn in Allen’s apartment. He later testifies in court that he thought the affair would remain secret.

Aug. 1, 1992

With the affair between Allen and Previn continuing, Farrow calls Susan Coates, a psychologist who had been helping the family, and describes Allen as “satanic and evil” and begs her to “find a way to stop him.”

Aug. 4, 1992

According to Dylan Farrow, Allen abused her that day, touching her genitalia. She was 7 at the time. She detailed her accusation in January 2018 on “CBS This Morning”:

DYLAN FARROW: I was taken to a small attic crawl space in my mother’s country house in Connecticut by my father. He instructed me to lay down on my stomach and play with my brother’s toy train that was set up. And he sat behind me in the doorway, and as I played with the toy train, I was sexually assaulted … As a 7-year-old I would say, I would have said he touched my private parts.

GAYLE KING: Mmm-hmm. OK.

FARROW: Which I did say.

KING: All right. All right.

FARROW: As a 32-year-old, he touched my labia and my vulva with his finger.

Aug. 5, 1992

Casey Pascal, a friend of Mia Farrow’s, tells her that Dylan’s babysitter described observing Allen in a position with Dylan that seemed inappropriate. According to Vanity Fair, Farrow immediately asked Dylan about it, and she gave her account to her mother.

Farrow calls Coates, the psychologist, and says Dylan has complained that Allen has abused her. A major question later considered in court was whether Farrow had coached her daughter during this period. According to later court testimony by Coates, she is struck by Farrow’s calm during the call, as opposed to her agitated state in the Aug. 1 call.

Aug. 13, 1992

Allen sues Farrow in New York state court for custody of Ronan, Dylan and Moses Farrow.

Aug. 17, 1992 
Allen releases a statement confirming his relationship with Previn, saying it is “real and happily all true.” The same day, Connecticut state police announce that they are investigating Allen. The focus: the allegations that he molested Dylan.

Aug. 18, 1992

Allen makes a public appearance to say he is “saddened” by the child abuse allegations and calls them “false” and “outrageous.”

Nov. 1992

Vanity Fair publishes “Mia’s Story,” a lengthy reported piece about Farrow, her family, the abuse allegations and her history with Allen.

Nov. 22, 1992

Allen speaks on “60 Minutes” and defends himself against the molestation allegations.

March 18, 1993

After a seven-month inquiry by a team of child abuse investigators at Yale-New Haven Hospital, Allen’s lawyers say he has been cleared of molesting Dylan Farrow. Mia Farrow’s legal team calls the confidential report “incomplete and inaccurate.” The report, which was commissioned by Connecticut law enforcement, was never officially released, but media outlets reported some of its contents. 
March 19, 1993

The custody trial begins. Allen takes the stand and describes the disintegration of his relationship with Mia Farrow. He testifies that she threatened him in phone calls and flew into rages in front of the children after the two started falling out.

March 25, 1993

Farrow takes the stand. She goes into detail about what Dylan told her the previous summer. She says she worried that Allen had a sexual attraction to Dylan from when she was 2 years old.

May 3, 1993

A sworn statement from John M. Leventhal, the doctor who led the Yale-New Haven team, is released to the public. It theorizes that Dylan was emotionally unstable and coached by Farrow to accuse Allen. The Yale-New Haven team interviewed Dylan nine times and said she changed details throughout the interviews; Leventhal said in his statement that he had interviewed her, but Vanity Fair reported years later that he had not.

June 7, 1993

Allen loses the custody battle. Acting Justice Elliott Wilk of the state Supreme Court says Allen is “self-absorbed, untrustworthy and insensitive.” He denies Allen visitation rights with Dylan.

Sept. 24, 1993

Frank Maco, a state attorney in Connecticut, announces that while he has “probable cause” to prosecute Allen, he will decline to press charges to spare Dylan the trauma of a trial. Maco says he believes that Dylan had been molested.

Dec. 23, 1997

Allen marries Previn.

June 24, 2001

Allen gives a long interview to Time magazine’s Walter Isaacson recounting his relationship with Soon-Yi — “The heart wants what it wants,” he says — and again denies the allegations by Dylan and Mia Farrow.

June 17, 2012

After years of relatively little news coverage of Allen and Mia and Dylan Farrow, Ronan Farrow posts on Twitter: “Happy father’s day — or as they call it in my family, happy brother-in-law’s day.”

November 2013

Dylan Farrow goes on the record for the first time in an interview with Vanity Fair. She is 28 now and describes receiving entreaties from Allen from when she was 18. She says of the alleged abuse by Allen: “There’s a lot I don’t remember, but what happened in the attic I remember. I remember what I was wearing and what I wasn’t wearing.”

Jan. 12, 2014

In response to Allen receiving a lifetime achievement award at the Golden Globes, which Diane Keaton accepted on his behalf, Ronan Farrow posts on Twitter: “Missed the Woody Allen tribute — did they put the part where a woman publicly confirmed he molested her at age 7 before or after 'Annie Hall'?”

Feb. 1, 2014

Dylan Farrow writes an open letter recounting her story in detail, posted by Times columnist Nicholas Kristof.

Feb. 4, 2014

After the letter, Mia Farrow posts on Twitter: “I love my daughter. I will always protect her. A lot of ugliness is going to be aimed at me. But this is not about me, it’s about her truth.”

Feb. 5, 2014

In response to Dylan’s open letter, Moses Farrow defends Allen in an interview with People magazine, saying Mia Farrow coached the children to hate Allen. He says Dylan was never molested and that Mia Farrow was a bully.

Feb. 7, 2014

Allen, writing in the Opinion section of The Times, denies the allegations again.

2014

Diane Keaton and Alec Baldwin, two friends and stars in Allen films, defend him in the face of Dylan Farrow’s accusations. Cate Blanchett, the star of Allen’s “Blue Jasmine,” is more circumspect, saying she hopes Allen and the family “find some sort of resolution and peace.” Lena Dunham calls Dylan “courageous” and urges people to read her open letter.

May 11, 2016

In a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter, Ronan Farrow writes about the struggles Dylan faced in getting her story out and says he believes Dylan’s account.

October 2017

The New York Times, and then Ronan Farrow in The New Yorker, publish articles about sexual harassment, abuse and rape allegations against Harvey Weinstein.

Allen says he feels “sad for Harvey” and warns against “a witch hunt atmosphere.” He later calls Weinstein “a sad, sick man.”

March 2, 2020

Grand Central Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, announces that it will publish Allen’s memoir, “Apropos of Nothing,” on April 7. The book is described as a comprehensive account of his life, “both personal and professional,” including details about his relationships with “family, friends and the loves of his life.”

In a statement on Twitter, Dylan Farrow harshly criticizes Hachette, which had previously published Ronan Farrow’s book “Catch and Kill,” which recounts how he reported sexual assault allegations against Weinstein. She calls the decision to publish Allen’s memoir “an utter betrayal.”

March 5, 2020

Dozens of Hachette employees stage a walkout in protest. The next day, Hachette announces it will no longer publish “Apropos of Nothing.”

March 23, 2020

Allen’s book is published by Arcade Publishing. In the book, he again denies that he sexually abused Dylan and calls the allegations “a total fabrication from start to finish.”

Feb. 21, 2021

The HBO documentary “Allen v. Farrow” makes public for the first time the video footage from 1992 when Mia Farrow recorded Dylan, at age 7, reporting that Allen had sexually assaulted her.

For years, the account given by Woody Allen’s then-7-year-old adopted daughter Dylan Farrow in the days following Aug. 4, 1992, when she says he sexually assaulted her, has been central to her case against him.

For years, the account given by Woody Allen’s then-7-year-old adopted daughter Dylan Farrow in the days following Aug. 4, 1992, when she says he sexually assaulted her, has been central to her case against him. The specialists who heard the child’s account then and in later years have been divided on whether it was credible or whether it was coerced by her adoptive mother, Mia Farrow. But the public has only heard Dylan, as an adult, recount what she told her mother nearly 30 years ago. Now Amy Ziering and Kirby Dick’s four-part documentary, “Allen v. Farrow,” which premiered Sunday on HBO (and streams on HBO Max), will for the first time include video footage of Dylan, recorded by her mother, describing what happened to her just days after she said Allen molested her. The film is the latest development in a case that has been debated for nearly 30 years. It made headlines again in 2014 when Allen received a lifetime achievement award at the Golden Globes — and Dylan Farrow wrote an open letter, posted by New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, recounting her story in detail in response. Then, in September 2018, New York magazine published a lengthy interview with Soon-Yi Previn, her first extended remarks on her relationship with Allen, who began to date her mother, Mia, when Previn was a young girl. Allen and Previn began a romantic relationship in 1991, when Previn was 21. Allen has long denied assaulting his daughter and argued that Mia Farrow coached Dylan to say she had been assaulted after discovering that he and Previn were having an affair. This timeline highlights important dates and developments in the narrative that has its roots in the 1970s. Based on New York Times articles and other news reports, it is a guide, not a comprehensive accounting, and will be updated periodically. 1977 Mia Farrow and her husband, André Previn, adopt Soon-Yi Previn from Korea; she is believed to be about 7 years old. 1979 Woody Allen and Farrow are introduced at Elaine’s, the Manhattan restaurant, and later begin a relationship. 1985 Farrow adopts a baby girl, Dylan, who was born in Texas. 1987 Farrow and Allen have a son, Ronan. Farrow would later suggest in a 2013 Vanity Fair interview that Frank Sinatra may have been his father. December 1991 Allen adopts Dylan and Moses Farrow, one of Mia Farrow’s sons, whom she adopted in 1980. Allen, who is 56, begins an affair with Farrow’s 21-year-old daughter, Soon-Yi Previn, around this time. Jan. 13, 1992 Farrow discovers nude photographs of Previn in Allen’s apartment. He later testifies in court that he thought the affair would remain secret. Aug. 1, 1992 With the affair between Allen and Previn continuing, Farrow calls Susan Coates, a psychologist who had been helping the family, and describes Allen as “satanic and evil” and begs her to “find a way to stop him.” Aug. 4, 1992 According to Dylan Farrow, Allen abused her that day, touching her genitalia. She was 7 at the time. She detailed her accusation in January 2018 on “CBS This Morning”: DYLAN FARROW: I was taken to a small attic crawl space in my mother’s country house in Connecticut by my father. He instructed me to lay down on my stomach and play with my brother’s toy train that was set up. And he sat behind me in the doorway, and as I played with the toy train, I was sexually assaulted … As a 7-year-old I would say, I would have said he touched my private parts. GAYLE KING: Mmm-hmm. OK. FARROW: Which I did say. KING: All right. All right. FARROW: As a 32-year-old, he touched my labia and my vulva with his finger. Aug. 5, 1992 Casey Pascal, a friend of Mia Farrow’s, tells her that Dylan’s babysitter described observing Allen in a position with Dylan that seemed inappropriate. According to Vanity Fair, Farrow immediately asked Dylan about it, and she gave her account to her mother. Farrow calls Coates, the psychologist, and says Dylan has complained that Allen has abused her. A major question later considered in court was whether Farrow had coached her daughter during this period. According to later court testimony by Coates, she is struck by Farrow’s calm during the call, as opposed to her agitated state in the Aug. 1 call. Aug. 13, 1992 Allen sues Farrow in New York state court for custody of Ronan, Dylan and Moses Farrow. Aug. 17, 1992 Allen releases a statement confirming his relationship with Previn, saying it is “real and happily all true.” The same day, Connecticut state police announce that they are investigating Allen. The focus: the allegations that he molested Dylan. Aug. 18, 1992 Allen makes a public appearance to say he is “saddened” by the child abuse allegations and calls them “false” and “outrageous.” Nov. 1992 Vanity Fair publishes “Mia’s Story,” a lengthy reported piece about Farrow, her family, the abuse allegations and her history with Allen. Nov. 22, 1992 Allen speaks on “60 Minutes” and defends himself against the molestation allegations. March 18, 1993 After a seven-month inquiry by a team of child abuse investigators at Yale-New Haven Hospital, Allen’s lawyers say he has been cleared of molesting Dylan Farrow. Mia Farrow’s legal team calls the confidential report “incomplete and inaccurate.” The report, which was commissioned by Connecticut law enforcement, was never officially released, but media outlets reported some of its contents. March 19, 1993 The custody trial begins. Allen takes the stand and describes the disintegration of his relationship with Mia Farrow. He testifies that she threatened him in phone calls and flew into rages in front of the children after the two started falling out. March 25, 1993 Farrow takes the stand. She goes into detail about what Dylan told her the previous summer. She says she worried that Allen had a sexual attraction to Dylan from when she was 2 years old. May 3, 1993 A sworn statement from John M. Leventhal, the doctor who led the Yale-New Haven team, is released to the public. It theorizes that Dylan was emotionally unstable and coached by Farrow to accuse Allen. The Yale-New Haven team interviewed Dylan nine times and said she changed details throughout the interviews; Leventhal said in his statement that he had interviewed her, but Vanity Fair reported years later that he had not. June 7, 1993 Allen loses the custody battle. Acting Justice Elliott Wilk of the state Supreme Court says Allen is “self-absorbed, untrustworthy and insensitive.” He denies Allen visitation rights with Dylan. Sept. 24, 1993 Frank Maco, a state attorney in Connecticut, announces that while he has “probable cause” to prosecute Allen, he will decline to press charges to spare Dylan the trauma of a trial. Maco says he believes that Dylan had been molested. Dec. 23, 1997 Allen marries Previn. June 24, 2001 Allen gives a long interview to Time magazine’s Walter Isaacson recounting his relationship with Soon-Yi — “The heart wants what it wants,” he says — and again denies the allegations by Dylan and Mia Farrow. June 17, 2012 After years of relatively little news coverage of Allen and Mia and Dylan Farrow, Ronan Farrow posts on Twitter: “Happy father’s day — or as they call it in my family, happy brother-in-law’s day.” November 2013 Dylan Farrow goes on the record for the first time in an interview with Vanity Fair. She is 28 now and describes receiving entreaties from Allen from when she was 18. She says of the alleged abuse by Allen: “There’s a lot I don’t remember, but what happened in the attic I remember. I remember what I was wearing and what I wasn’t wearing.” Jan. 12, 2014 In response to Allen receiving a lifetime achievement award at the Golden Globes, which Diane Keaton accepted on his behalf, Ronan Farrow posts on Twitter: “Missed the Woody Allen tribute — did they put the part where a woman publicly confirmed he molested her at age 7 before or after 'Annie Hall'?” Feb. 1, 2014 Dylan Farrow writes an open letter recounting her story in detail, posted by Times columnist Nicholas Kristof. Feb. 4, 2014 After the letter, Mia Farrow posts on Twitter: “I love my daughter. I will always protect her. A lot of ugliness is going to be aimed at me. But this is not about me, it’s about her truth.” Feb. 5, 2014 In response to Dylan’s open letter, Moses Farrow defends Allen in an interview with People magazine, saying Mia Farrow coached the children to hate Allen. He says Dylan was never molested and that Mia Farrow was a bully. Feb. 7, 2014 Allen, writing in the Opinion section of The Times, denies the allegations again. 2014 Diane Keaton and Alec Baldwin, two friends and stars in Allen films, defend him in the face of Dylan Farrow’s accusations. Cate Blanchett, the star of Allen’s “Blue Jasmine,” is more circumspect, saying she hopes Allen and the family “find some sort of resolution and peace.” Lena Dunham calls Dylan “courageous” and urges people to read her open letter. May 11, 2016 In a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter, Ronan Farrow writes about the struggles Dylan faced in getting her story out and says he believes Dylan’s account. October 2017 The New York Times, and then Ronan Farrow in The New Yorker, publish articles about sexual harassment, abuse and rape allegations against Harvey Weinstein. Allen says he feels “sad for Harvey” and warns against “a witch hunt atmosphere.” He later calls Weinstein “a sad, sick man.” March 2, 2020 Grand Central Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, announces that it will publish Allen’s memoir, “Apropos of Nothing,” on April 7. The book is described as a comprehensive account of his life, “both personal and professional,” including details about his relationships with “family, friends and the loves of his life.” In a statement on Twitter, Dylan Farrow harshly criticizes Hachette, which had previously published Ronan Farrow’s book “Catch and Kill,” which recounts how he reported sexual assault allegations against Weinstein. She calls the decision to publish Allen’s memoir “an utter betrayal.” March 5, 2020 Dozens of Hachette employees stage a walkout in protest. The next day, Hachette announces it will no longer publish “Apropos of Nothing.” March 23, 2020 Allen’s book is published by Arcade Publishing. In the book, he again denies that he sexually abused Dylan and calls the allegations “a total fabrication from start to finish.” Feb. 21, 2021 The HBO documentary “Allen v. Farrow” makes public for the first time the video footage from 1992 when Mia Farrow recorded Dylan, at age 7, reporting that Allen had sexually assaulted her.

Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Soon-Yi Previn, Dylan Farrow: A Timeline

An Olympic sailing champion has accused a top sporting official in Greece of sexual abuse, the country’s first high-profile accusation of sexual assault and abuse of power since the #MeToo movement swept the world in recent years, bringing down powerful figures in the media, politics and sports.

Claims by Sofia Bekatorou, a Greek Olympic sailing champion, that she was sexually assaulted by the official 23 years ago, when she was 21, have prompted a wave of support and an unusually open debate in a country where studies suggest sexual harassment is prevalent.

And it has catapulted one of Greece’s most popular international athletes back into the public eye, this time as a champion for women’s rights.

Several other women from the field of sports and beyond have now also spoken out about alleged harassment, and the Greek Supreme Court has urged prosecutors to make responding to such claims a priority.

“It’s an extremely important moment,” said Vasiliki Petousi, a sociologist who is head of gender research at the University of Crete. “A popular, accomplished woman telling a story that can happen to any girl at any time — it’s hugely symbolic and can drive change,” she said, adding that the broader political and social climate was finally right for such a breakthrough.

Bekatorou, who won gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics and bronze four years later in Beijing, said a senior official of the country’s sailing federation sexually assaulted her in a hotel room in 1998.

“I told him no, I repeated that I didn’t want to proceed and he, with fake sweet talk, said it was nothing, making light of it,” she told an online seminar organized by the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports on Jan. 14. After the incident, Bekatorou said, she felt “dirty, exhausted, humiliated and unable to defend my rights.”

Bekatorou, who is now 43, on Wednesday sent a letter to World Sailing, the global governing body, signed by several Olympic sailing athletes and coaches, calling out a “wretched situation” in the Greek federation and asking for global officials to appoint temporary management to schedule elections for a new board.

In the letter, she also named her alleged abuser for the first time as Aristeidis Adamopoulos, a senior federation official.

Adamopoulos had already resigned from his position at the federation and stepped down from the Greek Olympic Committee this past week, saying it was to shield it from bad publicity after his name was circulated in the news media as the alleged perpetrator. The accusations were “false, defamatory and deceitful,” he said in a letter to the committee released last Saturday.

Efforts to reach Adamopoulous for comment were unsuccessful.

Bekatorou said fears of jeopardizing her Olympic dream had prevented her from speaking out about her abuse at the time. Now, as a mother of two and concerned about young athletes facing similar challenges, she said, she felt compelled to come forward, even though the alleged offense has expired under Greece’s statute of limitations.

“I hope other women and people will come out and talk so our society becomes healthier and we are not afraid,” she said after testifying before a prosecutor Wednesday.

Bekatorou first spoke publicly about her abuse in an interview for the Greek edition of the magazine Marie Claire in December, though it made relatively little impact at the time.

But Bekatorou’s account at the online forum last week prompted an outpouring of solidarity on social media under the hashtags #WithSofia and #MeToo, and her cause was embraced by several Greek politicians.

“Sofia bravely broke the chain of fear and silence,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis wrote on Twitter last Saturday. “Let’s all take that first step taken by Sofia: We talk, we condemn, we reveal.”

President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, the first woman to hold that position in Greece, said Bekatorou had “dissolved a conspiracy of silence.”

Many victims do not speak out, Sakellaropoulou said Monday after meeting Bekatorou, “because they know that in the best-case scenario they will face pity or mistrust and in the worst case contempt, derision, even social stigma.”

While incidents are rarely reported, studies suggest that sexual harassment in Greek workplaces is common. A poll of 1,001 women last July by the charity ActionAid found that 9 in 10 had suffered unwanted advances at their workplace, with 1 in 10 saying that they had been victims of sexual assault. Accounts of such abuses have long swirled in Greek sports, politics and the media but are only now being documented.

Greece has made some strides in legislation for women’s rights over the years. In 2010, it adopted a law against gender-based discrimination in employment that makes sexual harassment a felony carrying a maximum three-year prison term. However, the country lags its European Union counterparts in promoting gender equality, and the harassment of women in male-dominated sectors is often brushed under the carpet.

“For decades, sexual harassment was seen as taboo, society refused to acknowledge a social reality,” Maria Syrengela, Greek deputy labor minister in charge of gender equality, said in an emailed response to questions. “But in recent years, society has matured, it has taken steps forward.”

Several women have already followed Bekatorou’s example.

Among them are Mania Bikof, a retired water polo player who said she had been forced to strip to the waist so a doctor could examine a shoulder injury, and former swimming champion Rabea Iatridou, who said she had been groped by a medic. Male athletes have spoken out too, including Nikos Kaklamanakis, another sailing champion, who said that sailing federation officials threatened young athletes to stay quiet about alleged abuses.

An Olympic athlete in Cyprus has also spoken out about abuse by one of that country’s sports officials. The athlete, Andri Eleftheriou, a member of the national shooting team, said she was sexually assaulted by the official at the Commonwealth Games in 2006, where she won a gold medal, and then again at the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008. Eleftheriou said in a Facebook Messenger message that she reported the alleged abuse to the police in Cyprus on Wednesday after meeting with Justice Minister Emily Yiolitis.

In Greece, there have also been claims from the world of politics, where women remain underrepresented, holding only 1 in 5 seats in Parliament and two of 20 ministerial posts in the conservative government.

Zefi Dimadama, of the opposition party Movement for Change, said Thursday that she had considered leaving politics after a party official harassed her in an elevator 20 years ago.

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, in northern Greece, was also investigating claims of sexual harassment by professors, after more than 100 complaints were lodged against a single academic over the past 30 years, according to Apostolina Tsaltampasi, a former student who is now the head of the Greek Association of Women Entrepreneurs.

Some women say they feel that the outraged response to Bekatorou’s allegations indicates that the tide is turning in Greece.

“Women were scared to seek help and felt ashamed because society would point the finger at them,” said Syrengela, the deputy minister. “Now, finally, it is embracing women and encouraging them to speak out.”

An Olympic sailing champion has accused a top sporting official in Greece of sexual abuse, the country’s first high-profile accusation of sexual assault and abuse of power since the #MeToo movement swept the world in recent years, bringing down powerful figures in the media, politics and sports.

An Olympic sailing champion has accused a top sporting official in Greece of sexual abuse, the country’s first high-profile accusation of sexual assault and abuse of power since the #MeToo movement swept the world in recent years, bringing down powerful figures in the media, politics and sports. Claims by Sofia Bekatorou, a Greek Olympic sailing champion, that she was sexually assaulted by the official 23 years ago, when she was 21, have prompted a wave of support and an unusually open debate in a country where studies suggest sexual harassment is prevalent. And it has catapulted one of Greece’s most popular international athletes back into the public eye, this time as a champion for women’s rights. Several other women from the field of sports and beyond have now also spoken out about alleged harassment, and the Greek Supreme Court has urged prosecutors to make responding to such claims a priority. “It’s an extremely important moment,” said Vasiliki Petousi, a sociologist who is head of gender research at the University of Crete. “A popular, accomplished woman telling a story that can happen to any girl at any time — it’s hugely symbolic and can drive change,” she said, adding that the broader political and social climate was finally right for such a breakthrough. Bekatorou, who won gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics and bronze four years later in Beijing, said a senior official of the country’s sailing federation sexually assaulted her in a hotel room in 1998. “I told him no, I repeated that I didn’t want to proceed and he, with fake sweet talk, said it was nothing, making light of it,” she told an online seminar organized by the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports on Jan. 14. After the incident, Bekatorou said, she felt “dirty, exhausted, humiliated and unable to defend my rights.” Bekatorou, who is now 43, on Wednesday sent a letter to World Sailing, the global governing body, signed by several Olympic sailing athletes and coaches, calling out a “wretched situation” in the Greek federation and asking for global officials to appoint temporary management to schedule elections for a new board. In the letter, she also named her alleged abuser for the first time as Aristeidis Adamopoulos, a senior federation official. Adamopoulos had already resigned from his position at the federation and stepped down from the Greek Olympic Committee this past week, saying it was to shield it from bad publicity after his name was circulated in the news media as the alleged perpetrator. The accusations were “false, defamatory and deceitful,” he said in a letter to the committee released last Saturday. Efforts to reach Adamopoulous for comment were unsuccessful. Bekatorou said fears of jeopardizing her Olympic dream had prevented her from speaking out about her abuse at the time. Now, as a mother of two and concerned about young athletes facing similar challenges, she said, she felt compelled to come forward, even though the alleged offense has expired under Greece’s statute of limitations. “I hope other women and people will come out and talk so our society becomes healthier and we are not afraid,” she said after testifying before a prosecutor Wednesday. Bekatorou first spoke publicly about her abuse in an interview for the Greek edition of the magazine Marie Claire in December, though it made relatively little impact at the time. But Bekatorou’s account at the online forum last week prompted an outpouring of solidarity on social media under the hashtags #WithSofia and #MeToo, and her cause was embraced by several Greek politicians. “Sofia bravely broke the chain of fear and silence,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis wrote on Twitter last Saturday. “Let’s all take that first step taken by Sofia: We talk, we condemn, we reveal.” President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, the first woman to hold that position in Greece, said Bekatorou had “dissolved a conspiracy of silence.” Many victims do not speak out, Sakellaropoulou said Monday after meeting Bekatorou, “because they know that in the best-case scenario they will face pity or mistrust and in the worst case contempt, derision, even social stigma.” While incidents are rarely reported, studies suggest that sexual harassment in Greek workplaces is common. A poll of 1,001 women last July by the charity ActionAid found that 9 in 10 had suffered unwanted advances at their workplace, with 1 in 10 saying that they had been victims of sexual assault. Accounts of such abuses have long swirled in Greek sports, politics and the media but are only now being documented. Greece has made some strides in legislation for women’s rights over the years. In 2010, it adopted a law against gender-based discrimination in employment that makes sexual harassment a felony carrying a maximum three-year prison term. However, the country lags its European Union counterparts in promoting gender equality, and the harassment of women in male-dominated sectors is often brushed under the carpet. “For decades, sexual harassment was seen as taboo, society refused to acknowledge a social reality,” Maria Syrengela, Greek deputy labor minister in charge of gender equality, said in an emailed response to questions. “But in recent years, society has matured, it has taken steps forward.” Several women have already followed Bekatorou’s example. Among them are Mania Bikof, a retired water polo player who said she had been forced to strip to the waist so a doctor could examine a shoulder injury, and former swimming champion Rabea Iatridou, who said she had been groped by a medic. Male athletes have spoken out too, including Nikos Kaklamanakis, another sailing champion, who said that sailing federation officials threatened young athletes to stay quiet about alleged abuses. An Olympic athlete in Cyprus has also spoken out about abuse by one of that country’s sports officials. The athlete, Andri Eleftheriou, a member of the national shooting team, said she was sexually assaulted by the official at the Commonwealth Games in 2006, where she won a gold medal, and then again at the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008. Eleftheriou said in a Facebook Messenger message that she reported the alleged abuse to the police in Cyprus on Wednesday after meeting with Justice Minister Emily Yiolitis. In Greece, there have also been claims from the world of politics, where women remain underrepresented, holding only 1 in 5 seats in Parliament and two of 20 ministerial posts in the conservative government. Zefi Dimadama, of the opposition party Movement for Change, said Thursday that she had considered leaving politics after a party official harassed her in an elevator 20 years ago. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, in northern Greece, was also investigating claims of sexual harassment by professors, after more than 100 complaints were lodged against a single academic over the past 30 years, according to Apostolina Tsaltampasi, a former student who is now the head of the Greek Association of Women Entrepreneurs. Some women say they feel that the outraged response to Bekatorou’s allegations indicates that the tide is turning in Greece. “Women were scared to seek help and felt ashamed because society would point the finger at them,” said Syrengela, the deputy minister. “Now, finally, it is embracing women and encouraging them to speak out.”

Abuse accusation by Greek Olympian ends nation’s silence

Three years into the global #MeToo movement, women who say they have been sexually assaulted are improbably going public in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The movement’s reach inside Iran gained momentum in late August after allegations aired on Iranian social media against more than 100 men, including a giant e-commerce company’s former star manager, a prominent sociology professor and the owner of a popular bookstore.

But the highest-profile person to face such allegations so far is a nearly 80-year-old, internationally acclaimed artist with ties to the ruling elite. Thirteen women, in interviews with The New York Times, accused the artist, Aydin Aghdashloo, of sexual misconduct over a 30-year span. Most are former students, and some are journalists who have reported on art and culture.

The willingness by women who say they were victims to share their stories more openly is a groundbreaking shift in Iran’s conservative society, where discussing sex is culturally prohibited, sex outside marriage is illegal, and the burden of proof for victims of sexual crimes is onerous. A raped woman often gets the blame.

Aghdashloo declined requests for an interview but strenuously denied wrongdoing, and according to his lawyer has already taken legal action against one accuser. In a written statement provided to The Times, Aghdashloo described himself as an independent artist whose career was built on creative achievement.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-22-year-old-force-behind-egypts-growing-metoo-movement-332193">Also read|&nbsp;The 22-year-old force behind Egypt’s growing #MeToo movement</a>

“The allegations of sexual abuse against me are full of significant inaccuracies, mischaracterizations and fabrications,” he wrote. “To be clear, I have always sought to treat people with respect and dignity and I have never abused, assaulted nor taken advantage of anyone.”

Still, he wrote, “I am not a perfect man,” and that if his behavior had offended or distressed anyone, “I deeply apologize.”

How the authorities treat the perpetrators and victims of sexual misconduct has become a test of the #MeToo movement’s durability in Iran, a country of more than 80 million.

Compared with the impact in the United States after the accusations against Harvey Weinstein, the imprisoned Hollywood mogul, the fallout in Iran is only beginning to unfold. But there are signs that the male-controlled power structure in Iran has started to respond to accusations like those made against Aghdashloo.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/metoo-iranian-women-break-silence-about-sexual-abuse-through-twitter-324450">Also read|&nbsp;#MeToo: Iranian women break silence about sexual abuse through Twitter</a>

Tehran’s police chief announced on Oct. 12 that the bookstore owner, Keyvan Emamverdi, had confessed to raping 300 women, after 30 took the brave step of filing legal complaints. The police said he would be charged with “corruption on earth,” a capital offense.

The e-commerce company Digikala opened an investigation into its former manager and apologized to female employees. Iran’s sociology union expelled the accused professor and called for a zero-tolerance policy at universities. A painting by Aghdashloo was pulled from the cover of a famous literary collection, and at least three women have said they are considering legal action against him.

“This is a turning point for sexual abuse, the biggest taboo for women in Iran has been sex and sexual violence and abuse,” said Elnaaz Mohammadi, 33-year-old co-founder of Dideban Azar, or Abuse Watch, an education and advocacy group in Tehran.

She said the group had received complaints about Aghdashloo from “students who have left his classes distraught and crying,” and that “all his denials have no value.”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-nod-to-metoo-china-codifies-sexual-harassment-by-law-302707">Also read|&nbsp;In nod to #MeToo, China codifies sexual harassment by law</a>

Paintings by Aghdashloo, a dual citizen of Canada, have been auctioned and displayed worldwide, and France honored him in 2016. Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution he worked with the family of the shah to curate museums. He then moved into the circles of the revolution’s ruling clerics, and he and his family have business links to the hierarchy.

Despite a few mentions in Iran’s conservative media as a royalist and Western spy, Aghdashloo has generally received glowing coverage in state media, with no hint of any possible sexual abuse.

The Times found and interviewed former students of Aghdashloo’s after an Iranian journalist now living in the United States, Sara Omatali, posted on Twitter Aug. 22 that he had sexually assaulted her in 2006 when she visited to interview him.

She wrote that he had greeted her while naked with a robe draped on his shoulder, forced a kiss and pressed his body on hers. Her account appeared to be the catalyst for others.

In telephone interviews, 45 people — including former students, a longtime teaching assistant, art gallery owners, actresses, a Tehran art agent and journalists covering art and culture in Iran — all said Aghdashloo’s behavior toward young female students had been known in Iran’s art circles.

Thirteen said they had been victims, including one who was 13 years old at the time. Many said they did not know each other. In each of these 13 instances, a family member, friend, or colleague recalled in separate interviews having been told about it.

Nineteen described him as the “Harvey Weinstein of Iran,” elevating or destroying careers of women depending on their receptiveness to his advances.

One former student said he had offered her one of his paintings — worth $100,000, the price of a small apartment in Tehran — if she slept with him. Another said he had retaliated when she refused him, telling galleries to shun her artwork. Her career faltered.

“Aghdashloo’s reputation was an open secret in the art world but nobody did anything about it,” said Solmaz Azhdari, 32, who studied painting under him. She said she had witnessed him placing his hands between a young female student’s legs in 2007 during a sketching class, as Azhdari stooped to retrieve a dropped pencil.

In telling their stories, some asked to be identified only by their first names — a reflection of the subject’s sensitivity in a conservative society and their fear of Aghdashloo.

Three years into the global #MeToo movement, women who say they have been sexually assaulted are improbably going public in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The movement’s reach inside Iran gained momentum in late August after allegations aired on Iranian social media against more than 100 men, including a giant e-commerce company’s former star manager, a prominent sociology professor and the owner of a popular bookstore.

But the highest-profile person to face such allegations so far is a nearly 80-year-old, internationally acclaimed artist with ties to the ruling elite. Thirteen women, in interviews with The New York Times, accused the artist, Aydin Aghdashloo, of sexual misconduct over a 30-year span. Most are former students, and some are journalists who have reported on art and culture.

The willingness by women who say they were victims to share their stories more openly is a groundbreaking shift in Iran’s conservative society, where discussing sex is culturally prohibited, sex outside marriage is illegal, and the burden of proof for victims of sexual crimes is onerous. A raped woman often gets the blame.

Aghdashloo declined requests for an interview but strenuously denied wrongdoing, and according to his lawyer has already taken legal action against one accuser. In a written statement provided to The Times, Aghdashloo described himself as an independent artist whose career was built on creative achievement.

“The allegations of sexual abuse against me are full of significant inaccuracies, mischaracterizations and fabrications,” he wrote. “To be clear, I have always sought to treat people with respect and dignity and I have never abused, assaulted nor taken advantage of anyone.”

Still, he wrote, “I am not a perfect man,” and that if his behavior had offended or distressed anyone, “I deeply apologize.”

How the authorities treat the perpetrators and victims of sexual misconduct has become a test of the #MeToo movement’s durability in Iran, a country of more than 80 million.

Compared with the impact in the United States after the accusations against Harvey Weinstein, the imprisoned Hollywood mogul, the fallout in Iran is only beginning to unfold. But there are signs that the male-controlled power structure in Iran has started to respond to accusations like those made against Aghdashloo.

Tehran’s police chief announced on Oct. 12 that the bookstore owner, Keyvan Emamverdi, had confessed to raping 300 women, after 30 took the brave step of filing legal complaints. The police said he would be charged with “corruption on earth,” a capital offense.

The e-commerce company Digikala opened an investigation into its former manager and apologized to female employees. Iran’s sociology union expelled the accused professor and called for a zero-tolerance policy at universities. A painting by Aghdashloo was pulled from the cover of a famous literary collection, and at least three women have said they are considering legal action against him.

“This is a turning point for sexual abuse, the biggest taboo for women in Iran has been sex and sexual violence and abuse,” said Elnaaz Mohammadi, 33-year-old co-founder of Dideban Azar, or Abuse Watch, an education and advocacy group in Tehran.

She said the group had received complaints about Aghdashloo from “students who have left his classes distraught and crying,” and that “all his denials have no value.”

Paintings by Aghdashloo, a dual citizen of Canada, have been auctioned and displayed worldwide, and France honored him in 2016. Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution he worked with the family of the shah to curate museums. He then moved into the circles of the revolution’s ruling clerics, and he and his family have business links to the hierarchy.

Despite a few mentions in Iran’s conservative media as a royalist and Western spy, Aghdashloo has generally received glowing coverage in state media, with no hint of any possible sexual abuse.

The Times found and interviewed former students of Aghdashloo’s after an Iranian journalist now living in the United States, Sara Omatali, posted on Twitter Aug. 22 that he had sexually assaulted her in 2006 when she visited to interview him.

She wrote that he had greeted her while naked with a robe draped on his shoulder, forced a kiss and pressed his body on hers. Her account appeared to be the catalyst for others.

In telephone interviews, 45 people — including former students, a longtime teaching assistant, art gallery owners, actresses, a Tehran art agent and journalists covering art and culture in Iran — all said Aghdashloo’s behavior toward young female students had been known in Iran’s art circles.

Thirteen said they had been victims, including one who was 13 years old at the time. Many said they did not know each other. In each of these 13 instances, a family member, friend, or colleague recalled in separate interviews having been told about it.

Nineteen described him as the “Harvey Weinstein of Iran,” elevating or destroying careers of women depending on their receptiveness to his advances.

One former student said he had offered her one of his paintings — worth $100,000, the price of a small apartment in Tehran — if she slept with him. Another said he had retaliated when she refused him, telling galleries to shun her artwork. Her career faltered.

“Aghdashloo’s reputation was an open secret in the art world but nobody did anything about it,” said Solmaz Azhdari, 32, who studied painting under him. She said she had witnessed him placing his hands between a young female student’s legs in 2007 during a sketching class, as Azhdari stooped to retrieve a dropped pencil.

In telling their stories, some asked to be identified only by their first names — a reflection of the subject’s sensitivity in a conservative society and their fear of Aghdashloo.

‘I was terrified of what he could do to me or my career.’

Maryam, an art photographer, 49, said she had visited Aghdashloo in 2010, to collect two paintings from his basement studio for the gallery where she worked.

She said Aghdashloo had insisted she view his paintings of nude women, then forcibly kissed her and tore at her clothes. When she screamed, Maryam said, he covered her mouth with his hands; she pushed him away and fled, shouting “you have no shame!”

Maryam said she quit her job, and on her mother’s advice never publicized the encounter or contacted the police.

“I was terrified of what he could do to me and my career if I told anyone or brought charges,” she said.

In his art classes, the former students said, he asked the women to sit on his lap when he reviewed their work, pressed against them while teaching, touched their bodies, made lewd comments and shared explicit details of a fascination with adolescent girls.

Mehrnaz, 54, said he made her sit on his lap and caressed her thighs. Atty, 30, said he had locked her in his office and forcibly kissed her. Another said he asked the color of her underwear as he touched her.

Afarin, a Tehran teacher, said she had been molested repeatedly 30 years ago, at age 13, by Aghdashloo, who would press his groin against her and touch her thighs while teaching painting technique. She had been too terrified to tell her parents, she said, and still avoids the street where Aghdashloo held class.

“I feel relieved that a man who has abused so many women and girls is finally being exposed,” she said.

Laleh Sabouri, a 50-year-old actress and television star, took art lessons with Aghdashloo for two years. Days after Omatali’s Twitter posting, Sabouri tweeted that most women were terrified of being alone with him and that accusations of rape would be “befitting.” Aghdashloo’s lawyer said he had taken legal action over that tweet, calling it “baseless.”

One of Aghdashloo’s teaching assistants, who helped manage his workshops for 12 years, said she had witnessed frequent misbehavior by him toward female students and that some had complained to her. She had confronted him and he replied that women should consider his affection a privilege, the assistant recalled. She ultimately resigned, she said, because he had assaulted her.

Omatali’s account struck a nerve among Iranian female journalists. Several said the advice in newsrooms was that no woman should interview Aghdashloo alone.

Solmaz Naraghi, 42, an art and culture reporter, said Aghdashloo sexually harassed her repeatedly in public after she had rebuffed his advances during one such interview. Her former husband recalled her in tears at a gallery after an encounter with Aghdashloo.

His supporters have rallied to defend him, including former students who posted a letter on Instagram. His first wife, Hollywood actress Shoreh Aghdashloo, said he was “simply not capable of such heinous acts.” One former student, Mitra Zad, said she had seen “nothing but good things” from him.

A formidable figure who straddles art and politics

Aydin Aghdashloo’s influence in Iran’s art world seemed to only grow after the revolution. He often boasted about connections to government and religious officials and said he was invulnerable because of them, former students and the teaching assistant said — a description he rejected in his statement to the Times.

“I have always worked as an independent artist and, following the revolution, have earned my living not through credits and connections to the state but through my art,” Aghdashloo wrote.

His students have included the daughter of Tehran’s Friday Prayer imam and grandchildren of a founding cleric of the revolution. He has worked as a consultant, instructor, author and art appraiser for Astan Quds Razavi, a religious and economic conglomerate controlled by Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which is under U.S. sanctions. The former head of Astan is Iran’s judiciary chief.

Aghdashloo’s daughter married into a family that owns Part Sazan, a conglomerate with ties to state-owned enterprises in the oil, gas and automotive industries. The link to the company, which lists a senior member of the Revolutionary Guard's Basij militia as chief executive and board member, has further strengthened his aura of impunity, a number of women said.

Anonymous allegations against Aghdashloo first surfaced in 2018 when an Iranian investigative journalist, Afshin Parvaresh, posted on Instagram that he had interviewed 21 women, including a minor, who said Aghdashloo had assaulted them. Parvaresh said he received violent threats. Aghdashloo’s lawyer denied his client was responsible.

Some Iranian women’s rights activists say significant challenges hinder #MeToo cases. If an accuser fails to meet the high standard of proof for rape, she can then be accused of adultery.

“A woman who is a victim can quickly turn into a criminal if she can’t prove rape,” said Shadi Sadr, a prominent Iranian lawyer and human rights advocate based in London. “When she testifies that there was sex, she is testifying against herself as well.”

Still, more women are asking how to bring charges, said Leila Rahimi, a Tehran lawyer offering them free consultation and representation.

“You cannot hide this crime happening over and over in our society,” Rahimi said. “Both for women and men, silence does not improve things.”

Three years into the global #MeToo movement, women who say they have been sexually assaulted are improbably going public in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The movement’s reach inside Iran gained momentum in late August after allegations aired on Iranian social media against more than 100 men, including a giant e-commerce company’s former star manager, a prominent sociology professor and the owner of a popular bookstore.

Three years into the global #MeToo movement, women who say they have been sexually assaulted are improbably going public in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The movement’s reach inside Iran gained momentum in late August after allegations aired on Iranian social media against more than 100 men, including a giant e-commerce company’s former star manager, a prominent sociology professor and the owner of a popular bookstore. But the highest-profile person to face such allegations so far is a nearly 80-year-old, internationally acclaimed artist with ties to the ruling elite. Thirteen women, in interviews with The New York Times, accused the artist, Aydin Aghdashloo, of sexual misconduct over a 30-year span. Most are former students, and some are journalists who have reported on art and culture. The willingness by women who say they were victims to share their stories more openly is a groundbreaking shift in Iran’s conservative society, where discussing sex is culturally prohibited, sex outside marriage is illegal, and the burden of proof for victims of sexual crimes is onerous. A raped woman often gets the blame. Aghdashloo declined requests for an interview but strenuously denied wrongdoing, and according to his lawyer has already taken legal action against one accuser. In a written statement provided to The Times, Aghdashloo described himself as an independent artist whose career was built on creative achievement. Also read| The 22-year-old force behind Egypt’s growing #MeToo movement “The allegations of sexual abuse against me are full of significant inaccuracies, mischaracterizations and fabrications,” he wrote. “To be clear, I have always sought to treat people with respect and dignity and I have never abused, assaulted nor taken advantage of anyone.” Still, he wrote, “I am not a perfect man,” and that if his behavior had offended or distressed anyone, “I deeply apologize.” How the authorities treat the perpetrators and victims of sexual misconduct has become a test of the #MeToo movement’s durability in Iran, a country of more than 80 million. Compared with the impact in the United States after the accusations against Harvey Weinstein, the imprisoned Hollywood mogul, the fallout in Iran is only beginning to unfold. But there are signs that the male-controlled power structure in Iran has started to respond to accusations like those made against Aghdashloo. Also read| #MeToo: Iranian women break silence about sexual abuse through Twitter Tehran’s police chief announced on Oct. 12 that the bookstore owner, Keyvan Emamverdi, had confessed to raping 300 women, after 30 took the brave step of filing legal complaints. The police said he would be charged with “corruption on earth,” a capital offense. The e-commerce company Digikala opened an investigation into its former manager and apologized to female employees. Iran’s sociology union expelled the accused professor and called for a zero-tolerance policy at universities. A painting by Aghdashloo was pulled from the cover of a famous literary collection, and at least three women have said they are considering legal action against him. “This is a turning point for sexual abuse, the biggest taboo for women in Iran has been sex and sexual violence and abuse,” said Elnaaz Mohammadi, 33-year-old co-founder of Dideban Azar, or Abuse Watch, an education and advocacy group in Tehran. She said the group had received complaints about Aghdashloo from “students who have left his classes distraught and crying,” and that “all his denials have no value.” Also read| In nod to #MeToo, China codifies sexual harassment by law Paintings by Aghdashloo, a dual citizen of Canada, have been auctioned and displayed worldwide, and France honored him in 2016. Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution he worked with the family of the shah to curate museums. He then moved into the circles of the revolution’s ruling clerics, and he and his family have business links to the hierarchy. Despite a few mentions in Iran’s conservative media as a royalist and Western spy, Aghdashloo has generally received glowing coverage in state media, with no hint of any possible sexual abuse. The Times found and interviewed former students of Aghdashloo’s after an Iranian journalist now living in the United States, Sara Omatali, posted on Twitter Aug. 22 that he had sexually assaulted her in 2006 when she visited to interview him. She wrote that he had greeted her while naked with a robe draped on his shoulder, forced a kiss and pressed his body on hers. Her account appeared to be the catalyst for others. In telephone interviews, 45 people — including former students, a longtime teaching assistant, art gallery owners, actresses, a Tehran art agent and journalists covering art and culture in Iran — all said Aghdashloo’s behavior toward young female students had been known in Iran’s art circles. Thirteen said they had been victims, including one who was 13 years old at the time. Many said they did not know each other. In each of these 13 instances, a family member, friend, or colleague recalled in separate interviews having been told about it. Nineteen described him as the “Harvey Weinstein of Iran,” elevating or destroying careers of women depending on their receptiveness to his advances. One former student said he had offered her one of his paintings — worth $100,000, the price of a small apartment in Tehran — if she slept with him. Another said he had retaliated when she refused him, telling galleries to shun her artwork. Her career faltered. “Aghdashloo’s reputation was an open secret in the art world but nobody did anything about it,” said Solmaz Azhdari, 32, who studied painting under him. She said she had witnessed him placing his hands between a young female student’s legs in 2007 during a sketching class, as Azhdari stooped to retrieve a dropped pencil. In telling their stories, some asked to be identified only by their first names — a reflection of the subject’s sensitivity in a conservative society and their fear of Aghdashloo. Three years into the global #MeToo movement, women who say they have been sexually assaulted are improbably going public in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The movement’s reach inside Iran gained momentum in late August after allegations aired on Iranian social media against more than 100 men, including a giant e-commerce company’s former star manager, a prominent sociology professor and the owner of a popular bookstore. But the highest-profile person to face such allegations so far is a nearly 80-year-old, internationally acclaimed artist with ties to the ruling elite. Thirteen women, in interviews with The New York Times, accused the artist, Aydin Aghdashloo, of sexual misconduct over a 30-year span. Most are former students, and some are journalists who have reported on art and culture. The willingness by women who say they were victims to share their stories more openly is a groundbreaking shift in Iran’s conservative society, where discussing sex is culturally prohibited, sex outside marriage is illegal, and the burden of proof for victims of sexual crimes is onerous. A raped woman often gets the blame. Aghdashloo declined requests for an interview but strenuously denied wrongdoing, and according to his lawyer has already taken legal action against one accuser. In a written statement provided to The Times, Aghdashloo described himself as an independent artist whose career was built on creative achievement. “The allegations of sexual abuse against me are full of significant inaccuracies, mischaracterizations and fabrications,” he wrote. “To be clear, I have always sought to treat people with respect and dignity and I have never abused, assaulted nor taken advantage of anyone.” Still, he wrote, “I am not a perfect man,” and that if his behavior had offended or distressed anyone, “I deeply apologize.” How the authorities treat the perpetrators and victims of sexual misconduct has become a test of the #MeToo movement’s durability in Iran, a country of more than 80 million. Compared with the impact in the United States after the accusations against Harvey Weinstein, the imprisoned Hollywood mogul, the fallout in Iran is only beginning to unfold. But there are signs that the male-controlled power structure in Iran has started to respond to accusations like those made against Aghdashloo. Tehran’s police chief announced on Oct. 12 that the bookstore owner, Keyvan Emamverdi, had confessed to raping 300 women, after 30 took the brave step of filing legal complaints. The police said he would be charged with “corruption on earth,” a capital offense. The e-commerce company Digikala opened an investigation into its former manager and apologized to female employees. Iran’s sociology union expelled the accused professor and called for a zero-tolerance policy at universities. A painting by Aghdashloo was pulled from the cover of a famous literary collection, and at least three women have said they are considering legal action against him. “This is a turning point for sexual abuse, the biggest taboo for women in Iran has been sex and sexual violence and abuse,” said Elnaaz Mohammadi, 33-year-old co-founder of Dideban Azar, or Abuse Watch, an education and advocacy group in Tehran. She said the group had received complaints about Aghdashloo from “students who have left his classes distraught and crying,” and that “all his denials have no value.” Paintings by Aghdashloo, a dual citizen of Canada, have been auctioned and displayed worldwide, and France honored him in 2016. Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution he worked with the family of the shah to curate museums. He then moved into the circles of the revolution’s ruling clerics, and he and his family have business links to the hierarchy. Despite a few mentions in Iran’s conservative media as a royalist and Western spy, Aghdashloo has generally received glowing coverage in state media, with no hint of any possible sexual abuse. The Times found and interviewed former students of Aghdashloo’s after an Iranian journalist now living in the United States, Sara Omatali, posted on Twitter Aug. 22 that he had sexually assaulted her in 2006 when she visited to interview him. She wrote that he had greeted her while naked with a robe draped on his shoulder, forced a kiss and pressed his body on hers. Her account appeared to be the catalyst for others. In telephone interviews, 45 people — including former students, a longtime teaching assistant, art gallery owners, actresses, a Tehran art agent and journalists covering art and culture in Iran — all said Aghdashloo’s behavior toward young female students had been known in Iran’s art circles. Thirteen said they had been victims, including one who was 13 years old at the time. Many said they did not know each other. In each of these 13 instances, a family member, friend, or colleague recalled in separate interviews having been told about it. Nineteen described him as the “Harvey Weinstein of Iran,” elevating or destroying careers of women depending on their receptiveness to his advances. One former student said he had offered her one of his paintings — worth $100,000, the price of a small apartment in Tehran — if she slept with him. Another said he had retaliated when she refused him, telling galleries to shun her artwork. Her career faltered. “Aghdashloo’s reputation was an open secret in the art world but nobody did anything about it,” said Solmaz Azhdari, 32, who studied painting under him. She said she had witnessed him placing his hands between a young female student’s legs in 2007 during a sketching class, as Azhdari stooped to retrieve a dropped pencil. In telling their stories, some asked to be identified only by their first names — a reflection of the subject’s sensitivity in a conservative society and their fear of Aghdashloo. ‘I was terrified of what he could do to me or my career.’ Maryam, an art photographer, 49, said she had visited Aghdashloo in 2010, to collect two paintings from his basement studio for the gallery where she worked. She said Aghdashloo had insisted she view his paintings of nude women, then forcibly kissed her and tore at her clothes. When she screamed, Maryam said, he covered her mouth with his hands; she pushed him away and fled, shouting “you have no shame!” Maryam said she quit her job, and on her mother’s advice never publicized the encounter or contacted the police. “I was terrified of what he could do to me and my career if I told anyone or brought charges,” she said. In his art classes, the former students said, he asked the women to sit on his lap when he reviewed their work, pressed against them while teaching, touched their bodies, made lewd comments and shared explicit details of a fascination with adolescent girls. Mehrnaz, 54, said he made her sit on his lap and caressed her thighs. Atty, 30, said he had locked her in his office and forcibly kissed her. Another said he asked the color of her underwear as he touched her. Afarin, a Tehran teacher, said she had been molested repeatedly 30 years ago, at age 13, by Aghdashloo, who would press his groin against her and touch her thighs while teaching painting technique. She had been too terrified to tell her parents, she said, and still avoids the street where Aghdashloo held class. “I feel relieved that a man who has abused so many women and girls is finally being exposed,” she said. Laleh Sabouri, a 50-year-old actress and television star, took art lessons with Aghdashloo for two years. Days after Omatali’s Twitter posting, Sabouri tweeted that most women were terrified of being alone with him and that accusations of rape would be “befitting.” Aghdashloo’s lawyer said he had taken legal action over that tweet, calling it “baseless.” One of Aghdashloo’s teaching assistants, who helped manage his workshops for 12 years, said she had witnessed frequent misbehavior by him toward female students and that some had complained to her. She had confronted him and he replied that women should consider his affection a privilege, the assistant recalled. She ultimately resigned, she said, because he had assaulted her. Omatali’s account struck a nerve among Iranian female journalists. Several said the advice in newsrooms was that no woman should interview Aghdashloo alone. Solmaz Naraghi, 42, an art and culture reporter, said Aghdashloo sexually harassed her repeatedly in public after she had rebuffed his advances during one such interview. Her former husband recalled her in tears at a gallery after an encounter with Aghdashloo. His supporters have rallied to defend him, including former students who posted a letter on Instagram. His first wife, Hollywood actress Shoreh Aghdashloo, said he was “simply not capable of such heinous acts.” One former student, Mitra Zad, said she had seen “nothing but good things” from him. A formidable figure who straddles art and politics Aydin Aghdashloo’s influence in Iran’s art world seemed to only grow after the revolution. He often boasted about connections to government and religious officials and said he was invulnerable because of them, former students and the teaching assistant said — a description he rejected in his statement to the Times. “I have always worked as an independent artist and, following the revolution, have earned my living not through credits and connections to the state but through my art,” Aghdashloo wrote. His students have included the daughter of Tehran’s Friday Prayer imam and grandchildren of a founding cleric of the revolution. He has worked as a consultant, instructor, author and art appraiser for Astan Quds Razavi, a religious and economic conglomerate controlled by Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which is under U.S. sanctions. The former head of Astan is Iran’s judiciary chief. Aghdashloo’s daughter married into a family that owns Part Sazan, a conglomerate with ties to state-owned enterprises in the oil, gas and automotive industries. The link to the company, which lists a senior member of the Revolutionary Guard's Basij militia as chief executive and board member, has further strengthened his aura of impunity, a number of women said. Anonymous allegations against Aghdashloo first surfaced in 2018 when an Iranian investigative journalist, Afshin Parvaresh, posted on Instagram that he had interviewed 21 women, including a minor, who said Aghdashloo had assaulted them. Parvaresh said he received violent threats. Aghdashloo’s lawyer denied his client was responsible. Some Iranian women’s rights activists say significant challenges hinder #MeToo cases. If an accuser fails to meet the high standard of proof for rape, she can then be accused of adultery. “A woman who is a victim can quickly turn into a criminal if she can’t prove rape,” said Shadi Sadr, a prominent Iranian lawyer and human rights advocate based in London. “When she testifies that there was sex, she is testifying against herself as well.” Still, more women are asking how to bring charges, said Leila Rahimi, a Tehran lawyer offering them free consultation and representation. “You cannot hide this crime happening over and over in our society,” Rahimi said. “Both for women and men, silence does not improve things.”

A #MeToo awakening stirs in Iran

As the #MeToo movement marks its third year since receiving global recognition, founder Tarana Burke is working to make sure it remains inclusive. She also wants the movement to reclaim its original focus on marginalized voices and experiences.

On #MeToo anniversary, leaders focus on inequality

A statue of Medusa, a well-known figure from Greek mythology, has been installed in New York City as a commemoration and honour to the #MeToo movement.

Artist busts the myth around Medusa: Statue honours #MeToo movement

Harvey Weinstein, 66, the most public figure associated with the #MeToo movement has finally been punished. The media mogul has been charged with rape and other sex crimes, for which he could face up to 28 years in prison. A district court has charged Weinstein with raping one woman and sexually assaulting another in separate incidents over a two-day period in 2013. #Weinstein #WeinsteinInPrison #HarveyWeinstein #MeToo

Weinstein could face 28 years in prison for rape in LA

&nbsp;A young man suffers years of anguish after failing to stop the rape of a schoolgirl in 'Sea', a gritty film of revenge and redemption by new Japanese director Kensei Takahashi. 
 
'Sea'&nbsp;comes at a time of heightened awareness of sexual assault thanks to the #MeToo movement, although Takahashi said he had already begun developing the film before the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke last year. 
 
Takahashi had originally envisaged a thriller-style film with the girl as the main character but decided on a male lead whose perspective he could better understand, which he said helped him to deepen the story and address themes like abandonment. 
 
"The thing I wanted to say most is that people are very indifferent about things that are happening to other people," Takahashi told a question-and-answer session after the film`s premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival, which runs until Saturday. 
 
'Sea'&nbsp;follows Hiroshi (Satoshi Abe), a shy high-school student hoping to get into university, and get away from his dreary coastal hometown where he is bullied by the likes of Tatsuya (Seiya Okada) and Kengo (Seijyuro Mimori). 
 
One day, life is irrevocably changed when he discovers Rie (Arisa Sato) being sexually assaulted by Tatsuya and Kengo in a boat shed on the beach but is powerless to stop them. The crime is never reported and Rie quietly leaves town. 
 
Hiroshi retreats into a shell of guilt, toiling as a newspaper delivery person and avoiding contact with others. But a class reunion for 20-year-olds provides a chance encounter with the rapists - and an opportunity for vengeance. 
 
Takahashi made 'Sea'&nbsp;as his university graduation film but is already competing against established filmmakers in the festival`s Splash section for Japanese independent film, highlighting the director`s potential. 
 
"They say you're new&nbsp;until your second film and that the second one is really important. So I want mine to be symbolic of me and hope to get into next year`s main competition section," he said. 
&nbsp;

A young man suffers years of anguish after failing to stop the rape of a schoolgirl in 'Sea', a gritty film of revenge and redemption by new Japanese director Kensei Takahashi.

A young man suffers years of anguish after failing to stop the rape of a schoolgirl in 'Sea', a gritty film of revenge and redemption by new Japanese director Kensei Takahashi. 'Sea' comes at a time of heightened awareness of sexual assault thanks to the #MeToo movement, although Takahashi said he had already begun developing the film before the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke last year. Takahashi had originally envisaged a thriller-style film with the girl as the main character but decided on a male lead whose perspective he could better understand, which he said helped him to deepen the story and address themes like abandonment. "The thing I wanted to say most is that people are very indifferent about things that are happening to other people," Takahashi told a question-and-answer session after the film`s premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival, which runs until Saturday. 'Sea' follows Hiroshi (Satoshi Abe), a shy high-school student hoping to get into university, and get away from his dreary coastal hometown where he is bullied by the likes of Tatsuya (Seiya Okada) and Kengo (Seijyuro Mimori). One day, life is irrevocably changed when he discovers Rie (Arisa Sato) being sexually assaulted by Tatsuya and Kengo in a boat shed on the beach but is powerless to stop them. The crime is never reported and Rie quietly leaves town. Hiroshi retreats into a shell of guilt, toiling as a newspaper delivery person and avoiding contact with others. But a class reunion for 20-year-olds provides a chance encounter with the rapists - and an opportunity for vengeance. Takahashi made 'Sea' as his university graduation film but is already competing against established filmmakers in the festival`s Splash section for Japanese independent film, highlighting the director`s potential. "They say you're new until your second film and that the second one is really important. So I want mine to be symbolic of me and hope to get into next year`s main competition section," he said.

Kensei Takahashi directs 'Sea', a film of redemption and revenge

Ex-Big Boss contestant and model Diandra Soares questioned Amitabh Bachchan's silence on the ongoing #MeToo movement that has shaken up the entire Bollywood industry. 
 
Diandra had recently opened up on #MeToo movement and had accused Suhel Seth of sexual harassment. 
 
In her latest interview, with a channel, Diandra said,''I want to know why the silence.''&nbsp; 
 
“I want to ask him, and I’ll do it point blank. I know him, &nbsp;and I have met him, I know his daughter in law very well, his kids are brought up very well, he has a granddaughter, he has a lot of women in the family, and I want to know why the silence? And your statement? Really? &nbsp;That’s the statement you gave out,” she said.&nbsp;

The actress also took a dig at Karan Johar and asked him if he knew the meaning of girl power.

Ex-Big Boss contestant and model Diandra Soares questioned Amitabh Bachchan's silence on the ongoing #MeToo movement that has shaken up the entire Bollywood industry.

Ex-Big Boss contestant and model Diandra Soares questioned Amitabh Bachchan's silence on the ongoing #MeToo movement that has shaken up the entire Bollywood industry. Diandra had recently opened up on #MeToo movement and had accused Suhel Seth of sexual harassment. In her latest interview, with a channel, Diandra said,''I want to know why the silence.'' “I want to ask him, and I’ll do it point blank. I know him, and I have met him, I know his daughter in law very well, his kids are brought up very well, he has a granddaughter, he has a lot of women in the family, and I want to know why the silence? And your statement? Really? That’s the statement you gave out,” she said. The actress also took a dig at Karan Johar and asked him if he knew the meaning of girl power.

#MeToo: Big Boss contestant Diandra Soares question's Amitabh Bachchan's silence

Lauding several women for having the courage to share their sexual harassment stories, filmmaker Shonali Bose says the #MeToo movement should not be reduced to male bashing.&nbsp; 
 
"This movement should at no point become male bashing. It is not about men and women, it is about the patriarchy embedded in our society. I was in a prominent college in Delhi, I was sexually harassed in auditorium and went up to the stage and said we were shutting down the festival as many faced it,'' Shonali said. 
 
"The principal said I was going to be expelled from the college. It is about the ideology, like women being shamed as to how you project yourself, what you wear... It is not coming from men alone but women as well," Shonali said on Friday at #MeToo panel discussion at the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film festival here.&nbsp; 
 
Shonali said the incident only made her realise, how women are judged for what they wear and how they appear.&nbsp; 
 
The 53-year-old director believes cinema is the best way where one can break boundaries and smash stereotypes. 
 
Actor Renuka Shahane, who was also a part of the session, said she has worked with people whom she had admired.&nbsp; 
 
"Most people can't separate art from the person. When I was a newbie I had to be alert always or build walls. I feel anybody who goes to a work situation there has to be mutual respect. When you are not shooting, you can't be judged and pounced on, '' said Renuka. 
 
&nbsp;She further said,''I have experienced all of that in the film industry. We just try to sweep that under the carpet. This whole 'adjust' thing is like big conspiracy of silence." 
 
For Renuka, the whole movement is about creating a safe environment for women and be respected in the workplace. 
 
"It is unfortunate that these things happen. I have seen both the sides. Like there are women who are entering the industry with the thought that they are willing to do anything to get in here,'' said the actress. 
 
"The fact that there are women who don't want to do anything, they should be allowed to work in an environment that satisfies them as an actor," said the actor. 
 
She gave the example of 'intimacy coordinators' being hired in Hollywood to ensure standards and prevent abuse during all sexual scenes on sets and said the same should be there in India as well. 
 
The actress said, "My husband (Ashutosh Rana) has done a lot of that in the film industry and he has always been careful and sensitive in such scenes. It is a tricky scene to perform as you have to be in the scene and make sure your female co-star is not suffering from any kind of harassment. Good actors have managed to do it in an aesthetic way." 
 
She said due to the movement there might be a discussion on the sets regarding the details of the scenes where nudity, intimacy is concerned.&nbsp; 
 
"Everybody has the right to work in a comfortable situation," said the actress. 
&nbsp;

Lauding several women for having the courage to share their sexual harassment stories, filmmaker Shonali Bose says the #MeToo movement should not be reduced to male bashing.

Lauding several women for having the courage to share their sexual harassment stories, filmmaker Shonali Bose says the #MeToo movement should not be reduced to male bashing. "This movement should at no point become male bashing. It is not about men and women, it is about the patriarchy embedded in our society. I was in a prominent college in Delhi, I was sexually harassed in auditorium and went up to the stage and said we were shutting down the festival as many faced it,'' Shonali said. "The principal said I was going to be expelled from the college. It is about the ideology, like women being shamed as to how you project yourself, what you wear... It is not coming from men alone but women as well," Shonali said on Friday at #MeToo panel discussion at the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film festival here. Shonali said the incident only made her realise, how women are judged for what they wear and how they appear. The 53-year-old director believes cinema is the best way where one can break boundaries and smash stereotypes. Actor Renuka Shahane, who was also a part of the session, said she has worked with people whom she had admired. "Most people can't separate art from the person. When I was a newbie I had to be alert always or build walls. I feel anybody who goes to a work situation there has to be mutual respect. When you are not shooting, you can't be judged and pounced on, '' said Renuka. She further said,''I have experienced all of that in the film industry. We just try to sweep that under the carpet. This whole 'adjust' thing is like big conspiracy of silence." For Renuka, the whole movement is about creating a safe environment for women and be respected in the workplace. "It is unfortunate that these things happen. I have seen both the sides. Like there are women who are entering the industry with the thought that they are willing to do anything to get in here,'' said the actress. "The fact that there are women who don't want to do anything, they should be allowed to work in an environment that satisfies them as an actor," said the actor. She gave the example of 'intimacy coordinators' being hired in Hollywood to ensure standards and prevent abuse during all sexual scenes on sets and said the same should be there in India as well. The actress said, "My husband (Ashutosh Rana) has done a lot of that in the film industry and he has always been careful and sensitive in such scenes. It is a tricky scene to perform as you have to be in the scene and make sure your female co-star is not suffering from any kind of harassment. Good actors have managed to do it in an aesthetic way." She said due to the movement there might be a discussion on the sets regarding the details of the scenes where nudity, intimacy is concerned. "Everybody has the right to work in a comfortable situation," said the actress.

Director Shonali Bose and actress Renuka Shahane speak their minds out on #MeToo movement

The government on Wednesday constituted a Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh in order to strengthen the legal and institutional frameworks to deal with and prevent sexual harassment at workplace.

The members of the GoM are Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi.

The GoM will work towards strengthening the legal and institutional frameworks to deal with, and prevent sexual harassment at workplace, a report said.

It will recommend action required for effective implementation of the existing provisions, as well as for strengthening the existing legal and institutional frameworks for addressing issues related to sexual harassment at workplace, the official said.

The GoM has been set up in the wake of #MeToo movement where several women have publicly named people who had harassed them at their workplace.

Former editor M J Akbar had to resign as Minister of State for External Affairs following allegations of sexual harassment against him by former colleagues.&nbsp;

The government on Wednesday constituted a Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh in order to strengthen the legal and institutional frameworks to deal with and prevent sexual harassment at workplace.

The government on Wednesday constituted a Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh in order to strengthen the legal and institutional frameworks to deal with and prevent sexual harassment at workplace. The members of the GoM are Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi. The GoM will work towards strengthening the legal and institutional frameworks to deal with, and prevent sexual harassment at workplace, a report said. It will recommend action required for effective implementation of the existing provisions, as well as for strengthening the existing legal and institutional frameworks for addressing issues related to sexual harassment at workplace, the official said. The GoM has been set up in the wake of #MeToo movement where several women have publicly named people who had harassed them at their workplace. Former editor M J Akbar had to resign as Minister of State for External Affairs following allegations of sexual harassment against him by former colleagues.

Rajnath Singh to head GoM to look into sexual harassment at workplace

Tanushree Dutta has slammed Rs 10 crore defamation case against Rakhi Sawant for calling her a liar and saying that her sexual harassment claims against actor Nana Patekar are just for publicity.

The actress has accused Nana Patekar of sexual harassment and misconduct on the sets of 'Horn Ok Plssss'&nbsp;after which she dropped out of the project and was replaced by Rakhi Sawant. The incident took place in 2008.

"These are fake allegations on Nana Patekar Ji and Ganesh Acharya," Rakhi had claimed&nbsp;recently to a television channel. 
 
She had further added, "She is talking about the past, which has nothing to do with the incident. Nothing of this sort ever happened. If something like this would have happened...have you seen my song with Nana Patekar...he did not even touch me a little."&nbsp; 
 
Tanushree Dutta's lawyer, Nitin Satpute said, "We have filed a criminal and civil defamation case against Rakhi Sawant for maligning my client's character and image." 
 
He further said that Rakhee will be punished for two years if she fails to reply.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tanushree Dutta has slammed Rs 10 crore defamation case against Rakhi Sawant for calling her a liar and saying that her sexual harassment claims against actor Nana Patekar are just for publicity.

Tanushree Dutta has slammed Rs 10 crore defamation case against Rakhi Sawant for calling her a liar and saying that her sexual harassment claims against actor Nana Patekar are just for publicity. The actress has accused Nana Patekar of sexual harassment and misconduct on the sets of 'Horn Ok Plssss' after which she dropped out of the project and was replaced by Rakhi Sawant. The incident took place in 2008. "These are fake allegations on Nana Patekar Ji and Ganesh Acharya," Rakhi had claimed recently to a television channel. She had further added, "She is talking about the past, which has nothing to do with the incident. Nothing of this sort ever happened. If something like this would have happened...have you seen my song with Nana Patekar...he did not even touch me a little." Tanushree Dutta's lawyer, Nitin Satpute said, "We have filed a criminal and civil defamation case against Rakhi Sawant for maligning my client's character and image." He further said that Rakhee will be punished for two years if she fails to reply.

Tanushree Dutta files Rs 10 crore defamation case against Rakhi Sawant

South Indian actress Sruthi Hariharan has accused actor Arjun Sarja of sexual harassment during the shoot of a film in 2016

"During the rehearsal, we delivered our lines and Mr. Arjun hugs me. With no forewarning or permission, he runs his hands intimately up and down my back. He pulls me closer with my body taut against his and asks the director if we could use this idea of foreplay in the scene," said Shruti on a Facebook post. 
 
The actress also revealed that the incident took place in front&nbsp;of 50 crew members of the film and that the incident left her in shock.&nbsp; 
 
''I am all for depicting realism in cinema, but this felt absolutely wrong. His (Arjun) intent seemed anything but professional. I hated that he did it and angry that I didn`t know what to say then," she added. 
 
She further said, "During the course of production, every smutty innuendo he (Arjun) made created an unpalatable work environment for me. His salacious invitations to meet him after work appalled me."&nbsp; 
 
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The film's director had also sensed the discomfort that she was facing on the sets. "&nbsp;The director sensed my discomfort too. I made sure I let the direction department know that I was not interested to be a part of rehearsals and will come directly for takes. I also shared the incident with my make up team right after,"&nbsp;added the actress in her post. Sruthi recalled that she had discussed the incident with her makeup team. 
 
"I choose to come out now because henceforth, I think Mr. Arjun Sarja needs to make sure he doesn`t cross the thin line between two actors and use his position of power to cause another person discomfort or hurt," she added. 
 
Although the actress did not want to go back for the shot&nbsp;yet she had to complete the film she had signed.

However, actor Arjun dismissed any such claim.

South Indian actress Sruthi Hariharan has accused actor Arjun Sarja of sexual harassment during the shoot of a film in 2016 "During the rehearsal, we delivered our lines and Mr.

South Indian actress Sruthi Hariharan has accused actor Arjun Sarja of sexual harassment during the shoot of a film in 2016 "During the rehearsal, we delivered our lines and Mr. Arjun hugs me. With no forewarning or permission, he runs his hands intimately up and down my back. He pulls me closer with my body taut against his and asks the director if we could use this idea of foreplay in the scene," said Shruti on a Facebook post. The actress also revealed that the incident took place in front of 50 crew members of the film and that the incident left her in shock. ''I am all for depicting realism in cinema, but this felt absolutely wrong. His (Arjun) intent seemed anything but professional. I hated that he did it and angry that I didn`t know what to say then," she added. She further said, "During the course of production, every smutty innuendo he (Arjun) made created an unpalatable work environment for me. His salacious invitations to meet him after work appalled me." The film's director had also sensed the discomfort that she was facing on the sets. " The director sensed my discomfort too. I made sure I let the direction department know that I was not interested to be a part of rehearsals and will come directly for takes. I also shared the incident with my make up team right after," added the actress in her post. Sruthi recalled that she had discussed the incident with her makeup team. "I choose to come out now because henceforth, I think Mr. Arjun Sarja needs to make sure he doesn`t cross the thin line between two actors and use his position of power to cause another person discomfort or hurt," she added. Although the actress did not want to go back for the shot yet she had to complete the film she had signed. However, actor Arjun dismissed any such claim.

#MeToo: Sruthi Hariharan accuses actor Arjun Sarja of sexual harassment

MNS chief Raj Thackeray has called Nana Patekar "indecent", but also come to his defence.&nbsp;

India's #MeToo movement kicked off after the actor Tanushree Dutta accused Nana Patekar of sexual misconduct.&nbsp;

"I know Nana Patekar. He is indecent. He does crazy things but I don't think he can do such a thing," news reports Thursday quoted Thackeray as saying.&nbsp;

He added that the "court will look into it", and seemed to say the allegations of rape, assault, and harassment — all of which have been made — should not be made on social media.&nbsp;

"What is the media to do with it? #MeToo is a serious matter, the debate over it on Twitter isn't right," the MNS chief said at an event in Maharashtra's Amravati.

Thackeray claimed that the #MeToo movement might have been fuelled to divert people's attention from rising fuel prices, the falling value of the rupee, and unemployment in the country.

Thackeray added that if any woman faces such a problem, she can report it to the MNS. 
&nbsp;But he added that women should speak up about assaults on them or harassment of them immediately and not some 10 years later.&nbsp;

"It seems it is being done to divert attention from petrol price, rupee value, and unemployment. If anything like #MeToo happens, women can come to MNS. We will teach a lesson to accused. Women must raise the voice when they face oppression, not after 10 years," Thackeray said.&nbsp;

MNS chief Raj Thackeray has called Nana Patekar "indecent", but also come to his defence. India's #MeToo movement kicked off after the actor Tanushree Dutta accused Nana Patekar of sexual misconduct.

MNS chief Raj Thackeray has called Nana Patekar "indecent", but also come to his defence. India's #MeToo movement kicked off after the actor Tanushree Dutta accused Nana Patekar of sexual misconduct. "I know Nana Patekar. He is indecent. He does crazy things but I don't think he can do such a thing," news reports Thursday quoted Thackeray as saying. He added that the "court will look into it", and seemed to say the allegations of rape, assault, and harassment — all of which have been made — should not be made on social media. "What is the media to do with it? #MeToo is a serious matter, the debate over it on Twitter isn't right," the MNS chief said at an event in Maharashtra's Amravati. Thackeray claimed that the #MeToo movement might have been fuelled to divert people's attention from rising fuel prices, the falling value of the rupee, and unemployment in the country. Thackeray added that if any woman faces such a problem, she can report it to the MNS. But he added that women should speak up about assaults on them or harassment of them immediately and not some 10 years later. "It seems it is being done to divert attention from petrol price, rupee value, and unemployment. If anything like #MeToo happens, women can come to MNS. We will teach a lesson to accused. Women must raise the voice when they face oppression, not after 10 years," Thackeray said.

#MeToo: Raj Thackeray says Nana Patekar 'indecent', but comes to his defence

There were 12 of us. All young women. We had stuffed ourselves into an already cramped room for a meal. Another young woman, maybe just shy of 18 years old, that I’d seen before, was absent. When asked where she was, a friend of mine looked up, and casually said, “She isn’t here because she was assaulted this past weekend.”&nbsp;

As the story goes, she was in her house alone and her male neighbour came over to “say hello.” When he realised no one was home, he tried to touch her, and force her to get intimate with him. My heart dropped and I didn’t know what turn this story was going to take.&nbsp;

But then I heard someone say - “But she’s been getting stronger and she’s a fighter". So she yelled and beat him with things she had nearby, and got him out of the house. And then she called her other neighbours, her parents, and the police.” Once they arrived, her parents were proud of her, and the community shunned the boy for what he did. The police arrested him, but he was soon released on bail.&nbsp;

It was sad in a way, that the first thought that was spoken amongst our group was something on most of our minds: “She got lucky.” She was lucky that she had a family who believed her, and a community behind her. When I thought that the conversation could not take any more turns, all of the young women that I had come to know, admire, and deeply respect, all launched into their own tales of abuse and assault.&nbsp;

But that moment couldn’t have come at a more poignant time – just the day before, I had learned a part of the reason my Fellowship host organisation, the Naz Foundation, had implemented its flagship programme for adolescent girls (“Goal”): they found that women, unaware of their own bodies and sexual health, were unknowingly contracting HIV from their supposedly monogamous husbands. Yet another form of abuse.&nbsp;

I’ve thought about that moment a lot in the past few months. About what it means to be a woman in this world, about what it means to be a woman in India. I had my stories to share, and when the time came I did, and it all seemed to come together. Our stories were ones of not being heard, of trying to raise empathetic boys in a world that seems dead set against it, and of empowering other women.&nbsp;

In our own small way, acknowledging the issues that we faced every day – from the US to India – we bridged a gap and made for better leaders in all of us. We can’t fix what we don’t verbalise. The bonds we formed, friendships we made, and bridges we built across cultures that day enabled us to advocate for women’s empowerment across the world.&nbsp;

In the United States, women’s empowerment is shouted from the rooftops. In its most visible form, it takes place in the form of marches around the country, in celebrity declaration in support of #MeToo. In India, I’ve found that paths to empowerment look different, and yet strangely familiar, from marches and protests to civil disobedience within the home to educate one’s children on how to live in a better world.&nbsp;

That day, I made 12 new, extraordinarily powerful, wonderful friends. Tragedy turned into a strategy. When I first arrived, I thought that there would be many things that I would encounter that I would never truly be able to understand. But I’ve come to realise that women’s empowerment, like all social issues and like all people, is the same across the world. It just comes in different packaging.&nbsp;

(*A <a href="https://aif.org/womens-empowerment-building-a-bridge/">previous version of this article</a> was originally published by the  American India Foundation)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

There were 12 of us. All young women. We had stuffed ourselves into an already cramped room for a meal. Another young woman, maybe just shy of 18 years old, that I’d seen before, was absent.

There were 12 of us. All young women. We had stuffed ourselves into an already cramped room for a meal. Another young woman, maybe just shy of 18 years old, that I’d seen before, was absent. When asked where she was, a friend of mine looked up, and casually said, “She isn’t here because she was assaulted this past weekend.” As the story goes, she was in her house alone and her male neighbour came over to “say hello.” When he realised no one was home, he tried to touch her, and force her to get intimate with him. My heart dropped and I didn’t know what turn this story was going to take. But then I heard someone say - “But she’s been getting stronger and she’s a fighter". So she yelled and beat him with things she had nearby, and got him out of the house. And then she called her other neighbours, her parents, and the police.” Once they arrived, her parents were proud of her, and the community shunned the boy for what he did. The police arrested him, but he was soon released on bail. It was sad in a way, that the first thought that was spoken amongst our group was something on most of our minds: “She got lucky.” She was lucky that she had a family who believed her, and a community behind her. When I thought that the conversation could not take any more turns, all of the young women that I had come to know, admire, and deeply respect, all launched into their own tales of abuse and assault. But that moment couldn’t have come at a more poignant time – just the day before, I had learned a part of the reason my Fellowship host organisation, the Naz Foundation, had implemented its flagship programme for adolescent girls (“Goal”): they found that women, unaware of their own bodies and sexual health, were unknowingly contracting HIV from their supposedly monogamous husbands. Yet another form of abuse. I’ve thought about that moment a lot in the past few months. About what it means to be a woman in this world, about what it means to be a woman in India. I had my stories to share, and when the time came I did, and it all seemed to come together. Our stories were ones of not being heard, of trying to raise empathetic boys in a world that seems dead set against it, and of empowering other women. In our own small way, acknowledging the issues that we faced every day – from the US to India – we bridged a gap and made for better leaders in all of us. We can’t fix what we don’t verbalise. The bonds we formed, friendships we made, and bridges we built across cultures that day enabled us to advocate for women’s empowerment across the world. In the United States, women’s empowerment is shouted from the rooftops. In its most visible form, it takes place in the form of marches around the country, in celebrity declaration in support of #MeToo. In India, I’ve found that paths to empowerment look different, and yet strangely familiar, from marches and protests to civil disobedience within the home to educate one’s children on how to live in a better world. That day, I made 12 new, extraordinarily powerful, wonderful friends. Tragedy turned into a strategy. When I first arrived, I thought that there would be many things that I would encounter that I would never truly be able to understand. But I’ve come to realise that women’s empowerment, like all social issues and like all people, is the same across the world. It just comes in different packaging. (*A previous version of this article was originally published by the  American India Foundation) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Blog: #MeToo movement is all about empowering women

Nandita Das, daughter of famous painter Jatin Das said that she would continue to voice her opinion against sexual harassment in the wake of ongoing #MeToo movement.

Nandita's father was accused of sexual harassment. In a story shared by conservationist Nisha Bora, she said that she was sexually harassed 14 years ago by Jatin. These allegations have been dismissed by the painter as “vulgar”.

The &nbsp;co-founder of a paper-making company, Nandita Das said, “As a strong supporter of the #MeToo movement, I want to reiterate that I will continue to add my voice to it, despite the disturbing allegations made against my father, which he has categorically denied,” she wrote on the social networking site.''

&nbsp;

“I have maintained from the very start that this is the time we all need to listen so that women (and men) feel safe to speak up. At the same time, it is also important to be sure about allegations so as not to dilute the movement,” the actor said.

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Those who stand in her support are &nbsp;“friends and strangers – who are concerned and are trusting my integrity, ” she said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

“I do believe truth will prevail. And that is all I have to say on this matter,” she asserted.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Jatin Das, the accusations aren't vulgar. Your behaviour is. <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiaMeToo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndiaMeToo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AnooBhu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AnooBhu</a> <a href="https://t.co/11ucXBsLXZ">https://t.co/11ucXBsLXZ</a>
— Nisha Bora (@NishaBora) <a href="https://twitter.com/NishaBora/status/1052294708985245708?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Jatin Das has been accused of sexual harassment by Nisha Bora that has sent a rude shock to the netizens and the people across the country.

Nandita Das, daughter of famous painter Jatin Das said that she would continue to voice her opinion against sexual harassment in the wake of ongoing #MeToo movement.

Nandita Das, daughter of famous painter Jatin Das said that she would continue to voice her opinion against sexual harassment in the wake of ongoing #MeToo movement. Nandita's father was accused of sexual harassment. In a story shared by conservationist Nisha Bora, she said that she was sexually harassed 14 years ago by Jatin. These allegations have been dismissed by the painter as “vulgar”. The co-founder of a paper-making company, Nandita Das said, “As a strong supporter of the #MeToo movement, I want to reiterate that I will continue to add my voice to it, despite the disturbing allegations made against my father, which he has categorically denied,” she wrote on the social networking site.'' “I have maintained from the very start that this is the time we all need to listen so that women (and men) feel safe to speak up. At the same time, it is also important to be sure about allegations so as not to dilute the movement,” the actor said. Those who stand in her support are “friends and strangers – who are concerned and are trusting my integrity, ” she said. “I do believe truth will prevail. And that is all I have to say on this matter,” she asserted. Jatin Das, the accusations aren't vulgar. Your behaviour is. @IndiaMeToo @AnooBhu https://t.co/11ucXBsLXZ — Nisha Bora (@NishaBora) October 16, 2018 × Jatin Das has been accused of sexual harassment by Nisha Bora that has sent a rude shock to the netizens and the people across the country.

Nandita Das's father Jatin named in #MeToo, she says 'will support movement'

In the wake of #MeToo movement where few big names have sprung after being accused by women of sexual harassment and misconduct, Shweta Pandit took to her Twitter handle to share her story on Wednesday, accusing music composer Anu Malik of sexual harassment.

Calling Malik as ''pedophile and sexual predator", &nbsp;the singer said, ''It was the year 2000 when I was launched as a lead singer with 'Mohabbatein' and was trying to get other good songs to follow up with the success of that soundtrack and the outstanding welcome it gave me in the music industry."

The singer said that&nbsp;Malik's manager had rung her up to ask her to come to Andheri's Empire Studio in mid-2001 to meet him.&nbsp;

Being an admirer of the composer, she got elated and reached the venue after which Shweta was put on a voice test.

"He was recording a group song with Sunidhi and Shaan for the film 'Awara Pagal Deewana'&nbsp;when my mother and I walked in the monitor room. He told me to wait in the small cabin inside where singers sang at Empire studio. It was just him and me there," she said.

She further added,''I sang it well so he said, 'I'll give you this song with Sunidhi and Shaan but first give me a kiss now'. He then smiled, what I'd recall the most evil grin I've seen. I went numb and pale in the face. I was only 15 years old then, still in school.''

She also said that after the incident the singer was depressed for months and her psyche had got affected as well.&nbsp;

“It was the worst experience of my life and I could never speak about it even to my parents. I could never ask any help to heal but was depressed for months. I cried endlessly after this incident and it affected my psyche as a young girl, so much that i could have left the industry but i re-thought and fought with my will [opwer that why should I leave my greatest passion for a pedophile like him but i still kept struggling for years to bury this inside me,” she said.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Had to go back to my worst memory as a teenage girl today to write this and speak up - its now or never. This is my <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MeToo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MeToo</a> and have to warn young girls about <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AnuMalik?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AnuMalik</a> &amp; let you know your <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TimesUp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TimesUp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiaMeToo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndiaMeToo</a> 
Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/sonamohapatra?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sonamohapatra</a> for speaking up about him &amp; supporting this <a href="https://t.co/e261pGQyEq">pic.twitter.com/e261pGQyEq</a>
— Shweta Pandit (@ShwetaPandit7) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShwetaPandit7/status/1052490035407204353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2018</a></blockquote>
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A couple of days ago, singer Sona Mohapatra had also called Malik as a "serial predator".

Responding to Pandit's allegation, Mohapatra thanked her for voicing out and bringing Malik's reality into open.

"Sending you love, big healing and strength @ShwetaPandit7. That #AnuMalik did this to you as a child is something #India has to make note of. Thank you so much for being brave and bringing this out in the open. I know how difficult that is and the pressure to let 'bygones be bygones,'' tweeted Sona Mohapatra.

 
&nbsp;

In the wake of #MeToo movement where few big names have sprung after being accused by women of sexual harassment and misconduct, Shweta Pandit took to her Twitter handle to share her story on Wednesday, accusing music composer Anu Malik of sexual harassment.

In the wake of #MeToo movement where few big names have sprung after being accused by women of sexual harassment and misconduct, Shweta Pandit took to her Twitter handle to share her story on Wednesday, accusing music composer Anu Malik of sexual harassment. Calling Malik as ''pedophile and sexual predator", the singer said, ''It was the year 2000 when I was launched as a lead singer with 'Mohabbatein' and was trying to get other good songs to follow up with the success of that soundtrack and the outstanding welcome it gave me in the music industry." The singer said that Malik's manager had rung her up to ask her to come to Andheri's Empire Studio in mid-2001 to meet him. Being an admirer of the composer, she got elated and reached the venue after which Shweta was put on a voice test. "He was recording a group song with Sunidhi and Shaan for the film 'Awara Pagal Deewana' when my mother and I walked in the monitor room. He told me to wait in the small cabin inside where singers sang at Empire studio. It was just him and me there," she said. She further added,''I sang it well so he said, 'I'll give you this song with Sunidhi and Shaan but first give me a kiss now'. He then smiled, what I'd recall the most evil grin I've seen. I went numb and pale in the face. I was only 15 years old then, still in school.'' She also said that after the incident the singer was depressed for months and her psyche had got affected as well. “It was the worst experience of my life and I could never speak about it even to my parents. I could never ask any help to heal but was depressed for months. I cried endlessly after this incident and it affected my psyche as a young girl, so much that i could have left the industry but i re-thought and fought with my will [opwer that why should I leave my greatest passion for a pedophile like him but i still kept struggling for years to bury this inside me,” she said. Had to go back to my worst memory as a teenage girl today to write this and speak up - its now or never. This is my #MeToo and have to warn young girls about #AnuMalik & let you know your #TimesUp @IndiaMeToo Thank you @sonamohapatra for speaking up about him & supporting this pic.twitter.com/e261pGQyEq — Shweta Pandit (@ShwetaPandit7) October 17, 2018 × A couple of days ago, singer Sona Mohapatra had also called Malik as a "serial predator". Responding to Pandit's allegation, Mohapatra thanked her for voicing out and bringing Malik's reality into open. "Sending you love, big healing and strength @ShwetaPandit7. That #AnuMalik did this to you as a child is something #India has to make note of. Thank you so much for being brave and bringing this out in the open. I know how difficult that is and the pressure to let 'bygones be bygones,'' tweeted Sona Mohapatra.

#MeToo: Singer Shweta Pandit accuses Anu Malik of sexual harassment

In the swirling waters of the MeToo Movement that have reached India, the rules of engagement on conduct involving women and men are being rewritten in ways that would hopefully make the country a safer place for women. Only three months ago, a Reuters global poll based on a survey of experts said India was the "most dangerous" country for women and that did not go too well with the establishment.&nbsp;

Now that the US-born movement, where women take to social media to 'out' alleged perpetrators of sexual harassment, has become mainstream in India with many famous men turning notorious, it is time to see the writing on the wall.

There are many ifs and buts in this because India has changed very fast with the rise of education, awareness, democratic beliefs, economic growth and last but not least, the internet. The harsh reality is that only a few years ago, both men and women spoke in hushed whispers about the sexual escapades, shenanigans and exploitation of powerful people in politics, media and Bollywood, but possibly with different worldviews. 
 
While it is increasingly clear that most woman victims did not speak out of fear, concern for personal safety/jobs/careers or the helpless power structure they were dealing with, for many men, this seemed to be part of what was perceived to be normal in varying degrees of acceptability. That is changing. Today, there is a new normal. The trophies of yesterday have become the scars of today.&nbsp;

The combination of social media and long memories is proving to be embarrassing for many.

I&nbsp;am surprised but not shocked that Union Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar, a journalistic icon for many of our generation including myself, is not resigning but combating accusations of sexual harassment or misdemeanour during his days as a rockstar newspaper editor. Surprised, because I thought there was sufficient circumstantial evidence from more than a dozen women to suggest that it was important for him to at least not hold on to a public office. Surprised because there is enough talk of clean public conduct from the BJP-led government to have included a concern for widespread public outrage.

However, on deeper introspection, there are reasons why the BJP may drag its feet -- or for that matter any political party. On the one hand, there are issues related to personal and public morality in which what happens in the personal sphere may not be uniformly or immediately brought into question in matters concerning public posts. On the other hand, and this is realpolitik, there is the issue of a precedent that might be set in a resignation.

The open secret is that there are men in every leading political party whose personal lives and conduct are dubious. If a politically dispensable minister is forced to resign on grounds of sexual misconduct, the day may not be far off when a woman or two or three will speak out against another whose political clout based on caste, popularity or other vote-catching abilities is significant. Now, which party would want to get rid of a vote-catcher? Every party will pay lip service or protest in differing degrees of outrage. The top leaders will murmur, one or two spokespersons will be more forthright, and some will talk in generalities.&nbsp;

It is also a harsh fact that there are social and economic realities in India that make men historically powerful, and that cannot be wished away. If even getting women to rule from panchayat posts is difficult, it is more difficult to imagine power equations to change overnight on matters of sexual misconduct.&nbsp;

As of now, there is no visibly significant outrage against sexual misconduct in the vast hinterland of India. Allegations against lyricist Vairamuthu in Tamil Nadu are just drops in the ocean of India's state politics. Only the naive would believe other states do not have widespread instances of alleged misconduct. South Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, and Bangalore are pockets of resistance -- or maybe they represent the vanguard of a revolution in the making. What they used to say in India vs Bharat argument -- about urban India flourishing while rural India is left behind -- can be stretched here. History, privilege, poverty, caste and gender have to be considered together to get an idea of the immensity of the issue. I recommend director Shyam Benegal's classic, Nishant as an educative movie on this subject.

Only time will tell us how the meeting of an irresistible force against an immovable object shapes up in precise terms, but my guess is that we are headed for reform, not revolution. Slowly but steadily, voices will spring up against misconduct even in the hinterland, inspired and egged on by women who have stood up to be counted. But in the immediate term, both workplaces and political culture will need a rebooting of attitudes and beliefs, and that is likely to happen in a measured pace. Even the best of men may have to learn a lot, as we are discovering from outpourings of feelings and experiences.

There is also the matter of jurisprudence in which legal technicalities will play out as court cases grind on because a presumption of innocence until there is proof of guilt, is normal in a healthy democracy. Everything from the dates of alleged misconduct, the precise law under which it needs to be examined, the demand for stay orders and the levels of the judiciary will matter in the scheme of things. 
 
If shaming public figures is a punishment, a lot has already happened. If better conduct across India in professional and public life matters, there is a long way to go.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on Zee News. Read the <a href="http://zeenews.india.com/blogs/metoo-has-arrived-in-india-but-yet-to-reach-bharat-may-start-reform-not-revolution-2148826.html">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp;

In the swirling waters of the MeToo Movement that have reached India, the rules of engagement on conduct involving women and men are being rewritten in ways that would hopefully make the country a safer place for women.

In the swirling waters of the MeToo Movement that have reached India, the rules of engagement on conduct involving women and men are being rewritten in ways that would hopefully make the country a safer place for women. Only three months ago, a Reuters global poll based on a survey of experts said India was the "most dangerous" country for women and that did not go too well with the establishment. Now that the US-born movement, where women take to social media to 'out' alleged perpetrators of sexual harassment, has become mainstream in India with many famous men turning notorious, it is time to see the writing on the wall. There are many ifs and buts in this because India has changed very fast with the rise of education, awareness, democratic beliefs, economic growth and last but not least, the internet. The harsh reality is that only a few years ago, both men and women spoke in hushed whispers about the sexual escapades, shenanigans and exploitation of powerful people in politics, media and Bollywood, but possibly with different worldviews. While it is increasingly clear that most woman victims did not speak out of fear, concern for personal safety/jobs/careers or the helpless power structure they were dealing with, for many men, this seemed to be part of what was perceived to be normal in varying degrees of acceptability. That is changing. Today, there is a new normal. The trophies of yesterday have become the scars of today. The combination of social media and long memories is proving to be embarrassing for many. I am surprised but not shocked that Union Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar, a journalistic icon for many of our generation including myself, is not resigning but combating accusations of sexual harassment or misdemeanour during his days as a rockstar newspaper editor. Surprised, because I thought there was sufficient circumstantial evidence from more than a dozen women to suggest that it was important for him to at least not hold on to a public office. Surprised because there is enough talk of clean public conduct from the BJP-led government to have included a concern for widespread public outrage. However, on deeper introspection, there are reasons why the BJP may drag its feet -- or for that matter any political party. On the one hand, there are issues related to personal and public morality in which what happens in the personal sphere may not be uniformly or immediately brought into question in matters concerning public posts. On the other hand, and this is realpolitik, there is the issue of a precedent that might be set in a resignation. The open secret is that there are men in every leading political party whose personal lives and conduct are dubious. If a politically dispensable minister is forced to resign on grounds of sexual misconduct, the day may not be far off when a woman or two or three will speak out against another whose political clout based on caste, popularity or other vote-catching abilities is significant. Now, which party would want to get rid of a vote-catcher? Every party will pay lip service or protest in differing degrees of outrage. The top leaders will murmur, one or two spokespersons will be more forthright, and some will talk in generalities. It is also a harsh fact that there are social and economic realities in India that make men historically powerful, and that cannot be wished away. If even getting women to rule from panchayat posts is difficult, it is more difficult to imagine power equations to change overnight on matters of sexual misconduct. As of now, there is no visibly significant outrage against sexual misconduct in the vast hinterland of India. Allegations against lyricist Vairamuthu in Tamil Nadu are just drops in the ocean of India's state politics. Only the naive would believe other states do not have widespread instances of alleged misconduct. South Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, and Bangalore are pockets of resistance -- or maybe they represent the vanguard of a revolution in the making. What they used to say in India vs Bharat argument -- about urban India flourishing while rural India is left behind -- can be stretched here. History, privilege, poverty, caste and gender have to be considered together to get an idea of the immensity of the issue. I recommend director Shyam Benegal's classic, Nishant as an educative movie on this subject. Only time will tell us how the meeting of an irresistible force against an immovable object shapes up in precise terms, but my guess is that we are headed for reform, not revolution. Slowly but steadily, voices will spring up against misconduct even in the hinterland, inspired and egged on by women who have stood up to be counted. But in the immediate term, both workplaces and political culture will need a rebooting of attitudes and beliefs, and that is likely to happen in a measured pace. Even the best of men may have to learn a lot, as we are discovering from outpourings of feelings and experiences. There is also the matter of jurisprudence in which legal technicalities will play out as court cases grind on because a presumption of innocence until there is proof of guilt, is normal in a healthy democracy. Everything from the dates of alleged misconduct, the precise law under which it needs to be examined, the demand for stay orders and the levels of the judiciary will matter in the scheme of things. If shaming public figures is a punishment, a lot has already happened. If better conduct across India in professional and public life matters, there is a long way to go. (This article was originally published on Zee News. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

#MeToo has arrived in India, but yet to reach Bharat

For good or for bad, the #MeToo movement is here to stay in India. The movement is being celebrated by many as a way to name and shame powerful men who in past got away with impunity because of the might they hold in the public sphere. 
 
Obviously, it is less about the legal recourse and more about naming and shaming the famous so that they stay away from the position of power. The movement has been able to check upon powerful men but has raised many moral and ethical questions. The movement has shown the fragility of gender politics in India. It has also proved that social conservatism in the Indian society has become a strong political constituency and any social reform, whether it flows from social media or courts, will have to face the wall of strong conservative networking.

Foremost, #MeToo has exposed powerful men who have exploited women. The end result is naming and shaming of an individual. It makes an individual a social outcast whereby he loses his position of power, reemployment and reintegration in the society. The modern law is about justice and not revenge. Most importantly, the modern law on crime does not end with punishment. It ends with reform and rehabilitation. It also includes men who have committed heinous crimes like rape and murder. So, it is absolutely right to call out men who have crushed spirits of young women, but it is also worthwhile to reflect as to where the naming and shaming must end. Is the perpetrator an outcast in perpetuity or will he get an avenue to mainstream in the society once his naming and shaming in public is over? This is the first issue which the movement will need to address in long run.

It will also have to differentiate between those making charges under real identities with those who have posted emails anonymously on social media. The movement will also have to differentiate between score-settling, indiscretion, harassment, proposition and sexual harassment in the workplace and non-work areas. This is not to belittle the importance of the #MeToo. The movement needs to ensure that it does not get hijacked by personal agendas.

The #MeToo movement also shows that gender as an axis of politics continues to remain weak in India. It gets divided on the issue of caste, liberal politics, urban-rural and class divide. The inability of any government of the day to pass quotas for women in Parliament is a representation of failure of gender as a political identity. Even today, gender politics remain limited to softer issues. The sexual violence in rural India is a weapon used by upper and dominant castes to express power. The domestic servants face sexual harassment because they are underprivileged and have no access to quick justice. Most of the women who have dared to make allegations without hiding their identity are those who have been able to break into male bastions in work areas.&nbsp;

It remains the tip of an iceberg. Millions of women in rural and many other sectors continue to face the sexual violence of worst kind and that focus must not be lost by gender movement.

Today it also runs the risk of being drowned under the narrative of salacious gossip about people around us instead of addressing the issue of misogyny and male gaze which sees women as a sexual object and refuses to accept competent women as boss.

The unfortunate part is that in India, it is also being reduced to a fight between the liberal section of the society and government of the present day. So, even if the charges are true they lose moral underpinning because those making the charge are considered to be part of a world which is known as the Liberal Order. It not only undercuts the importance of gender as a perspective but also undermines it in front of older identities like caste, community and class.

Lastly, it brings us to the question of what #MeToo has exposed apart from men who have been crossed boundaries frequently. It shows that social conservatives have moved to the centre of Indian politics whereas liberal tradition has become confined to some academic institutions and the judiciary. The liberal idea is rooted in the expression of freedom of an individual which stands above the predatory Right of Community and the state. It celebrates the power of an individual thought, liberty and its expression.

Today, It is getting subsumed under the narrative of victimisation of the majority community by liberals who are disconnected from the daily rhythm of Indian life. The response against it has also become electoral too. But that’s only one part of it. It is not without reason that adultery, Section 377, Aadhaar, Jallikattu and Sabarimala came under attack from the far right. Jallikatu was overruled by the legislative branch of the state and Sabrimala verdict is being challenged by the conservative constituency fueled by both BJP and Congress in the name of victimisation of Hindu custom and traditions. &nbsp;Section 377 and adultery were met with a mute response from the central government.

The mask of liberalness has been dropped by the far Right. Till Vajpayee, the right noises were made by the BJP. Today, social conservatism is a pampered political constituency which #MeToo will discover quickly. It was unpampered, but politically accommodated constituency within the Congress from its inception days.&nbsp;

Today social conservatism has received political legitimacy through electoral performance and for this reason, #MeToo, which is an expression of a liberal tradition will meet its toughest challenge as it would prioritise community, state, honour and tradition over individual voice. It has become a self-sufficient political constituency.

The irony is that this gender battle has exposed the weakness of the liberal politics in India.

The liberal constituency at the time of birth of the nation was supported by millions of Indians whereas far Right was opposed to massive social reforms. The liberal tradition even accommodated social conservatives in the Congress. Today, the far right has merged into social conservatives. The social conservatives have left Congress behind. Liberals have become elites disconnected from the society and social conservatives have become the moral beacon of traditional social order. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

For good or for bad, the #MeToo movement is here to stay in India. The movement is being celebrated by many as a way to name and shame powerful men who in past got away with impunity because of the might they hold in the public sphere.

For good or for bad, the #MeToo movement is here to stay in India. The movement is being celebrated by many as a way to name and shame powerful men who in past got away with impunity because of the might they hold in the public sphere. Obviously, it is less about the legal recourse and more about naming and shaming the famous so that they stay away from the position of power. The movement has been able to check upon powerful men but has raised many moral and ethical questions. The movement has shown the fragility of gender politics in India. It has also proved that social conservatism in the Indian society has become a strong political constituency and any social reform, whether it flows from social media or courts, will have to face the wall of strong conservative networking. Foremost, #MeToo has exposed powerful men who have exploited women. The end result is naming and shaming of an individual. It makes an individual a social outcast whereby he loses his position of power, reemployment and reintegration in the society. The modern law is about justice and not revenge. Most importantly, the modern law on crime does not end with punishment. It ends with reform and rehabilitation. It also includes men who have committed heinous crimes like rape and murder. So, it is absolutely right to call out men who have crushed spirits of young women, but it is also worthwhile to reflect as to where the naming and shaming must end. Is the perpetrator an outcast in perpetuity or will he get an avenue to mainstream in the society once his naming and shaming in public is over? This is the first issue which the movement will need to address in long run. It will also have to differentiate between those making charges under real identities with those who have posted emails anonymously on social media. The movement will also have to differentiate between score-settling, indiscretion, harassment, proposition and sexual harassment in the workplace and non-work areas. This is not to belittle the importance of the #MeToo. The movement needs to ensure that it does not get hijacked by personal agendas. The #MeToo movement also shows that gender as an axis of politics continues to remain weak in India. It gets divided on the issue of caste, liberal politics, urban-rural and class divide. The inability of any government of the day to pass quotas for women in Parliament is a representation of failure of gender as a political identity. Even today, gender politics remain limited to softer issues. The sexual violence in rural India is a weapon used by upper and dominant castes to express power. The domestic servants face sexual harassment because they are underprivileged and have no access to quick justice. Most of the women who have dared to make allegations without hiding their identity are those who have been able to break into male bastions in work areas. It remains the tip of an iceberg. Millions of women in rural and many other sectors continue to face the sexual violence of worst kind and that focus must not be lost by gender movement. Today it also runs the risk of being drowned under the narrative of salacious gossip about people around us instead of addressing the issue of misogyny and male gaze which sees women as a sexual object and refuses to accept competent women as boss. The unfortunate part is that in India, it is also being reduced to a fight between the liberal section of the society and government of the present day. So, even if the charges are true they lose moral underpinning because those making the charge are considered to be part of a world which is known as the Liberal Order. It not only undercuts the importance of gender as a perspective but also undermines it in front of older identities like caste, community and class. Lastly, it brings us to the question of what #MeToo has exposed apart from men who have been crossed boundaries frequently. It shows that social conservatives have moved to the centre of Indian politics whereas liberal tradition has become confined to some academic institutions and the judiciary. The liberal idea is rooted in the expression of freedom of an individual which stands above the predatory Right of Community and the state. It celebrates the power of an individual thought, liberty and its expression. Today, It is getting subsumed under the narrative of victimisation of the majority community by liberals who are disconnected from the daily rhythm of Indian life. The response against it has also become electoral too. But that’s only one part of it. It is not without reason that adultery, Section 377, Aadhaar, Jallikattu and Sabarimala came under attack from the far right. Jallikatu was overruled by the legislative branch of the state and Sabrimala verdict is being challenged by the conservative constituency fueled by both BJP and Congress in the name of victimisation of Hindu custom and traditions. Section 377 and adultery were met with a mute response from the central government. The mask of liberalness has been dropped by the far Right. Till Vajpayee, the right noises were made by the BJP. Today, social conservatism is a pampered political constituency which #MeToo will discover quickly. It was unpampered, but politically accommodated constituency within the Congress from its inception days. Today social conservatism has received political legitimacy through electoral performance and for this reason, #MeToo, which is an expression of a liberal tradition will meet its toughest challenge as it would prioritise community, state, honour and tradition over individual voice. It has become a self-sufficient political constituency. The irony is that this gender battle has exposed the weakness of the liberal politics in India. The liberal constituency at the time of birth of the nation was supported by millions of Indians whereas far Right was opposed to massive social reforms. The liberal tradition even accommodated social conservatives in the Congress. Today, the far right has merged into social conservatives. The social conservatives have left Congress behind. Liberals have become elites disconnected from the society and social conservatives have become the moral beacon of traditional social order. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The anatomy of #MeToo movement and Indian politics

The Committee of Administrators of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has asked BCCI CEO Rahul Johri to submit an explanation after he was accused of sexual assault. Johri has been asked to submit his explanation within a week.&nbsp;

The BCCI CEO was accused of sexual assault by an unnamed woman on Twitter.&nbsp;

The accusation was put out on Twitter by another woman — she shared the accounts of a number of survivors of sexual assault, misconduct, and harassment by a "bunch of head honchos in media".

"Rahul Johari (sic), your #timesup," the woman who put out the accusations tweeted. &nbsp;

A little later, she said the press should not mention her tweets, nor embed them in their stories.&nbsp;
<img alt="The tweets accusing Johri of assault, and the later directive that the tweets not be used by the media." data-caption="&lt;em&gt;The tweets accusing Johri of assault, and the later directive that the tweets not be used by the media.&lt;/em&gt;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="575a2df3-6321-4b01-b63d-2021a3c739fc" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/rahul%20johri_2.jpg" />
The woman accusing Johri of assault says in her account that she and Johri had been colleagues.&nbsp;

He had at the time moved to a new channel, while she was looking for a job. (Before joining the BCCI, Johri was working at the Discovery Channel.)&nbsp;

She says Johri had asked her out to coffee, and after turning him down a number of time she had finally said yes. She says she had thought that perhaps she could explore her options at the channel he had just joined.&nbsp;

Midway through coffee, she says Johri told her they were going to his place.&nbsp;

She says she had thought Johri's wife, Seema, whom she had met once, would be at home. But she was not.&nbsp;

When she entered Johri's home in Gurgaon, she asked for water. But Johri began talking to her about hiring her as his second-in-command.&nbsp;

He then got up to get her water. When he came back, she says, he took off his pants.&nbsp;

She says Johri then said "this is the last part of your interview with me", and then made her fellate him.&nbsp;

Johri's is not the first name from the cricketing world to be outed&nbsp;by India's burgeoning #MeToo movement.&nbsp;

Indian playback singer Chinmayi Sripaada, a prominent figure in the south, has accused Sri Lankan cricketer Lasith Malinga of sexually assaulting a woman at a Mumbai hotel. And former Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga has been accused of sexually harassing an Indian flight attendant also at a Mumbai hotel.

The Committee of Administrators of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has asked BCCI CEO Rahul Johri to submit an explanation after he was accused of sexual assault.

The Committee of Administrators of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has asked BCCI CEO Rahul Johri to submit an explanation after he was accused of sexual assault. Johri has been asked to submit his explanation within a week. The BCCI CEO was accused of sexual assault by an unnamed woman on Twitter. The accusation was put out on Twitter by another woman — she shared the accounts of a number of survivors of sexual assault, misconduct, and harassment by a "bunch of head honchos in media". "Rahul Johari (sic), your #timesup," the woman who put out the accusations tweeted. A little later, she said the press should not mention her tweets, nor embed them in their stories. The woman accusing Johri of assault says in her account that she and Johri had been colleagues. He had at the time moved to a new channel, while she was looking for a job. (Before joining the BCCI, Johri was working at the Discovery Channel.) She says Johri had asked her out to coffee, and after turning him down a number of time she had finally said yes. She says she had thought that perhaps she could explore her options at the channel he had just joined. Midway through coffee, she says Johri told her they were going to his place. She says she had thought Johri's wife, Seema, whom she had met once, would be at home. But she was not. When she entered Johri's home in Gurgaon, she asked for water. But Johri began talking to her about hiring her as his second-in-command. He then got up to get her water. When he came back, she says, he took off his pants. She says Johri then said "this is the last part of your interview with me", and then made her fellate him. Johri's is not the first name from the cricketing world to be outed by India's burgeoning #MeToo movement. Indian playback singer Chinmayi Sripaada, a prominent figure in the south, has accused Sri Lankan cricketer Lasith Malinga of sexually assaulting a woman at a Mumbai hotel. And former Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga has been accused of sexually harassing an Indian flight attendant also at a Mumbai hotel.

BCCI asks Rahul Johri to submit explanation after sexual assault allegations

Actor Bipasha Basu Friday said she was glad that women were opening up about their experiences with Sajid Khan, whose attitude towards female cast and crew members on the sets of a film disturbed her.&nbsp;

Sajid has been accused of sexual harassment by two women -- actor Saloni Chopra and a journalist.&nbsp;

Bipasha, who worked with Sajid on 2014 film "Humshakals", said though she never faced harassment at the hands of the director, she always found his behaviour towards women rude.&nbsp;

"I am glad that women are speaking up about the atrocities of these men with power and clout... But nothing of that sort happened with me... It was just his general attitude towards women that would disturb me on set- he cracked lewd jokes openly and was pretty rude to all girls.&nbsp;

"I was told by all not to say anything to him and stoop to his level- so I quietly finished my work as a professional and explained my stance to the producers, that I couldn't associate myself with this film anymore as I could lose my temper any moment," she posted on Twitter.&nbsp;

Bipasha and Sajid had a fallout during the making of "Humshakals" and the actor decided not to promote the film. The movie also starred Saif Ali Khan, Riteish Deshmukh, Ram Kapoor, Esha Gupta and Tamannaah Bhatia.&nbsp;

In another tweet, Bipasha praised Tanushree Dutta, who kickstarted the #MeToo movement in India after she alleged that actor Nana Patekar misbehaved with her on the sets of a 2008 film.&nbsp;

"Kudos to #tanushreedutta... Because of her so many women have the courage to speak out against these men who take advantage of women... Owing to their fame, power and clout," she wrote.

Actor Bipasha Basu Friday said she was glad that women were opening up about their experiences with Sajid Khan, whose attitude towards female cast and crew members on the sets of a film disturbed her.

Actor Bipasha Basu Friday said she was glad that women were opening up about their experiences with Sajid Khan, whose attitude towards female cast and crew members on the sets of a film disturbed her. Sajid has been accused of sexual harassment by two women -- actor Saloni Chopra and a journalist. Bipasha, who worked with Sajid on 2014 film "Humshakals", said though she never faced harassment at the hands of the director, she always found his behaviour towards women rude. "I am glad that women are speaking up about the atrocities of these men with power and clout... But nothing of that sort happened with me... It was just his general attitude towards women that would disturb me on set- he cracked lewd jokes openly and was pretty rude to all girls. "I was told by all not to say anything to him and stoop to his level- so I quietly finished my work as a professional and explained my stance to the producers, that I couldn't associate myself with this film anymore as I could lose my temper any moment," she posted on Twitter. Bipasha and Sajid had a fallout during the making of "Humshakals" and the actor decided not to promote the film. The movie also starred Saif Ali Khan, Riteish Deshmukh, Ram Kapoor, Esha Gupta and Tamannaah Bhatia. In another tweet, Bipasha praised Tanushree Dutta, who kickstarted the #MeToo movement in India after she alleged that actor Nana Patekar misbehaved with her on the sets of a 2008 film. "Kudos to #tanushreedutta... Because of her so many women have the courage to speak out against these men who take advantage of women... Owing to their fame, power and clout," she wrote.

#MeToo: I was told by all not to say anything to Sajid Khan, says Bipasha Basu

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