Donna Rotunno the lead defense counsel on Harvey Weinstein’s side in the court said in an interview that she has never been sexually assaulted “because I would never put myself in that position.”
In an interview on The Daily podcast on Friday, the lawyer was asked whether she had ever been the victim of a sexual assault to which she responded: “I have not because I would never put myself in that position,” she said on the New York Times podcast. “I’ve always made choices from college age on where I never drank too much. I never went home with someone that I didn’t know. I just never put myself in any vulnerable circumstances ever.”
“Do you believe every woman who’s been sexually assaulted somehow put herself in that position — whether it was having drinks or agreeing to go to a hotel room?” asked NYT reporter Megan Twohey, co-author of “She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement.”
“Absolutely not but just as we make smart decisions when we walk out on the street at night, I think you have to make the same decision when you’re putting yourself in circumstances with other people,” Rotunno added.
“When we walk out at night we look around, we make sure we have our phone, some people take mace. We take precautions. All I’m saying is women should take precautions.”
The interview aired one day after the prosecution in the rape and sexual trial had recorded the graphic testimony of six women about unwanted sexual attacks and advances by the powerful Hollywood producer whom prosecutors accused of using his big gun status and influence to prey on young, inexperienced women who were hoping to establish their movie careers.
Weinstein one of the biggest targets of MeToo is facing the trial on five counts, including rape, predatory sexual assault and criminal sexual act. If found guilty, the now infamous movie producer could end up serving his rest of life behind the bars. The charges levelled against him are based on Miriam Haley’s testimony that Weinstein forced oral sex on her in 2006 and Jessica Mann’s testimony according to which, the producer raped her twice during an abusive relationship.
Rotunoo the lady lawyer who is leading Weinstein’s defense is her arguments recorded that the sexual encounters were consensual, and as evidence, they have pointed to friendly messages that the women exchanged with his defendant after the alleged attacks claims by the victims and have claimed that there are inconsistencies in the stories narrated by two women after the cross-examinations of their testimonies.
