Casey Affleck's Film I M Still Here
In Casey Affleck’s acceptance speech for Best Actor at the 89th Academy Awards, Casey Affleck thanked his children for ignoring all the “noise” that comes with being famous. Some of Affleck’s critics believe the “ noise” he refers to are two counts of sexual assault charges pressed on him by two female coworkers.
In 2010, while working under Affleck on the film I’m Still Here, one female worker claimed Affleck crawled into bed with her while she was asleep, and the other accused Affleck of attempting to lock her in a hotel room with him to have sex. Both women also reported being subjected to verbal harassment. Affleck was never convicted, and both claims were settled for approximately $2 million each.
Affleck isn’t the only big name in Hollywood …show more content…
Institutions such as the Academy, colleges, and companies refrain from punishing culprits of sexual violence because they’re afraid to ruin their careers or strip them of power.
An example close to home is Brock Turner. When Turner went to trial last year for five rape charges, Oakwood residents flocked to his defense, sending letters regarding Turner’s good character. Turner’s father, asking the judge for leniency on his son’s case, said that jail time was “a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action.” In the end, Turner was sentenced to six months of confinement in the Santa Clara County jail. The prosecution had recommended a sentence of six years.
This has to stop. Whether they receive Oscars, college scholarships, or are elected president, we can’t continue to reward these men when we know their history. It’s a vicious pattern that empowers men like Affleck, it normalizes their behavior, and it sends the message that sexual violence is OK. We prioritize the lives and lament the careers of the culprits while forgetting about the women they hurt. It’s demeaning, disgusting, and disgraceful. Don’t ignore what these men have done. Don’t save a reputation at someone else’s
In 2010, while working under Affleck on the film I’m Still Here, one female worker claimed Affleck crawled into bed with her while she was asleep, and the other accused Affleck of attempting to lock her in a hotel room with him to have sex. Both women also reported being subjected to verbal harassment. Affleck was never convicted, and both claims were settled for approximately $2 million each.
Affleck isn’t the only big name in Hollywood …show more content…
Institutions such as the Academy, colleges, and companies refrain from punishing culprits of sexual violence because they’re afraid to ruin their careers or strip them of power.
An example close to home is Brock Turner. When Turner went to trial last year for five rape charges, Oakwood residents flocked to his defense, sending letters regarding Turner’s good character. Turner’s father, asking the judge for leniency on his son’s case, said that jail time was “a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action.” In the end, Turner was sentenced to six months of confinement in the Santa Clara County jail. The prosecution had recommended a sentence of six years.
This has to stop. Whether they receive Oscars, college scholarships, or are elected president, we can’t continue to reward these men when we know their history. It’s a vicious pattern that empowers men like Affleck, it normalizes their behavior, and it sends the message that sexual violence is OK. We prioritize the lives and lament the careers of the culprits while forgetting about the women they hurt. It’s demeaning, disgusting, and disgraceful. Don’t ignore what these men have done. Don’t save a reputation at someone else’s