Actress Rose McGowan has claimed she was “blacklisted” by the film industry after reporting that she was raped by Harvey Weinstein. In an interview recorded in January 2017 and obtained by the Observer, McGowan said she did not report the rape to police because a criminal lawyer told her she was unlikely to win. “Also, I didn’t want his name next to mine in my obituary,” she added.
McGowan is one of over 30 women who have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct. She also alleged that Roy Price, head of Amazon Studios, ignored her when she raised the claim. “They threatened me with being blacklisted. I was blacklisted after I was raped, because I got raped, because I said something,” she said.
The Charmed star revealed she possesses a signed legal document from the time of the alleged attack, which she said was settled for a small amount. “That’s an admission of guilt,” she stated. She also noted she had three surgeries on her wrist and elbow as a result of the incident.
McGowan criticised the film industry for blaming victims rather than perpetrators. “They blame the victim… People are bred to be scared,” she said. She vowed to pursue those “aiding and abetting” sex crimes, referencing a network that protected Bill Cosby.
The actress admitted she had previously been approached by New York Times journalist David Carr to break her story but declined, saying “the public consciousness was not there.” Her forthcoming book, Brave, is set to address these issues.
