In this moment, the future of our rights, our bodily autonomy, our freedom feels uncertain. What we do next will make a difference for decades to come.
Harvey Weinstein and R. Kelly Were Sentenced in Separate Sex Abuse Cases Today
(Washington, D.C.) Today, Harvey Weinstein and R. Kelly were sentenced in separate criminal sex abuse cases. Harvey Weinstein, the former Hollywood mogul who is currently serving a 23-year prison sentence in New York, was sentenced in Los Angeles to an additional 16 years in prison for charges of rape and sexual assault. R & B singer R. Kelly was sentenced to 20 years in prison in a Chicago federal courtroom following his conviction last year on charges of child pornography and enticement of a minor. Kelly will serve most of the sentence in federal prison at the same time as a 30-year term for racketeering and sex trafficking.
The following is a statement by Fatima Goss Graves, President and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC):
“My thoughts today are with the groups of survivors who were key to stopping the sexual violence of Harvey Weinstein and R. Kelly at great personal risk to themselves. They endured decades-long violence in plain sight, and it is my great hope that the sentences offer a measure of accountability and healing. Let’s now redouble our efforts to take on the culture that has allowed sexual violence to thrive and to bolster our laws to protect everyone from sexual abuse. We owe it to everyone who has raised their voices to do the hard work of building a world that ends the scourge of sexual harassment and violence. And we must demand safety, dignity, and equality for all at work, at school, and in our communities.”