TV journalist Lauren Sivan has a horrifying Harvey Weinstein story from 2007

Reading over Harvey Weinstein’s various public statements from the past week, I was struck with an idea: Harvey Weinstein doesn’t think what he’s done, systematically, to women over the decades rises to the level of sexual assault or even sexual misconduct. He believes that he’s always given women a “choice,” and that if they’re in his hotel room, obviously they want to be there and watch him or touch him. That’s why his denials are so carefully worded – for example, he claims he “never touched” Ashley Judd. Well, she didn’t say that he touched her. She said he manipulated her into his hotel room, got naked and asked her to watch him shower. Which isn’t to say he hasn’t outright assaulted women, I’m just making note of how he’s parsing his public statements and his very specific denials.

Weinstein’s allegedly predator behavior seems to follow the same general pattern – manipulating the situations so he can be alone with a woman, making them feel “trapped” (either physically, emotionally or professionally), then he asks them to do something inappropriate, usually formed as “would you like to do [something gross]” kind of question. There are other patterns, I’m sure, but it will be interesting to learn how many women come forward with very similar stories. Here’s one story, about Harvey Weinstein’s behavior in 2007, to a New York television journalist named Lauren Sivan:

The night of the incident started with Sivan meeting Weinstein and others at Cipriani, a well-known Italian restaurant in Manhattan. She later rode with him and others to Socialista, a Cuban-themed club and restaurant in which Weinstein and Giuseppe Cipriani, who was then the head of the Cipriani restaurant empire, were investors… Sivan recalled that, while at the club, Weinstein asked her to join him on a tour of its restaurant, Cafe Socialista. Sivan said she reluctantly agreed and they went downstairs to the restaurant. Just before Sivan left, the friend told her that if she wasn’t back in 10 minutes, she would come to check on her.

Once Sivan and Weinstein were downstairs they chatted and he showed her the cafe. He then took her to the kitchen (the restaurant was closed by that time), where a couple of staffers were cleaning up. The quiet in the kitchen struck Silvan as odd, but a story published in 2008 said that Cafe Socialista was closing down for a lack of business (while the club was to remain open), possibly explaining why the kitchen wasn’t as populated. Weinstein then dismissed the two staffers in the kitchen. According to multiple women who spoke to HuffPost on the condition of anonymity who said they had similar experiences with Weinstein, he has started out meetings or interactions with other people in the room and then dismissed them to be alone with women in order to make advances.

Once they left, Sivan says Weinstein leaned in and tried to kiss her. Sivan rejected that attempt and told him she had a long-term boyfriend. Weinstein then said to Sivan, “Well, can you just stand there and shut up.” At this point, Weinstein and Sivan were in a vestibule between the kitchen and bathrooms. The only way for Sivan to get away from Weinstein required her to get past him and go through the kitchen. Sivan says she was trapped by Weinstein’s body and was intimidated.

Weinstein then proceeded to expose himself to Sivan and began to masturbate. Sivan said she was deeply shocked by Weinstein’s behavior and was frozen and didn’t know what to do or say. The incident in the vestibule didn’t last long. Sivan says Weinstein ejaculated quickly into a potted plant that was in the vestibule and then proceeded to zip up his pants and they walked back into the kitchen.

By the time this occurred, Sivan’s friend had grown concerned by how long Sivan was gone. The friend began to go downstairs but was stopped by a security guard who told her she was not allowed. She says that she explained the 10-minute limit she gave to Sivan and said, “Do you mean to tell me if she’s in trouble down there, you’re not going to let me in?” The security guard agreed to let the friend down to the cafe.

[From HuffPo]

Whenever you think of the power Harvey Weinstein has wielded throughout his career, think instead of a pathetic douchebag whose go-to “power move” when a woman rejects him is to jerk off into a potted plant in front of her. I mean, it’s horrifying. But it’s also incredibly pathetic. Sivan goes on to say that she was scared of the power Harvey wielded in Hollywood and beyond, which is why she never told her story publicly, although she did tell many of her friends and colleagues at the time. She also says that Weinstein contacted her by phone the next day and asked her if she wanted to get together after one of his business trips, like the night before had been their “first date” or something. Ugh.

Also, British actress Jessica Hynes tweeted-and-deleted her own Weinstein story on Friday. She wrote: “I was offered a film role at 19. Harvey Weinstein came on board and wanted me to screen-test in a bikini. I refused & lost the job.”

Yeah. This happened👇🏽luckily I didn't need a job or favor from him + didn't have to be polite. Others did. Keep that in mind. http://bit.ly/2hUNS5T

— Lauren Sivan (@LaurenSivan) October 7, 2017

For those asking why I waited?
YOU try telling that story 10yrs ago. Only possible now because of women with bigger names far braver than me

— Lauren Sivan (@LaurenSivan) October 7, 2017