If you haven’t been following the news coming out from Hollywood over the last week, then we suggest you should.
We have already covered the ginormous scandal that has enveloped film director and studio executive, Harvey Weinstein, who has been exposed as a serial sexual predator, assaulting women in Hollywood for the last 30 years.
As the allegations against Weinstein began to mount, news came out that Weinstein had gotten actor Matt Damon to help him suppress an exposé on his distasteful behaviour and both Matt Damon and his best friend Ben Affleck came out to denounce Weinstein and plead their innocence and lack of complicity in Weinstein’s reign of terror.
However, just last year Damon and Affleck were accused of using their considerable influence to bully news agencies and websites from publishing a story about Affleck’s own brother Casey Affleck who was accused of rape by a woman a few years before. Afterwards Affleck put out this speech.
— Ben Affleck (@BenAffleck) October 10, 2017
As the internet reacted to Ben Affleck’s statement, alluding to his brother’s accusations and Affleck’s refusal to address them, as well as his infidelity when his marriage fell apart because he was sleeping with his daughter’s nanny, a Twitter User brought up the fact that he had also sexually assaulted a woman, DJ and actress Hilarie Burton on MTV’s TRL.
Hilarie Burton confirmed the assault and the internet dug up a video of it and Burton’s reaction. After 24 hours and the internet turning its fury on Affleck, he did this.
I acted inappropriately toward Ms. Burton and I sincerely apologize
— Ben Affleck (@BenAffleck) October 11, 2017
We can take solace in the fact that Affleck (while using euphemism) didn’t deny or try to downplay his actions. In a world where Weinstein, in spite of recorded conversations and multiple witnesses is still trying to feign ignorance, Affleck’s honesty (though ten years late), his apology will carry some weight.
But sadly it is not enough. Burton, like many other assault victims may never really move on from the trauma of what he did to her and that, is the real tragedy.
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