A Montreal actress has joined the growing list of actresses who've come forward with allegations of sexual harassment at the hands of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.
Erika Rosenbaum was in her early 20s when she began to pursue her career in Los Angeles. Rosenbaum, who has film credits in 鈥淭he Smurfs 2鈥� and 鈥淭he Trotsky,鈥� among others, alleges Weinstein aggressively came on to her during three separate meetings nearly 15 years ago.
During the third encounter with the Hollywood producer, Rosenbaum alleges Weinstein held her by the back of her neck and masturbated while standing behind her in a Toronto hotel room in the mid-2000s.
Weinstein, who has been fired from the film company he co-founded, has previously denied through a spokeswoman any allegations of non-consensual contact.
In speaking with Friday, Rosenbaum said she kept the alleged incidents a secret for years out of fear it would destroy her career. She only told her parents Thursday.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a great deal of unwarranted shame that you鈥檙e settled with,鈥� she said.
鈥淲hen it comes to the power and the abuse of power that occurs in this kind of relationship, there鈥檚 a slippery slope where it doesn't take much for someone with influence like Harvey Weinstein to cross a line and for the innocent person to be left holding the bag and wondering what's to be done.鈥�
News broke of Weinstein鈥檚 alleged sexual misconduct in the New York Times on Oct. 5. Roughly 30 women have since come forward and shared their alleged experiences with Weinstein -- including fellow Canadian actress Mia Kirshner.
Rosenbaum said reading women鈥檚 stories left her physically shaking in her seat because they were so similar to her own. That鈥檚 when she decided to reach out to the author of the original report, Jodi Kantor.
鈥淚 just wanted to thank her for her reporting and told her that I had a similar experience and it was a relief that it was coming out,鈥� Rosenbaum said. 鈥淚 felt that speaking out against a predator was the only choice at that point.鈥�
During her interview with CJAD 800, Rosenbaum used the word 鈥渃reeps,鈥� implying that Weinstein is not alone.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 safe to say that this is common,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 uncommon for women to have to field advances and to be sexually targeted by powerful men in their field. I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 unique to Hollywood.鈥�
鈥淚 hope that I can be of use and that my experience can help others.鈥�
With a report from CJAD 800 and with files from the Canadian Press
