Viraldice: Time’s Up! This is the Bold New Initiative Hollywood Stars Have Started to Combat Sexual Assault

2017 was the year of exposing sexual assault.

After producer Harvey Weinstein was found to have harassed, assaulted or raped over 80 women, the floodgates burst open. Notable men across the entertainment industry and beyond were accused of sexual harassment or assault with many accusations dating back decades. It soon became clear that — when woman after woman after woman came forward — it wasn't just a coincidence, it was a systematic pattern.

Harvey Weinstein. Kevin Spacey. Louis C.K. Charlie Rose. Matt Lauer. Russell Simmons. Mario Batali. Al Franken. John Conyers. Garrison Keillor. Charles Dutoit. Ryan Lizza. Peter Martins. James Levine. John Lasseter. Why isn’t Donald Trump on this list? http://bit.ly/2lIYHX2

— Barbara Malmet (@B52Malmet) January 2, 2018

One thing we learned from the deluge of accusations was that the men who assaulted did not operate in a vacuum. Often, as was the case of Weinstein, Russell Simmons and Matt Lauer, they had a host of others aiding them in their predations or the subsequent coverup.

Weinstein had Fabrizio Lombardo, an Italian “producer” who facilitated his meetings with unwitting actresses. He also had Dylan Howard, an editor at the National Enquirer (who has been accused of sexual harassment himself) who commissioned journalistic hit pieces on the actresses that dared speak out.

Oh, and he also hired ex-Mossad agents to follow, steal information and gaslight actresses he thought would speak out. That’s right — the man used actual spies.

Weinstein wasn’t the only predator who acted like a real-life Bond villain. Others like Russell Simmons and Matt Lauer were just as sinister. Simmons relied on director (and accused sexual abuser) Brett Ratner to source young models – some as young as 17 – for his predations.

He used his reputation as a zen, yogi-type to make himself seem safe even as he was molesting and raping young women. One woman describes not “recognizing” him as the man she’s known for years when he raped her.

Lauer, meanwhile, had a button under his desk to lock unsuspecting women in his office.

In response to these allegations — many of which were accompanied by testimony after testimony until the truth of their nature became undeniable— actresses in Hollywood were called upon to speak out. Notwithstanding the gross sexism evident in these demands (women, the primary victims of these sexual assaults being called upon to create a solution, instead of the men who did the assaulting) people felt that their response of wearing black to awards shows was simply not enough.

But as it turns out, it was never just black dresses.