A previous fashion model alleges she was subjected to a sexual assault at the age of 16.
Rewritten Article:
City Unnamed A tearful former aspiring actress took the stand on Thursday, claiming that infamous film producer Harvey Weinstein sexually assaulted her when she was just 16.
Kaja, a model at the time, recounted her ordeal to the jury as they listened intently. Weinstein, she alleged, had forcibly slipped his hand into her underwear during a encounter in a Manhattan apartment in 2002, and demanded she touch his genitals.
In vivid detail, Kaja described Weinstein's "menacing" eyes that lingered in the bathroom mirror, and the chilling advice he gave her afterwards - claiming he had made stars like Gwyneth Paltrow and Penelope Cruz, and could help her achieve her own Hollywood dreams, provided she remained silent about the encounter.
"I had never been in such a situation," Kaja testified, as the jury jotted down her words. "I felt dishonored, ashamed, and I believed it was my fault for putting myself in that situation."
Despite her damning allegations, Weinstein faces no criminal charges related to this assault, as the statute of limitations had long since expired by the time Kaja shared her story.
However, Kaja testified that Weinstein is charged with forcing her to perform oral sex in a Manhattan hotel four years later, when she was 20. The allegation centers on an incident that allegedly occurred after Weinstein arranged for Kaja to be an extra in the film Nanny Diaries. Kaja reported the allegation to authorities only a few days after the commencement of Weinstein's first trial in 2020, but was not part of that case. The prosecution added her to the new trial, joining two women who had previously testified in the first case, after Weinstein's initial conviction was overturned the following year.
As Kaja detailed her earlier allegations, Weinstein stared at her with a cold gaze, thumb and index finger pressed firmly against his face as if shielding himself.
According to Kaja, she first met Weinstein at a Manhattan restaurant in 2002, three or four days before the alleged assault. During their brief encounter, she said, Weinstein asked if she wanted to be an actress.
A few days later, Kaja continued, Weinstein invited her to lunch under the pretense of discussing comedy but allegedly took her to an apartment instead, where he led her into a bedroom, then into a bathroom, and assaulted her. "He told me to undress, but I didn't want to. I was terrified and panicking," Kaja said. "Then he said that, if I wanted to be an actress, that's what actors do in the movies, so I should get used to it. If a director tells me to undress, I have to undress. I was terrified of him."
New Allegations
With downcast eyes, Kaja avoided looking at Weinstein as she approached the stand. She only glanced at him when asked to point him out in court on Thursday.
Weinstein has pleaded not guilty and has consistently denied any allegation of sexual assault.
Defense lawyers for Weinstein argue that his accusers willingly engaged in sexual relations with him in the hope of securing roles in film and television. The defense also suggested that women who made allegations against Weinstein remained in communication with him for some time afterwards, implying that the relationships were consensual. However, the women themselves insist that Weinstein exploited his position in the entertainment industry to take advantage of them.
After rumors swirled about Weinstein's behavior towards women turned into a public outcry in 2017, fueling the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct, Kaja sued Weinstein. It was later reported that she received a $3.5 million settlement.
Prosecutors stated that they began investigating Kaja's allegations in 2020, but halted the investigation after Weinstein's conviction. They reopened the investigation after New York's highest court overturned his conviction.
Weinstein's attorneys unsuccessfully sought to bar Kaja from participating in the new trial, accusing the prosecution of attempting to "smuggle in another charge" to bolster the credibility of other accusers.
Another accuser, Miriam Haley, testified last week that Weinstein forced her to perform oral sex on him in 2006. The third accuser, Jessica Mann, is expected to testify later.
The Associated Press usually does not name people who make allegations of sexual assault without their consent. Haley, Mann, and Kaja have all given their consent to be named in this case.
- Jessica, another alleged victim, will testify later in the trial, adding to the growing list of women accusing Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault.
- Kaja, one of Weinstein's accusers, testified that she was Assaulted by Weinstein in 2002, an incident that occurred during a meeting in a Manhattan apartment, but the statute of limitations had passed, preventing criminal charges.
- In her testimony, Kaja described the limitations in understanding of the situation at the time, feeling dishonored, ashamed, and believing it was her fault for being in that situation.
- Despite Weinstein's denials, Kaja's allegations of forced oral sex in a Manhattan hotel in 2006 have resulted in charges against him.
- As Kaja detailed her allegations, the jury took notes, while Weinstein stared coldly, shielding his face with his thumb and index finger.
- The allegations against Weinstein have sparked national debates on women's health and sexual health, contributing to the general news and crime and justice sections, as well as health and wellness discussions.
