"Speaking Out After Years of Silence" Kaja Sokola: Weinstein Assaulted Me at 16
Teenage girl alleges sexual misconduct by Weinstein at 16 years old.
The New York courtroom is buzzing once again with the retrial of Harvey Weinstein. Several women, including ex-model Kaja Sokola, are accusing the disgraced film producer of sexual assault and rape.
In this latest trial, Kaja Sokola stands as a first-time accuser against Weinstein. She recalled an alleged sexual assault in 2002 when she was just 16 years old and crossed paths with Weinstein in a Manhattan apartment. With tears streaming down her face, Sokola admitted, "I felt stupid. I was ashamed. I had never been in an intimate situation before."
"Another Chance for Justice"
Ex-Model Stands up to Weinstein in the Reopened Trial
At 73, Weinstein has already been convicted in 2020 for sexual assault and rape of former production assistant Miriam Haley and another woman, resulting in a 23-year sentence. However, New York's highest court overturned the verdict due to procedural errors, ordering a retrial which commenced in mid-April. The hearing marks the first time Sokola's complaint is being considered. She similarly accuses Weinstein of forced oral sex.
Though Weinstein was indicted for assaulting Sokola in 2006 when she was 19, he evades charges for the alleged acts committed when she was 16, as the statute of limitations has expired. Nonetheless, Sokola shared her experience in the trial. She initially met Weinstein in 2002 at a dinner with other models at a Manhattan restaurant, her first-ever solo trip to New York.
"Fear and Shame"
Sokola's Testimony Exposes Harvey Weinstein's Tactics
Sokola testified that she felt "very special" when the much-older film producer approached her. Weinstein then invited her to lunch and led her to a Manhattan apartment, instructing her to disrobe if she wanted to become an actress. Despite her resistance, Weinstein performed sexual acts on her.
When asked why she held back from reporting the incidents at the time, Sokola voiced, "I felt ashamed. I thought it was all my fault." She went on to detail a second incident in 2006, when Weinstein coerced her into a Manhattan hotel room and forced her into sexual intercourse.
Sokola's testimony is set to continue later in the day.
Sources: ntv.de, lar/AFP
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- Kaja Sokola, a first-time accuser, shares her alleged experience of being assaulted by Harvey Weinstein at the age of 16 in New York, during a Manhattan apartment encounter in 2002.
- Weinstein, now 73, faces retrial in New York for sexual assault and rape, with Sokola being one of the women accusing him, similarly alleging forced oral sex.
- Although charges have not been brought against Weinstein for the 2002 assault due to the statute of limitations expiry, Sokola still shares her account in the latest trial, recalling her initial meeting with Weinstein at a Manhattan restaurant in 2002.
- Sokola testified about feeling "very special" when approached by the older Weinstein, who invited her to lunch and instructed her to disrobe if she wanted to become an actress, further detailing the sexual acts that took place.
- Sokola recounted the power dynamics and feelings of fear and shame she experienced, stating that she held back from reporting the incidents out of shame and self-blame, sharing her testimony as part of the ongoing trial in the USA.
