Why Harvey Weinstein Is Not a Sex Addict, He’s a Sexual Predator
Hollywood loves a good story, certainly one that involves a villain, a damsel in distress, a take-down and an ending with poetic justice; all of which were premiered in the evolving and explosive sex scandal implicating Harvey Weinstein, film producer and former film studio director. The news about Mr. Weinstein was first published in the New York Times alleging and detailing decades of allegations of sexual harassment by women who were either too scared to come forward or paid off to avert their doing so.
Sexual offending behavior removes choice and control from the sexual exchange. Period.
While Weinstein’s many female accusers had yet to come forward, the whispers and backroom allegations of Weinstein’s uninvited sexual advances and sexual harassment had persisted for years without the smoking gun or numbers to bring the man and his sexual offenses to the light of day. But all that changed when not one, or even some, but many women went public to acknowledge that they too bore the abuse of his unwanted sexual advances and harassment. Some are alleging that Weinstein raped them.
Being the supreme marketer of a great story, Harvey Weinstein came to his own defense and proclaimed that yes, he has a problem; he’s made some mistakes and needed to address what was likely an out of control sexual condition. The words sexual addiction were uttered by those around him and by others who wished to brush the embarrassment off stage, but the harsh and blatant fact is, sexual harassment including rape cannot nor should never be rationalized or minimized as simply being about a sex addiction. So what is the difference between sex addiction and sexual offending? (Read more about sexual addiction versus sexual offending)
When Is it Sex Addiction or Sex Offending?
Sex addiction prioritizes sexual activity which becomes the organizing principle in one’s life. It interferes with otherwise normal daily living and can take many forms. This is including but not limited to: internet pornography, pornography, compulsive sexual hook-ups, compulsive masturbation, prostitution and chronic infidelity. And, all of the aforementioned, if involving another individual is consensual. That means that there is choice and consensual agreement. Sexually addictive behaviors might be offensive but do not cross into what can be legally defined as sexual offending—Big Difference!
It is ironic that Weinstein’s own life story ultimately took down his company that produced some of the best cinematic tragedies in Hollywood.
Sexual offending behavior removes choice and control from the sexual exchange. There is a victim involved, not a consensual partner, and in the case of Harvey Weinstein, he used his position of power and money to sexually prey on vulnerable women. That equates to abuse and exploitation because choice, power and consent were removed. This is sexual offending behavior of the most indefensible kind.
Whether Mr. Weinstein is able to change by looking inward with any degree of introspective examination remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that Weinstein’s own life story ultimately took down his company that produced some of the best cinematic tragedies in Hollywood. Some might call this poetic justice.
