Rose McGowan is at the forefront of a movement calling attention to rampant sexual abuse in Hollywood. Among the actress and survivor's first targets: Amazon Studios.
McGowan says that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos repeatedly ignored her claims that Harvey Weinstein had raped her. Instead, Amazon Studios dropped development for McGowan’s show and continued a profitable working relationship with Weinstein’s company.
Right now, Amazon is all over the press as they search for a city to make their new headquarters. If we can associate their company with covering up sexual abuse, they will be forced to take immediate action and adopt a zero tolerance policy.
Jeff Bezos and Amazon Studios must adopt a zero tolerance policy on sexual abuse, or else we will oppose its headquarters in our cities.
More than fifty women in Hollywood have come forward to share their experiences of sexual harassment and abuse from Weinstein. But Amazon Studios' complicity is a reminder that the industry silence has meant consent for the behavior of predators like Weinstein.
“I forcefully begged studio head to do the right thing. I was ignored,” McGowan tweeted about her attempt to get Amazon to end its working relationship with Weinstein. Instead, Amazon greenlighted two collaborations with his Weinstein Company, while giving big roles to actors with records of sexual abuse like Casey Affleck.
It will take more than cutting ties with one company to truly challenge misogyny and rape culture within Hollywood. Companies like Amazon need to step up, take responsibility for enabling sexual violence, and make real changes. That means recognizing that Hollywood is filled with Harvey Weinsteins: making the industry safer for women means adopting a zero tolerance policy on sexual abuse.
Tell Amazon Studios it should stand with survivors and adopt a strict zero tolerance policy on sexual harassment and abuse.