The increasing number of women coming forward to share their stories of sexual assault has inspired Reese Witherspoon to speak out about her own experience as a young actress in the industry. During her speech at the ELLE Women in Hollywood, the "Home Again" star admitted that the ongoing scandal of Harvey Weinstein has reminded her of her own nightmare.
Reese Witherspoon gets candid about sexual assault in Hollywood
"This has been a really hard week for women in Hollywood, for women all over the world," she said. "And a lot of situations and a lot of industries are forced to remember and relive a lot of ugly truths."
She went on to reveal that her first experience of sexual assault happened when she was just 16 years old.
Reese Witherspoon claimed she was assaulted by an unnamed director and how some agents and producers turned a blind eye to the sexual misconduct.
"I wish I could tell you that was an isolated incident in my career, but sadly it wasn't. I've had multiple experiences of harassment and sexual assault, and I don't speak about them very often," she continued.
Reese Witherspoon admitted that she felt less alone after hearing the stories of sexual assault victims since Harvey Weinstein was exposed. Since the news stirred up public interest on the issue, the actress has reached out to her fellow artists and writers who have been victims of this kind of misconduct.
Producer faces multiple allegations of sexual misconduct
Reese Witherspoon also commended those who have come forward to speak out about the horror they have gone through in the Hollywood industry. The "Big Little Lies" alum also encouraged other victims to tell their stories in order to heal the wounds of the past.
The actress later addressed the crowd, where her 18-year-old daughter Ava Phillippe was watching her, to tell the truth, and embrace the new norm.
"It makes me sad to talk about these issues, but I would be remiss not to," she added.
The entertainment industry was stunned when Harvey Weinstein was accused of multiple sexual assault allegations a couple of weeks ago. Since then, dozens of women have already come out to testify against the movie mogul for his alleged abusive behavior.
Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cara Delevingne, and Rose McGowan were among those who immediately responded to the scandal to share their personal experiences with the producer. The issue has also inspired other sexual assault victims to speak up and shed light on the issue.
