Rose McGowan says Weinstein verdict is a 'huge victory'

25 February 2020, 11:21

By Maddie Goodfellow

Rose McGowan has given a powerful interview following the Harvey Weinstein verdict.

The actress revealed she was "shocked" by the court's decision, telling Good Morning Britain: "I’m still in shock, to tell you the truth.

"I was really expecting to have to deal with a flood of ‘Is this the end of Me Too’ [if he had been found not guilty]…

"I’m kind of spun right now, but I can tell you the young girl I was, is giving a high five to the woman I am today.

“What this shows, is that the old ways of treating rape victims on the stand in trial by slut shaming them… but now thankfully juries will start to see through it.”

Her comments come as Weinstein awaits his sentencing for rape in the third degree and sexual assault.

Speaking to Susanna Reid and Bill Turnbull, she said: "This is a huge victory for all of us who have ever been hurt…It’s a huge moment and it’s one, I have to honestly say, I thought he was going to be exonerated.

McGowan also spoke about the "fear" Weinstein had instilled in her for years.

She told GMB: “He very much came after me, he and his giant machine of other monsters.

“I wonder if he gets convicted if he will hire a hitman to get me?… These are just casual thoughts in my life. That’s why it’s so wrong and sick. That’s why I’ve fought so hard for this to stop.

“The reason we fight is not just personal but the greater cultural reset that I was looking for.”

Asked if she felt there were more victims out there, she replied: “Yes… he had a full machine set up only to rape.

"Movies, that was his living, but there was a rape factory - that’s what the business was behind the scenes…

"It’s the kind of human-trafficking that goes on. It goes on in Hollywood and the rest of the world… it’s in high levels of society and low levels.”  

Talking about whether a sentence of 29 years behind bars was long enough, she concluded: “For me, personally, I would just rather he ceased to exist. The world would be better off but I am happy there is one less serial predator on the streets… It's an incredible moment…

"It’s an overwhelming amount of emotions. Just this kind of flood gates of stress that are just starting to recede after being so high for so long. [But] This whole thing is a tragedy. None of this had to happen.”

Harvey Weinstein was found guilty on Monday
Harvey Weinstein was found guilty on Monday. Picture: PA

On whether this was the end of the journey, she explained: “There will be the LA trial and the court sentencing here is on March 11th. It’s a never-ending situation. I wish it would end but this is an unbelievable achievement.

"Just to simply have a woman - who has been raped by somebody - be in a court pointing at their accuser saying, ‘You did this to me’, that is a privilege because that is incredibly rare. There is a 2% conviction rate in almost all rapes.

She admitted she hoped to speak in court about what happened to her: “There is a statute of limitation, so I will never have that kind of day in court…”

But she added she hoped to take part in the court proceedings, explaining: “I don’t know if it’s as a witness… but I would be able to [speak in court].”

Latest World News

See more Latest World News

Virginia Giuffre

Woman driving Prince Andrew accuser Virginia Giuffre during crash that left her with 'four days to live' breaks silence

Exclusive
'Donald Trump has made Putin comfortable,' Mikhail Khodorkovsky has warned

'Trump has made Putin comfortable' despite massive Ukraine war losses, exiled former oligarch tells LBC

The bodies of Andrew Searle and his wife Dawn were discovered by a neighbour.

British couple found dead in south of France home being ‘treated as murder-suicide’

The vehicle was later extinguished after the driver, covered in flames, emerged from the vehicle.

Amsterdam Dam Square car explosion sees driver engulfed in flames - just days after mass stabbing

d

Pictured: US tourist arrested for sailing to remote island and leaving a can of Coke for world's most isolated tribe

The Sentinelese are a pre-Neolithic tribe that rejects contact with the modern world

US tourist arrested for sailing to remote island and leaving a can of Coke for the world's most isolated tribe to try

The Trump administration has been ridiculed after imposing tariffs on uninhabited islands

'No one is safe, not even the penguins': Trump administration ridiculed after imposing tariffs on uninhabited islands

World leaders react to US tariffs

'This is not the act of a friend': World leaders react to Trump's 'unwarranted' tariffs

British couple

British couple found dead in New Zealand named - as police probe possible murder-suicide

Virginia Giuffre said she had been left with 'four days to life' after the crash

Bus driver breaks silence on Virginia Giuffre crash that left her 'with four days to live'

Foreign Secretary David Lammy

David Lammy to urge Nato allies to increase defence spending in bid to make alliance 'stronger, fairer and more lethal'

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

EU threatens further countermeasures against US tariffs after 'major blow to world economy'

Lord Sugar labels Trump tariffs 'a disaster' as Apprentice star teases potential US Presidential meeting

Lord Sugar labels Trump tariffs 'a disaster' and warns that the president 'hasn't thought it through'

Buildings that were destroyed during the Israeli ground and air operations in Gaza

Israel expands ground attack on Gaza to seize 'large areas' - despite pleas from hostage families

Police said two people died on Palliser Road, Roseneath.

British couple found dead at home in New Zealand - just months after moving to 'begin new chapter'

Virginia Giuffre warned it was a "very bad situation" after she claimed a school bus ploughed into her car

Virginia Giuffre was charged with breaching restraining order days before crash that 'left her with days to live'