Woody Allen attempts to 'whitewash his own sordid history' by pitying Weinstein

In the midst of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal, did Woody Allen really have to weigh in with his own opinion?

When you think about it, his comments were a weaselly attempt to whitewash his own sordid history rife with sexual abuse allegations, insulate himself from any repercussions due to his own perceived genius, and issue some kind of blanket protection for all men against what he called witch hunts.

Couldn't he have said:, "No comment"?

Even as women come forward, emboldened, finally, to speak out about all the times they were harassed, abused, assaulted, or raped by the Harvey Weinsteins of this world, there are people out there more concerned about which actor or politician or magazine editor or late night television host has condemned the disgraced Hollywood mogul and how long it took for the condemnation to be issued.

People have questioned the timing of the revelations, with one wondering: "Why have Ashley Judd and Gwyneth Paltrow only said something now, if they were so disgusted by Harvey Weinstein? They could have spared so many other women the trauma. Were their careers more important than their dignity?"

Clearly this person has no clue just how disempowering and dehumanising it is to be on the receiving end of sexual abuse. Or harassment. Or assault. Or rape. And how society often exonerates - and protects - the perpetrator while vilifying the victim. And if sucking it all up - forgive the pun - is what it takes to continue working, surviving, or simply functioning as a sane human being, we must never take it against the women who choose to do just that.

And it reeks of male entitlement to think that these women were silent till now. They did speak, in whispers to other women, to their colleagues, to their husbands and boyfriends and brothers and friends. So that other women would know, and be spared by making every effort not to be alone with Harvey Weinstein.

But then again, why do women have to speak up? Indeed, why do women even have to be violated again and again by men who don't listen to women when they say "no", and then pass off their predatory behaviour as "a sickness" that a stint in a luxurious rehab facility will cure.

Why can't men just not harass? Or abuse? Or assault? Or rape?

For a change.

• This article was originally published in The Times