Former Weinstein Co. employee reveals why she took down Harvey

Lauren O’Conner, a former Weinstein Co. personnel whose enterprise memo played a critical function in Harvey Weinstein’s downfall, is speaking out about why she took a stand towards the convicted rapist.

In an interview for an forthcoming episode of life mentor and writer Mike Bayer’s podcast, O’Conner clarifies that she experienced to do a little something for the reason that she, much too, is a survivor of sexual assault.

“As an individual who, many years prior at 23, experienced been assaulted myself and did not really feel that I could discuss for myself, I also wouldn’t have been able to search in the mirror the next working day if I hadn’t experimented with to do a little something,” O’Conner said in an excerpt of the interview, recalling when a younger girl confided in her about being “violated” by Weinstein.

She said that is when it became additional about “how” to do a little something about it, not “if.”

O’Conner, who was previously a literary scout for the Weinstein Co., wrote the 2015 enterprise memo that accused Weinstein of abusing his power to assault women. That memo was eventually leaked to the press and was instrumental in the New York Moments investigation that disclosed Weinstein’s sample of sexual misconduct. Weinstein was uncovered responsible of rape and a felony intercourse crime past month.

“I think standing up for ourselves in the midst of a sexual assault can be a difficult way to search at things for the reason that an assault does not come about for the reason that you did not stand up for oneself,” O’Conner advised Bay. “An assault comes about irrespective of that. That is what will make it violating.”

Finally, she knew she “had to” act for the reason that she could relate to people women as a fellow survivor.

“I experienced … an possibility to attempt and do a little something that could help that from not going on to any individual else,” said O’Conner. “I know what it is like, and if there is a way in which I can reduce the hazard that an individual is able to do that to any individual else — I experienced to. It was just an imperative.”

The complete “Coach Mike Podcast” interview will be unveiled Tuesday.