Weinstein accuser Kaja Sokola: It is very important for people to speak out'

"For Kaja Sokola, Weinstein's youngest sexual assault accuser, it is a tough moment to speak out as a victim. I believe they are a setback for #MeToo, and I believe that it is very important right now for people to speak out, she told the Guardian. For people that are being abused, the most important message I can send is that you don't have to go to court to get justice but you need to talk to other people."

"She says Weinstein raped her twice, in 2002 when she was 16, and in 2006 when she was 19. At trial in June, Sokola, now 39, testified about the alleged 2006 rape. Sokola testified that she had gone with her older sister to a meeting with Weinstein when he took her to hotel and raped her. The jury found that the charge relating to Sokola's claim had not met the burden of proof required for conviction."

Recent legal outcomes and public comebacks have weakened accountability for survivors of sexual crimes in the United States. Harvey Weinstein faces a possible third sexual-assault trial after earlier mixed verdicts that left some accused charges unproven. The federal case against Sean Combs returned convictions on lesser charges, and several men accused of misconduct have resumed prominent public roles. Kaja Sokola, who says Weinstein raped her twice as a teen, testified about an alleged 2006 attack but the jury found her charge did not meet the burden of proof. Prosecutors secured a conviction for another accuser while some charges remain unresolved or subject to retrial.

Read at www.theguardian.com