9 People Share Their Personal Experiences With Sexual Harassment

On Thursday, the New York Times published a piece detailing decades of sexual harassment and abuse allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

According to the report, the abuse spanned more than 30 years and included eight legal settlements with women — all while Weinstein continued to be a big Hollywood name, won six best-picture Oscars, and worked on popular films like Pulp Fiction and Good Will Hunting.

In other words, he enjoyed a successful and profitable career while a history of repeat sexual harassment was swept under the rug. It's a story that's all too familiar for most women (and even some people of other genders) who have experienced the same kind of sexual harassment from authority figures in their own lives. And in the wake of allegations against Weinstein, these women are also speaking out.

It started with a call on Twitter from writer Anne T. Donahue, who tweeted, "When did you meet YOUR Harvey Weinstein? I'll go first: I was a 17-yr-old co-op student and he insisted on massaging my shoulders as I typed." (Full disclosure: Donahue has written for Refinery29 in the past.)

After Donahue posted her tweet, other people poured in with their own stories, detailing sexual harassment they'd faced from former bosses, teachers, a friend's dad, and even their dentist.

"The response has been heartbreaking, because these stories convey just how prevalent rape culture is, and the toxic norms we suffer at the hands of," Donahue tells Refinery29. "But at the same time, I'm blown away by the generosity of those sharing their stories in general. It's a big deal to talk about trauma; to go back and remember something that affected you and scared you and made you feel powerless."

Read on for 9 people's stories.