Miriam Haley (née Mimi Haleyi), one of the key witnesses in Harvey Weinstein’s criminal trial whose account led to his guilty verdict, criticized the convicted mogul’s attorneys for victim-blaming women during the trial.
“I don’t think that we should be telling people like, for example, Harvey Weinstein’s attorney did, that ‘Don’t put yourself in that position,’” Haley said on a Tuesday episode of “The View.” “I think we should be focusing on, ‘Don’t rape people.’ If they come to your house, don’t rape them. If they come to your hotel, don’t rape them.”
“I really feel like [we need] to shift the focus from constantly victim-blaming and evaluating what somebody’s part in it was to basically the actual person who committed the crime taking responsibility for their choices,” Haley added.
Though Haley didn’t say any of the attorneys’ names, earlier this month, Donna Rotunno — one of Weinstein’s lead attorneys — received pushback for saying she would never put herself in the “position” to be sexually assaulted during a podcast interview. During the trial, however, Haley was cross-examined by another one of Weinstein’s attorneys, Damon Cheronis.
Weinstein was convicted on Monday for a first-degree criminal sexual act, based on Haley’s testimony, and third-degree rape, based on another woman, Jessica Mann’s testimony. Haley testified that in 2006, Weinstein orally sexually assaulted her in his SoHo apartment.
Haley, whose “The View” appearance came a day after the verdict, also said she was “happy” with the “progress” evidenced by Weinstein’s verdict.
“I feel like it’s really amazing that we’re making progress, that we’re being more educated about sexual assault and sexual assault victims and what all of that can often involve,” she said.
Watch the clip above.