Organizational Development Consulting | Executive Coaching | Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Sexual harassment is more about power than sex

What do Woody Allen and Andrew Cuomo have in common? It seems to be a history of abusing power combined with older man-younger woman predation. If you look at Allen’s film Manhattan (1979), you’ll see him justifying sexual relations with a high school girl because she is beautiful and smart. According to the HBO series, “Allen v Farrow,” Allen as a film director would gaslight Farrow (who was starring in his films) saying she was too old as an actress, that no other director would take her, and he could replace her in 2 minutes. And of course he married the daughter of his romantic partner after allegedly taking sexually explicit pictures of her when she was in high school. He eventually married her (she was about 27 and he about 65). Cuomo’s M.O. was to hit on his pretty and bright assistants. One, Charlotte Bennett, is 25 and Cuomo is 63. Both allen and Cuomo have denied the accusations of sexual abuse (which sexual harassment is a form of), and Cuomo offered the lamest of non-apologies by saying it wasn’t his intent to harass the women. Another similarity was when the abuse was reported to authorities (to Allen’s psychotherapist and Cuomo’s targets to HR) absolutely nothing was done. This is an epic fail.