Filipina at the center of allegations against Harvey Weinstein

SCREEN CAPTURE / MSNBC

Ambra Battilana Gutierrez claims she was groped by Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.

BEFORE THE New York Times story last week alleging Harvey Weinstein's sexual harassment of actresses, two years ago, a Filipina model was the first woman to bring his behavior to light.

Two years ago, Ambra Battilana Gutierrez was just 22 when she told authorities that Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, one of the most powerful men in the motion picture industry, groped her breasts and tried to put his hand up her skirt.

Her story is recounted by the New Yorker magazine in light of the NYTimes recent revelations by over a dozen women of Weinstein's sexual abuse and harassment. Among the actresses who have come forth include A-listers Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie.

Based on Guitierrez's accusations and under police guidance, she wore a wire to obtain further evidence of Weinstein' sexual abuse of several actresses including some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry.

Gutierrez met Weinstein in 2015. Weinstein repeatedly told the Miss Italy finalist that she resembled actress Mila Kunis and arranged a meeting for the next day.

Harvey Weinstein

According to Guterriez, she arrived at Weinstein’s office early the next evening with her modelng portfolio. In the office, she sat with Weinstein on a couch to review the portfolio, and he began staring at her breasts, asking if they were real. Gutierrez later told officers of the New York Police Department Special Victims Division that Weinstein then lunged at her, groping her breasts and attempting to put a hand up her skirt while she protested.
The Filipino-Italian model said he asked her for a date later for that evening. Instead of going on the date, she reported the assault to the NYPD.

In the chilling recording that was reported by The New Yorker magazine,  Weinstein tried to get Guttierrez to go up into his hotel room 'for five minutes' while he took a shower.

When Gutierrez refused and confronted him about touching her breasts, Weinstein said he was "used to that." He swore on his children that he would not touch her again, according to The New Yorker article.

He accused her of embarrassing him and making a scene in the hotel where he stayed 'all the time', adding: "I'm a famous guy."

During the encounter, she then asked him why he grabbed her breast the day before.

“Oh, please, I’m sorry, just come on in,” Weinstein can be heard saying. “I’m used to that. Come on. Please.”

After a two-week investigation, the Manhattan district attorney decided not to file charges, The New Yorker reported.

The DA's office said at the time: "This case was taken seriously ... After analysing the available evidence, including multiple interviews with both parties, a criminal charge is not supported."

“If we could have prosecuted Harvey Weinstein for the conduct that occurred in 2015, we would have,” Chief Assistant DA Karen Friedman-Agnifilo said in a statement.

“While the recording is horrifying to listen to, what emerged from the audio was insufficient to prove a crime under New York law, which requires prosecutors to establish criminal intent.”

After the story was published, reports about Gutierrez's past began to emerge in the tabloids and social media painting her as naive starry-eyed actress or as a gold-digger taking advantage of older men. Her credibility was essentially ruined.

The New York Post said: “The young, beautiful, wide-eyed woman who falls prey to Hollywood’s lusty male elite is a tale we know all too well ― and Battilana’s camp knows that, too...,” the article reads. “Her claims against Weinstein can’t be accepted as legitimate unless she is seen as either naïve and doe-eyed at one extreme, or aggressive and grasping at the other. It serves not only the media, but both Battilana’s and Weinstein’s camps to portray her as either Gone Girl or Snow White.”

Since then, several scores of actresses have come forward telling about their nightmare encounters with Weinstein. Most of them have reportedly accepted financial settlements, including Guitierrez. 

Some, such as Asia Argento say they were forced into performing sex acts despite their protestations.

“Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein,” a spokeswoman told the New Yorker, adding that he never retaliated against women who refused his sexual advances. “Mr. Weinstein obviously can’t speak to anonymous allegations, but with respect to any women who have made allegations on the record, Mr Weinstein believes that all of these relationships were consensual.”

As a result of the allegations, the once-powerful Weinstein was fired from his position in his own company.
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