"Sexual violence is such a thief": Ashley Judd speaks out against overturn of Weinstein conviction

Actress Ashley Judd spoke out against a New York court’s decision to overturn Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, saying that “male sexual violence is such a thief."

Judd, the first of numerous women to come forward with sexual harassment allegations against Weinstein, reacted to the top New York court’s decision to overturn the Hollywood producer’s conviction in an interview on CBS Mornings.

“We have institutional betrayal, which is a real thing," Judd said. The court’s 4-3 decision came down to testimony from a number of Weinstein’s alleged victims who were not included in the charges, which the ruling called “irrelevant, prejudicial, and untested.”

Judd appeared alongside reporter Jodi Kantor, who reported on a series of allegations that would become part of the #MeToo movement.

“To bolster their case, prosecutors brought in additional witnesses, women who had experienced terrible things at the hands of Weinstein," Kantor noted, adding that the controversial prosecution strategy formed the baseline of Weinstein’s appeal.

Though Manhattan prosecutors plan to re-try Weinstein, Judd is weary of putting victims through the same pain once again.

"Courtrooms are not healing spaces," Judd told CBS Mornings. "They are traumatizing spaces and victims should not have to perform their trauma in order to find peace.”

Tarana Burke, founder of the #MeToo movement, also spoke out against the court’s decision in a Thursday press conference, but emphasized that women shouldn’t take the ruling as a “blow to the movement.”

“We ride the wave when we have big moments and when we have low moments, we get low and we get dirty and we do what we have to do,” Burke said. “The outcome of this case doesn’t change that.”

Rose McGowan, another victim of Weinstein’s repeated sexual abuse of women in Hollywood, went to Instagram to share a message of support to women, captioning a video message, “they will never overturn who we are.”

“To everyone out there fighting the good fight… you matter, I’m with you,” the "Jawbreaker" actress said.