French actress Catherine Deneuve apologized to sexual assault victims who were offended by her decision to sign an open letter against the #MeToo movement,. However, she is standing by her decision to sign the document alongside 99 others.
Catherine Deneuve's Apology
Deneuve signed the open letter on Sunday, where she also acknowledged the fact that she may have offended some people, especially women. The actress said that she signed the document because there are no claims in it suggesting that harassment is good.
Several other French women writers and performers signed the letter last week.
Some activists said that the intervention trivialized sexual violence because it suggested men should be "free to hit on women."
"Yes, I like freedom. I don't like this characteristic of our times whereby everyone feels they have the right to judge, to arbitrate, to condemn. A time where simple denunciations on social media generate punishment, resignation and sometimes, and often, lynching by the media... I don't excuse anything. I don't decide the guilt of these men because I am not qualified to do so. And few are... No, I don't like this pack mentality," said Deneuve.
The veteran actress also pointed out that she has been in the industry since she was a teenager and has witnessed situations wherein women were abused by men in power. However, the actress said that it is not her responsibility to speak on behalf of those who were abused.
"I fraternally salute all the victims of these hideous acts who might have felt assaulted by the letter published in Le Monde. It is to them and them alone that I offer my apologies," said the actress.
What's In The Letter?
The open letter, which was originally published on Tuesday, stated that a lot of men in the industry have been punished for their wrongful deeds but some of these actions, such as touching someone's knee or trying to steal a kiss, should not have merited grave consequences.
Actress' Thoughts On Social Media Campaigns
Meanwhile, this is not the first time that the 74-year-old actress spoke up on issues involving men. Deneuve previously expressed her disappointment over social media campaigns that shamed men who were accused of sexual harassment. During a recent interview, the actress dubbed the social media flooding about sexual harassment and abuse as "terrible."
"It is interesting to talk about it like this? Does it help? Does it add anything? Will it solve the problem in any way?" said the actress.
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