Harvey Weinstein faces multiple allegations of sexual abuse. Photo / Getty Images
Harvey Weinstein faces multiple allegations of sexual abuse. Photo / Getty Images
A British woman who worked for 'sexual predator' Harvey Weinstein has broken a 25-year silence to tell how the film mogul raped her in the basement of his London offices.
The former Miramax employee was left so traumatised by the horrific attack that it was only last week that she was able to confide in her husband and tell him what had happened.
In an exclusive interview with The Mail on Sunday, she explained her silence, saying: "I just felt mortified and ashamed - and that no one would believe me.
"He was incredibly well-connected, powerful and important - and I was just a nobody."
'Sarah Smith' - her name has been changed for legal reasons - is the first British woman to publicly allege rape against Weinstein.
She said she had been working at Miramax for three years when the attack took place in 1992 in the firm's mansion flat in Fulham, West London.
The petite, 7st executive had become used to burly Weinstein's bullying manner, especially with 'delicate women', which left her alternately terrified and elated.
Recalling the day of the alleged rape, Ms Smith, now in her 50s, said: "I was there on my own when he came to the office. He went down to the basement [containing a bedroom for visiting employees from the US] and he called my name. I went down - he was standing there with nothing on. I started to back away.
"He grabbed me and he was so big and powerful. He just ripped my clothes away and pushed me, threw me down. Then... I kept shouting, 'No! Stop!' and tried to push him off. But he forced himself on me.
"And I remember, this is the one thing I remember most clearly: I thought, I have to keep saying 'No!' I was very aware that if a woman says no, it means no.
"And that was the one thing going through my mind throughout, 'No, no, no, no!' It was over very quickly and then he just said, 'Get out!' I remember walking home that night and it was cold and sodden. I was mortified and ashamed. I didn't tell anyone.
"We live in more enlightened times now, but back then I just thought no one would believe me."
She added: "Even after all these years, I can still wake up screaming. It happened as recently as a couple of weeks ago.
"You think you're over it and getting on but there are still things that affect everyday life, even after all this time.
"When I later told a GP, she just said, 'I'm really sorry.' Later, I thought, 'That's not right' and complained in a letter. I got a letter back saying I didn't seem that upset. I thought, 'I can't ever tell anybody because that's the reaction'."
Ms Smith did not approach The Mail on Sunday with her harrowing account but was tracked down by our reporter searching for past employees of Miramax in the UK.
When she answered the door, she at first would only say that 'a lot happened' and added: "I haven't revisited this in 30 years."
But, regaining her composure, she told our reporter in a shaky but measured tone that she wanted to finally share something serious that had happened to her - explaining that she needed to speak to her husband first and to return in an hour.
She then informed her husband - a senior public servant - that she had been raped by Weinstein in her 20s, before inviting our reporter inside and telling her story in full for the first time.
This combination photo shows actresses listed in alphabetical order, top row from left, Asia Argento, Rosanna Arquette, Jessica Barth, Cara Delevingne, Romola Garai, Judith Godreche, Heather Graham, Angelina Jolie, Ashley Judd, Rose McGowan, Lea Seydoux and Mira Sorvino, who have made allegations against producer Harvey Weinstein. Photo / AP
"I've never talked about it but I'm glad I'm talking about it with a woman,' she said. 'I'd just never want my two children to know."
Last night, she added: "I feel so much better that I've spoken to you. Since the scandal broke, I felt so cowardly that I hadn't said anything before. I was trying to get on with my life.
"I wanted the opportunity to speak out, but I just couldn't see how. I'm grateful for the opportunity to speak about it after all this time."
Four women in the US have already accused 65-year-old Weinstein of rape, along with more than 30 who allege sexual harassment or assault by the producer.
Last week, Merseyside Police announced they were investigating a separate claim of sexual assault against Weinstein dating back to the 1980s.
Now Ms Smith is considering lodging her own formal complaint with police.
Since the scandal broke, she has sought counselling to help confront her deeply buried trauma. She said she was speaking out in the hope it will encourage others and praised the 'brave and strong women who have spoken out so far'.
During the time Ms Smith worked at Miramax, the company was producing or distributing movies such as The Crying Game, Hear My Song and The Pope Must Die. The firm's success in the UK culminated with the Oscar-winning Shakespeare In Love.
Even before the alleged rape, Ms Smith said the atmosphere in the office was febrile whenever Weinstein was around, particularly for female staff, who dreaded his visits - one even wore tatty clothes and chewed raw garlic to repel him.
"It was very bullying - really scary and shouty, and then very charming," she recalled.
"One minute you would be terrified, and the next you would feel like the best person in the world when he asked your opinion.
"It was so manipulative. It was abuse - not physically hitting you but mentally battering you until you had nothing left, and then building you up again. You lose your sense of self-worth."
Months before the alleged rape, Ms Smith said that Weinstein had tried to persuade her to give him a back rub in his Savoy Hotel suite but she refused.
She recalled: "We had to go to the Savoy the whole time when he came [to London]. He usually had the same suite at the Savoy, the Oscar Wilde suite, or another on that corridor if it wasn't available.
"I was always terrified. He liked to surround himself with very tiny women - and he was massive, huge, bigger than he is now.
"So we go to the Savoy, and that was the first time when I was there and he said, 'Give me a back rub.' I said, 'No, certainly not.' He was cajoling me, 'Come on, come on.' I said, 'No, don't be ridiculous.'"
After the alleged rape, she left the film industry altogether and pursued a career in a caring profession.
A few months ago, having apparently got hold of her phone number from a mutual friend, Weinstein called Ms Smith out of the blue, asking her if she had been contacted by journalists.
"He said, 'The press are up my butt again. Have you heard from any of them or have you been talking to them?' I said, 'No, I have no idea about this.'
"Then he said he was in London the following week and said he'd call me. I stammered that I was away from London and said goodbye.
"I was very shaken by it, and then obviously this came out. It's brought back all the terrible, terrible experience I had."
A spokeswoman for the movie mogul said last night: "Mr Weinstein obviously can't speak to anonymous allegations, but he unequivocally denies allegations of non-consensual sex."
In reply to earlier rape claims, Weinstein's spokesman said in a statement on his behalf: "Mr Weinstein has further confirmed that there were never any acts of retaliation against any women for refusing his advances.
