Ambra Battilana Gutierrez was 22 when in 2015 Weinstein allegedly touched her chest and put his hand up her skirt without her consent during a business meeting in Manhattan.
The model who accused Harvey Weinstein of groping her said the system failed her by not successfully using her recorded conversation with the disgraced movie mogul about the incident to stop him then.
Ambra Battilana Gutierrez was 22 when in 2015 Weinstein allegedly touched her chest and put his hand up her skirt without her consent during a business meeting in Manhattan.
“Out of nowhere, his hands were on my breasts,” Gutierrez told Inside Edition Correspondent Les Trent. “Just like that in two minutes’ conversation. I froze. I was absolutely shocked. I didn't know what to say or what to do.”
She went to police, who asked her to wear a wire to meet Weinstein at a hotel the next day.
“At that point is when I was really scared,” Gutierrez told Inside Edition.
Recording of the conversation between Gutierrez and Weinstein appears to capture the Hollywood executive give the young model an ultimatum.
“If you want to spend time with me I will mentor you. I'll teach you. Whatever. But you have to, you know, relax with me, have fun, enjoy,” Weinstein says.
“What?” Gutierrez replies.
“Massage, something fun,” Weinstein says.
“No. I'm shy,” Gutierrez says.
“I know, but a massage. Something nice,” Weinstein continues. “If you don't trust me then we have no reason to do anything and you will lose big opportunities.”
When her accusations became public, Gutierrez became the target of a smear campaign.
“[The media] were absolutely portraying me as something I wasn't, because they were saying I was a prostitute,” she said.
Despite compelling evidence, no charges were filed. Calling the ordeal she went through a “bad experience,” Ambra said she believes nothing came of her efforts because of Weinstein's power.
When asked if she believes the system failed her, Ambra said, “Yeah. Of course. I did everything I could have in the right way and they didn't stop him.”
Ambra was not called as a witness during Weinstein’s trial, but she believes no matter the outcome the trial has restored her reputation.
“It’s like a feeling of freedom,” she said.
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