Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

Emmy-award winning writer and producer Dinah Kirgo, one of six women who has come forward with charges of sexual harassment against CBS CEO and chairman Les Moonves, told NPR that she is not trying to end the executive’s career as much as she is trying to change a culture that enables such misconduct.

“People think that we’re trying to take these guys down, and that is, at least in my case, that is so not true. It’s about stopping this behavior.”

We agree and we stand in solidarity with her How many more stories do we need to read about a powerful boss who thinks he can aggressively kiss, or pin down on a couch, or make sexual remarks to a woman with no consequences and no reckoning?

Enough is enough – those days are over. The #MeToo and #TimesUp movements cannot be stopped, and they will not stop until we end this culture of abuse against women.

Toxic men like Les Moonves must know they can no longer prey on vulnerable women over whom they wield tremendous power in the workplace. Les Moonves shouldn’t be at work today and he shouldn’t come into the office tomorrow. CBS must suspend Les Moonves and conduct an independent, outside investigation into his behavior.

Les Moonves received $68.4 million in 2017 for his role as chief executive and chairman of the CBS board of directors. The women he is accused of harassing are paying a terrible price. How much will CBS pay the women for their loss of wages, career advancement, and prestige caused by CBS’ protection of powerful men? They are the ones that deserve CBS’ attention, financial remuneration and care today—not Les Moonves.

It’s time we change the norm. Our silence ends now.

Contact

Brittany T. Oliver, comms@now.org, 202-628-8669