In 2017, there were a series of allegations from over 80 women that accused Harvey Weinstein of rape, sexual assault and sexual abuse. The allegations resulted in an arrest and trial in New York. However, according to USA Today, Weinstein recently posted a $1 million bail and one sexual assault charge has been dismissed.

The impact these allegations had on the country was huge.

There has been a lot of news coverage about Weinstein and the women behind the allegations. Although some of the attention has died down since last year, director Ursula Macfarlane has decided to film a documentary titled, “Untouchable.”

“Untouchable” premiered the last week of January. It gave some of the women involved a chance to voice their story themselves and not through a reporter, lawyer or judge. It gave them the chance to speak directly to the audience.

Although this is an important part of the dialogue that needs to happen in this country, the persistent coverage of Weinstein could undermine the whole movement.

The attention Weinstein is getting after these women accused him of sexually abusing them puts the greater issue in danger of being lost in all the sensation. There is a delicate balance between showcasing the trauma these women went through and bringing to light an issue that has always been in the entertainment industry.

I believe people have a tendency to be curious about individuals that break the norm and do unspeakable things like these accusations suggest.

I am normally of the opinion that people tend to have a morbid curiosity that comes alive when we hear about someone breaking the norm and doing something unspeakable. It’s what makes shows like “Law and Order” or “My Strange Addiction” so compelling to watch. Movies about war tend to have the same effect as well; acts of cruelty or injustice are popular genres that grab people’s attention.

This is what makes films like “Untouchable” dangerous.

It would be a shame if the only reason people actively listened to the stories of these women was because it peaked an interest they didn’t know they had. It is clear that the women in this film spoke out with a greater purpose in mind. For these women, the film is meant to be their narrative. It is a reminder to those that forgot about the whole ordeal after it stopped appearing on the news that the problem has yet to be solved.

This may be their way of turning the incident into something they have control over, not only for their sake, but for the sake of future men and women looking for a way into the entertainment industry.

The intent may be noble, but the people that produce the movie don’t decide how it is internalized by the public. Everyday people do.

Content is everywhere. This movie is another layer to the building conversation that is happening in this country about sexual assault. I believe the #MeToo movement is proof that putting these stories out there can result in action.

However, glamorization is a valid worry. I can see how someone may think that all the news attention Weinstein got, and still gets, can romanticize the whole situation and make it into a story instead of a crime.

There will always be people that choose to look at it this way but there is a group of individuals that can take in this information and see it as a problem that needs fixing.

“Untouchable” is challenging everyday citizens to remember the faces behind these accusations and do something about it. Only then can we tackle the the greater issue; the danger young professionals face when trying to move up in the entertainment industry.