Hollywood had has its fair share of cases of sexual abuse. There was the much publicised Harvey Weinstein case where the media mogul was accused of allegedly sexually abusing more than 80 women. Not only him, back in 1977, iconic director Roman Polanski, in fact left the United States after he was convicted on charges of drugging and raping a thirteen-year-old girl.
But the very first case of sexual abuse in Hollywood dates further back - as far back as 1921. Over a hundred year back, the first case of sexual assault in Hollywood made deadlines, when on September 5, 1921, comedian Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle was accused of sexually assaulting actress Virginia Rappe. Arbuckle had hosted a party where it was claimed that he exploited Rappe's drunkenness to assault her.
As per a story by The New Yorker, by the time the incident happened in 1921, Arbuckle had appeared in more than a hundred and fifty films. He was earning in the millions at Paramount and owned a twenty-room mansion. Also Read: THIS Hollywood Actress Was Murdered By An Obsessed Fan And How It Changed The USA On the late morning of September 5, 1921, a gown salesman named Ira Fortlouis was leaving the nearby Palace Hotel to meet one of Arbuckle’s friends.
As per reports, in the lobby, Arbuckle noticed a group from Los Angeles and asked a bellboy about a stylish young woman with dark hair. The bellboy informed him she was “Virginia Rappe, the movie actress.” Arbuckle’s group recognised her and sent an invitation.
