Warren Beatty sued for alleged sexual assault of a teen girl in 1973

A woman has filed a civil suit against actor Warren Beatty for an alleged coerced sexual relationship in 1973 when the plaintiff was 14 or 15 years old and Beatty was 35, per Variety. Though the lawsuit does not name Beatty specifically, the suit accuses the Oscar-nominated star of Bonnie And Clyde, who played the role of Clyde.

Kristina Charlotte Hirsch claims that Beatty groomed and coerced her into a sexual relationship after meeting on a California film set in 1973. The lawsuit states that Beatty “used his role, status, and power as a well-known Hollywood Star to gain access to, groom, manipulate, exploit, and coerce sexual contact from her over the course of several months.” Hirsch alleges that he asked her questions about losing her virginity, gave her rides in his car, and invited her to his hotel room.

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Furthermore, Hirsch claims that Beatty’s abuse has made it difficult for her to “reasonably or meaningfully interact with others.” This includes “those in positions of authority over Plaintiff including supervisors, and in intimate, confidential and familial relationships.” Her trauma has led to issues in her personal life, particularly with trust and control, causing “substantial emotional distress, guilt, anxiety, nervousness, and fear.” Additionally, the suit claims Hirsch suffered “physical manifestations of emotional distress including embarrassment, loss of self-esteem, disgrace, humiliations, and loss of enjoyment of life.” This distress has caused her to “sustain loss of earnings” and significant expenses on mental health treatment.

Though their interactions occurred nearly 50 years ago, a 2019 California law gave survivors of sexual assault over 40 three years to file a lawsuit against their alleged assailants even though the original statute of limitations expired. Before the law’s passing, victims had until age 26 to file a suit, which would allow them to recover damages over trauma inflicted by an adult when the plaintiff was a minor. The “lookback window” began on January 1, 2020, and will close on January 1, 2023.

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