Reese Witherspoon, the Academy Award-winning actress, has opened up about being s**ually assaulted by a film director when she was 16 years old.

She shared her experience during a speech at the Elle Women in Hollywood event on Monday, where she expressed her disgust towards the director and her anger towards the agents and producers who made her feel like silence was a condition of her employment.

Witherspoon also revealed that she had suffered multiple other experiences of harassment and s**ual assault during her career.

While she did not provide details about the incident that took place when she was 16, Witherspoon lamented that she wished it was an isolated incident, but it was not.

She said, “I wish I could tell you that that was an isolated incident in my career, but sadly, it wasn’t.” The actress, who has starred in notable films like Legally Blonde and Walk the Line and TV series like Big Little Lies, acknowledged that she rarely spoke about her experiences but was moved to speak up after hearing other women’s stories.

In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, Witherspoon believes there is a new attitude towards harassment and abuse of power in Hollywood and other industries.

She expressed her belief that this would lead to a new normal where people would no longer tolerate s**ual harassment or abuse.

She said, “I feel really, really encouraged that there will be a new normal.”

In her speech, Witherspoon also talked about the anxiety and guilt she felt for not speaking up earlier or taking action.

She mentioned that it had been a hard week for women in Hollywood following the Harvey Weinstein allegations.

However, she felt less alone this week than she had ever felt in her entire career after hearing other women speak out about their experiences.

She added, “And that truth is very encouraging to me and to everyone out there in the world because you can only heal by telling the truth.”

Witherspoon’s courage to speak out has been praised by many, including her colleagues in the industry.

Actress Jennifer Lawrence, who presented Witherspoon with an award at the event, said, “It’s not easy to come out and speak.”

“It’s not easy to hammer the nail into your own coffin.

“It’s not easy. But it’s so important.”

The issue of s**ual harassment and abuse of power in Hollywood has been a hot topic since the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke out.

Many women have come forward with their stories of harassment and abuse, leading to the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements.

Witherspoon has been an advocate for women’s rights and was one of the founding members of Time’s Up.

The actress’s speech has reignited the conversation about s**ual harassment and assault in Hollywood and other industries.

Witherspoon’s decision to speak up and share her experience is a powerful reminder that speaking out is the first step towards change.

As she said in her speech, “you can only heal by telling the truth.”

Witherspoon’s speech has also highlighted the importance of creating safe spaces for women to speak up and share their experiences.

The Elle Women in Hollywood event was one such space, where women could come together and support each other.

Witherspoon’s speech has shown that women’s voices matter and that they need to be heard.

As more women come forward with their stories, it is clear that s**ual harassment and abuse of power is not limited to Hollywood.

It is a problem that exists in many industries and affects women from all walks of life.