WASHINGTON: About a dozen women who accused President Donald Trump of sexually harassing them during the 2016 election campaign, are now demanding a popular condemnation of his alleged transgressions.

In statements to The Washington Post, ABC News and Newsweek, they said they have been encouraged by a popular backlash against Harvey Weinstein and want a similar response against Mr Trump as well. Mr Weinstein, an American film producer and studio executive, is accused of sexually harassing, assaulting, or raping more than 50 women over several decades. The allegations against him – reported first by The New York Times and the New Yorker magazine — forced him to quit his job, give up his awards and hide from the public.

Police in Los Angeles have opened a criminal investigation against him for alleged rape, and New York and London police are investigating other sexual assault allegations. His wife Georgina Chapman also left him and leading American politicians, who once sought his support, have denounced him.

The allegation against Mr Weinstein also encouraged millions of women across the globe to come forward and share their story of being sexually harassed.

Now, the women who accused Mr Trump of harassing them want a similar reaction against the us president. “After Weinstein’s fall, Trump accusers wonder: Why not him?” said a Washington Post headline.

“It is hard to reconcile that Harvey Weinstein could be brought down with this, and [President] Trump just continues to be the Teflon Don,” Jessica Leeds told the Post.

Ms Leeds claims she was groped 30 years ago on a plane by the man whose presence she cannot escape now that he sits in the Oval Office. President Trump has repeatedly denied the charge.

In Florida, Melinda McGillivray told the post that seeing Mr Trump in the Oval Office makes her upset. Last year, Ms McGillivray publicly accused Mr Trump of grabbing her at his Miami resort Mar-a-Lago in 2003 when she was 23.

Ms Leeds pointed out that Mr Weinstein was not the only person to be publicly humiliated by allegations of sexual harassment. Actor Bill Cosby, Fox News anchor Bill O’Reilly and the network’s co-founder after Roger Ailes are among those were disgraced recently.

Billy Bush, a member of the Bush family, also lost his job at NBC in 2016 after the release of a 2005 recording on which Mr. Trump was heard talking to Mr Bush about grabbing women. Mr. Trump defen­ded his conversation with Mr. Bush as “locker-room talk” and then won the election as well.

“My pain is everyday with … Trump as President,” tweeted Jill Harth, who once organized beauty pageants for Mr. Trump and sued him in 1997, claiming he had repeatedly groped her.

Cathy Heller, who last year told the Guardian that Mr Trump forcibly kissed her during a brunch at Mar-a-Lago in 1997, expressed dismay that “nothing stuck” against him.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2017