'Silence Breakers' named Time Person of the Year

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON

The people who have brought an explosive series of sexual assault allegations that brought down powerful men across the U.S.'s political and social spectrums were on Wednesday named Time Person of the Year.

The "Silence Breakers", as Time dubbed them, are a largely female group of victims who have come forward with their stories of assault in an unprecedented mass showing.

In October, a New York Times expose brought to light ultimately terminating allegations of sexual assault by former Hollywood titan Harvey Weinstein. Since the story broke a number of others, including actresses Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd have added their voices to the chorus of charges against the former Hollywood producer and executive.

Weinstein denies having non-consensual sex with the women, and says he "never laid a glove" on Judd. But the sheer volume of claims, as well as the powerful article led to his departure from his self-named production company, and fall from grace.

After Weinstein, dozens of other men from the entertainment, news media, politics, technology and culinary spheres have faced damaging allegations to varying degrees.

But nowhere have they been more a flashpoint for controversy than with Alabama judge Roy Moore. The Republican nominee for the Senate has been met with charges from nine women over sexual abuse. Some of the women claim the impropriety occurred when they were minors.

After the Washington Post brought the story of Leigh Corfman to light, a torrent of details has been made public appearing to corroborate their stories.

Nonetheless, President Donald Trump has fully endorsed Moore, prompting backlash from many, including Republican Senator Jeff Flake who defiantly said he donated $100 to the campaign of Moore's Democratic opponent, Doug Jones, writing on Twitter "Country over Party".

Like Weinstein, Moore denies the charges, and a conservative organization has sought to discredit the Post in an undercover sting operation thwarted by the newspaper's journalists.

Trump was named runner-up for the magazine's honor after claiming he passed on being offered the top spot for the second year in a row. Trump's claim has been dismissed by Time, but Time wrote that during his first year he has changed the American presidency dramatically.

Rounding out the top three is China's President Xi Jinping who Time said this year has "cemented his place as the most powerful Chinese leader since Deng, the visionary who turned China toward a market economy in the mid-’80s".