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Gordon K. Sattro, a lawyer for Bennett, did not immediately respond Monday to an email seeking comment about McGowan’s remarks and the allegations they contained.

Last fall, Argento was among the first women to publicly accuse producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault. Around the same time, a New York Times article detailing Weinstein’s behavior reported the existence of a previously undisclosed settlement between Weinstein and McGowan related to an episode in a hotel room. Soon after the publication of The Times article, McGowan became one of Weinstein’s most vocal accusers.

Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images

On Monday, McGowan acknowledged that over the course of the last year, she had “bonded” with Argento over their shared trauma, and said the two had even gotten matching tattoos. But she added that while she appreciates Argento’s bravery in coming forward with her allegations against Weinstein, she implored Argento to “be the person you wish Harvey could have been.”

“I’ve frankly been extremely humbled by this event,” McGowan said. “There absolutely should be no leeway or tolerance for sexual assault. Hard stop. NONE. Victims also shouldn’t be told how they should react or what they should say about their abusers. However as allies to the victim and voyeurs of an event we should find a better way to balance support of the victim with due process for the accused.”

“We cannot let this moment break the momentum of a movement that has freed so many people,” she wrote. “We must use it to allow us to become stronger. More compassionate. More aware. And more organized.”

This month, The Times reported that Argento had arranged to pay Bennett $380,000 after he accused her of sexually assaulting him before he had reached the age of consent in California. Bennett notified Argento last November that he would sue over their May 2013 encounter in a hotel room in Marina del Rey, California, The Times reported.

Although Argento has disputed the contents of The Times article, a company spokeswoman has said The Times stands by it.