Now, 38 women accuse Oscar-nominated writer-director of sexual abuse

Oscar-nominated writer-director James Toback has been accused of sexually harassing at least 38 women in incidents dating back to at least the 1980s.

A report in the Los Angeles Times newspaper explains that while some of the women were looking for work in the entertainment industry at the time of the alleged incidents, others were simply approached by Toback, reports variety.com.

Of the 38, as many as 31 women spoke about their experiences and detailed various incidents in which Toback allegedly made lewd suggestions, steered conversations into sexually explicit territory, and rubbed against them until he ejaculated into his trousers or on their bodies.

"The way he presented it, it was like, 'This is how things are done'," actress Adrienne LaValley said of a 2008 hotel-room encounter that ended with Toback trying to rub his crotch against her leg.

When she recoiled, he stood up and ejaculated in his trousers.

"I felt like a prostitute, an utter disappointment to myself, my parents, my friends," LaValley said.

Although Toback is not a widely recognized name outside of the film community, his credits include The Gambler (1974), The Pick-Up Artist (1987) and the documentary Tyson (2008). He has made films with prominent actors like James Caan and Robert Downey, Jr.

Other women named in the Times report include Starr Rinaldi, Louise Post, Karen Sklaire, Anna Scott, Echo Danon, and Chantal Cousineau. All of them recounted incidents in which they experienced some form of harassment from Toback.