Brie Larson on unwanted sexual advances: Women 'live life on the defense'

— -- Within hours of a New York Times report on a history of sexual harassment allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, women in Hollywood and beyond took to social media to share their experiences.

The Times reported that several women have over nearly three decades accused the head of Weinstein Co. of sexual harassment or unwanted physical contact, and it cited two anonymous company officials saying that the studio executive reached at least eight settlements with accusers.

Weinstein issued a statement saying he has "caused a lot of pain" and is taking a leave of absence from his company. "I so respect all women and regret what happened. I hope that my actions will speak louder than words," he said.

One actress who spoke out on social media is Oscar winner Brie Larson, who has been a champion for victims of sexual assault ever since she starred in her 2015 film, "Room," which centers around a woman held captive and abused for years by her captor.

Larson didn't name Weinstein in any of her tweets, but did retweet some posts talking about him.

She also wrote about an experience of her own: "I merely smiled at a TSA agent and he asked for my phone number. To live life as a woman is to live life on the defense."

She added, "As always, I stand with the brave survivors of sexual assault and harassment. It's not your fault. I believe you."

One person on Twitter didn't appreciate her story of "defense" and said so, replying to her tweet.

"OH NO! A guy asked for your number. You poor thing. Women be complaining they don't find a good guy, but complain when dudes ask for their #," he wrote.

Larson fired back, "You do realize you're blaming me for a situation I did not ask to be in? A situation that made me uncomfortable? ... I hope you take the time to learn more about the experiences of women. It's real + scary sometimes and people like you can make it better"

She then continued to address her 630,000 followers, adding, "My recent tweets were an invitation to hear my experience as a woman. Are you up to learning something that may challenge your current view?" She also invited people to ask questions and begin a dialogue about harassment.

Some of the women whom Larson retweeted are editors and writers who also shared their stories with social media.

Though Weinstein acknowledged wrongdoing in his statement, his attorney Charles Harder told ABC News that the Times' report is "saturated with false and defamatory statements." Harder said he is preparing a lawsuit against the Times on Weinstein's behalf.

The Times defended the story, telling ABC News in a statement: "We are confident in the accuracy of our reporting."