While the names of more men who have allegedly fallen short of acceptable sexual behaviour have surfaced, some victims are also suing over claims that the men tried to discredit the women's reputations.

GARY GODDARD

Seven former child actors said they were also in the same boat as actor Anthony Edwards, who had earlier claimed he had been sexually abused by prominent Hollywood producer Goddard in the 1970s.

Among the seven were Mark Driscoll, who is now a television producer and writer, and Linus Huffman, who acted in a Goddard adaptation of Oliver when he was 13.

The seven told the Los Angeles Times that they had been moved to come forward by the account from Edwards - famous for his work on hospital drama ER and Top Gun (1986).

Edwards claimed that Goddard, as his mentor and representative starting when he was 12, had sexually abused him for years.

The seven men said the actions of Goddard, now 63, ranged "from straying hands on thighs or fondling in a darkened Disneyland ride, to repeated incidents of sexual abuse during overnight stays in a statewide tour" in California.

CHUCK CLOSE

The acclaimed artist (above), whose massive portraits reside in the world's top museums, is facing allegations from several women that he sexually harassed them when they came to his studio to pose for him.

Two women recently told The New York Times that he had asked them to model naked, requests that made them feel exploited and uncomfortable.

On Wednesday, Close, 77, acknowledged that he had spoken to women candidly and even crudely about their body. "I've never had a complaint in 50 years, not one. If I embarrassed anyone or made them feel uncomfortable, I am truly sorry, I didn't mean to," he said.

GLEN THRUSH

The New York Times on Wednesday said the reporter - accused by four women last month of sexual misdeeds - will return to work soon, but will no longer be part of its team covering the White House.

"While we believe that Glenn has acted offensively, we have decided that he does not deserve to be fired," Mr Dean Baquet, the paper's executive editor, said.

Last month, news website Vox reported that its editorial director Laura McGann had been subjected to inappropriate behaviour by Thrush, 50, years earlier when they both worked at another news outfit.

Last month, he revealed that he had "responded to a succession of personal and health crises by drinking heavily" and had "resumed counselling".

BILL O'REILLY

Two more women are hitting out at Fox News and its former television show host O'Reilly (above), alleging that he violated their confidentiality agreements and disparaged their motives.

Ms Andrea Mackris and Ms Rebecca Gomez Diamond have joined a defamation suit filed on Dec 4 by Ms Rachel Witlieb Bernstein, a former Fox News producer, reported Variety.

O'Reilly, 68, who denied that anyone had complained to Fox's human resources department, said the allegations were politically and financially motivated.

The lawsuit takes issue with his contention that "no one was mistreated on my watch", saying the statement defames the three former Fox employees.