5 replies to this topic

[Muffin]

A pretty old but ongoing subject but i don't think there's been a topic to discuss it (sorry if there has, i did do a quick search but found nothing)

 

I've decided to create this topic now as i think my childhood has been totally destroyed. I'm referring to Rolf Harris' convictions. He was my childhood hero, heck i wanted to be him. I would watch several episodes of animal hospital religiously every day.

 

I'm still finding it very hard to believe.

 

What are your guys thoughts/opinions on 'operation yewtree' and the onslaught of celebrities being accused.

 

I find it highly unlikely that all these celebrities are involved and my main question is why are all the victims coming out of the woodwork now.

I believe many of them are just out for attention and i think it's awful, destroying somebody's life/reputation for some publicity.

[Irradium]

A pretty old but ongoing subject but i don't think there's been a topic to discuss it (sorry if there has, i did do a quick search but found nothing)

 

I've decided to create this topic now as i think my childhood has been totally destroyed. I'm referring to Rolf Harris' convictions. He was my childhood hero, heck i wanted to be him. I would watch several episodes of animal hospital religiously every day.

 

I'm still finding it very hard to believe.

 

What are your guys thoughts/opinions on 'operation yewtree' and the onslaught of celebrities being accused.

 

I find it highly unlikely that all these celebrities are involved and my main question is why are all the victims coming out of the woodwork now.

I believe many of them are just out for attention and i think it's awful, destroying somebody's life/reputation for some publicity.

 

I'm finding it hard to believe too, and I don't really want to believe it.

 

I also shared the same suspicions as you did, until I talked to a family friend about the original Jimmy Savile case, who reasoned that it would've been hard for the victims to come out in public whilst they (Rolf Harris, etc) were still quite famous.

 

At the time, the case would've been a well-loved celebrity who spends their time with many children and is also loved by many of them, against the word of a single child, who would've likely been described as "confused". 

 

The perpetrator would've likely won in court, if it even went that far.

 

Now though, things are different, and more people are starting to feel more able to come out and complain (that's a terrible word choice, I know, I'm sorry) against the offenders. Whilst I do think that some of them are likely embellishing the situation they were in for attention (if they were even left alone together at all), there is a very good reason for the rest of them not coming forward earlier.

Edited by Irradium, 04 July 2014 - 03:10 PM.

[Ali]

For ze Americans/elsewheres who may not be in the loop with British media, a load of historic sexual abuse claims have been brought against ye olde celebs.

[Muffin]

I'm finding it hard to believe too, and I don't really want to believe it.

 

I also shared the same suspicions as you did, until I talked to a family friend about the original Jimmy Savile case, who reasoned that it would've been hard for the victims to come out in public whilst they (Rolf Harris, etc) were still quite famous.

 

At the time, the case would've been a well-loved celebrity who spends their time with many children and is also loved by many of them, against the word of a single child, who would've likely been described as "confused". 

 

The perpetrator would've likely won in court, if it even went that far.

 

Now though, things are different, and more people are starting to feel more able to come out and complain (that's a terrible word choice, I know, I'm sorry) against the offenders. Whilst I do think that some of them are likely embellishing the situation they were in for attention (if they were even left alone together at all), there is a very good reason for the rest of them not coming forward earlier.

 Don't get me wrong, don't believe that they are all making it up but a good handful are saying that what happened to  them (understandably) was the most horrific thing that has ever happened to them and that they were ashamed/scared of telling anybody at the time, so wouldn't you think that even after coming forward now they would want to keep out of the media? I'm referring to a few people who are currently selling their stories to mags and in the process of publishing books.

[Kat]

I don't know much about this case other than what @Dan explained to me.

 

However, using logic I can infer that maybe the victims didn't come forward immediately because of people like you?

"They couldn't have possibly done it for such and such reasons, you're making it up for attention!" 

 

or you know, other social stigmas around being abused and not wanting to re-live it over and over.

[Waser Lave]

I've never understood why it's taken 40-50 years in a lot of cases for people to start coming forward about this, whether that's a result of people thinking they wouldn't be believed or a culture in the police to sweep these things under the carpet I have no idea. There are some aspects of it which are resembling a witch hunt (like what's happened to Freddie Starr and the clear health implications it's had on him despite him ultimately not even being charged with anything) and some things are just the result of taking place in an entirely different time culturally but in the whole it can only be a good thing that the most serious offenders are starting to be brought to justice at long last.