In the last 2 weeks, there have been two high profile, celebrity stories about rape – Roman Polanski’s arrest in Switzerland this past weekend for a crime he committed decades ago, and Mackenzie Phillip’s reveal on Oprah that her father, John Phillips from the Mama’s and Papas, raped her, and then she had an ongoing, incestual, consenting relationship with him.
While these two stories have certainly been unsettling and controversial, a third story has kept me up every night this week – anguish by a friend about a momentary glimpse into the molestation of a young boy by an older man – a young boy, perhaps 10 years old, whose face remains a mystery, but whose safety has consumed my thoughts. I find myself praying every night that the police will track down the molester, and help an innocent child find a path to healing.
While there is controversy that a 76-year old Roman Polanski has been arrested for a crime he committed decades ago, the fact remains that he drugged and raped a 13-year old girl. Let us not forget that Roman Polanski committed a crime, and then fled the country.
The victim appears to have forgiven him, reached a settlement years ago, and recently asked for the charges to be dropped. It seems she continues to focus on her own healing, only to be faced with the trauma over and over again by the media. The healing process for a victim of violence and molestation is undoubtedly a life long process. But, once again, this was a crime against a young girl who was drugged and molested by an older, powerful man.
Roman Polanski led a very tragic life leading up to the rape – lost his mother during World War II in a concentration camp, and his pregnant wife, Sharon Tate, was murdered by the Manson family – horrors that I cannot even imagine. But does that excuse the crime?
Continue Reading Roman Polanski vs. The Plight Of A Little Boy on Intent.com
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posted October 1, 2009 at 6:41 pm
It’s not about what Roman did it’s about humanity. What good will it do to bring him behind bars now hurting his family, ruining the rest of his productive life? Will it change anything in what happened then? Will it fix anything? Adding another tragedy to the one that happened and that was forgiven by the victim will do any good? Most stupid notion of justice is revenge. Sinister and stupid.
posted October 1, 2009 at 7:07 pm
It is all about what Roman did and humanity demands justice and standards be kept to maintain all civilization.
Stop being a destroyer and pretending that justice is injustice dankam.
If you wish to devote your life to giving comfort and strength to the families of criminals through a support group, then do so.
But do not call for and end to justice.
posted October 2, 2009 at 9:41 am
What good will it do, dankam? It will send a powerful message to others that one can’t commit a crime against another (especially one of such a heinous nature) and get away with it literally. Lady Justice wears blinders for a reason: she has no favorites, no lesser or greater. She only knows what is right–for each and all of us.
Thank god that this country (the U.S.) still has some high standards which it won’t compromise.
posted October 2, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Sending Polanski to jail will do nothing to stop the continued problem of child molestation. And, although I am not qualified to judge the state of the man’s mind and soul, I doubt it will do a thing to improve his life. If the only point of his arrest is to make him accountable for his crimes, then force him to do community service on this issue. Sexual abuse, including that of and between children, will continue until people become aware of its deep roots and repercussions. Sadly, our society is warped on the issue of sex in so many ways, and mass media is little to no help at this point. (Follow the link above where it says “Continue Reading Roman Polanski vs. The Plight Of A Little Boy on Intent.com” for other interesting viewpoints.)
posted October 5, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Dose God TRULY love the sinner, but hates the sin? Vengeance is Mine, saith the Lord. However, when the topic is child molestation, even Christ said – suffer the little children to come unto me; and he who does this to (little children) should have a millstone ’round his neck, and thrown into the pit. Mr. Polanski has escaped his retribution for far too long; it is my opinion that he SHOULD be returned and face the music. Albeit he’s a famous director; he lost his pregnant wife in a vile and horrific way; but he ALSO raped a 13 yr old girl, plying her with Qualudes and alcohol. What MONSTER shouldn’t pay for this crime? I also find John Phillips’ “raping” of his daughter Michelle, to be just as vile and horrendous. Just because Michelle says in the latter days of her molestation, that it was “consensual,” does NOT excuse her father’s making her lose her innocence in such a fashion. I, like Mr. Chopra, do believe that the man who molested the boy in his story, should come to JUSTICE and gotten OFF the street. Child molestation – even by certain priests who may have told their young altar boys that what they were committing was an “act FOR God, and don’t tell your parents” – IS an inexcusable and criminal act. For such children, this loss of innocence at such a young age, cannot be condoned. Lock up Roman Polanski and throw away the key…