To support or not to support?

How do people react to pedophiles?

It’s been interesting watching people react to all the celebrity pedophiles in court lately. An article came out yesterday that showed a stark difference between two cases.

Max Clifford, the celebrity publicist who was found guilty of eight counts of abuse has been dropped like a hot potato by his clients. Even before he was found guilty, people distanced themselves from him. When the verdict came down, plenty more dumped him. The Guardian reports:

The X Factor boss Simon Cowell and Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis have severed ties with Max Clifford over the celebrity publicist’s convictions for sexually assaulting teenage girls.

During the trial, Clifford told journalists the trial had cost his PR agency about £1m in lost business. He conceded this month that a conviction would mean “at least a couple of clients will no longer be clients because [they are assisted] by me hands-on” – one of these is Cowell.

The company, which he founded at the beginning of the 1970s and has an all-female staff of eight, moved from its Mayfair headquarters to a more modest office in Weybridge, Surrey, last month in a sign that Clifford was dealing with the financial burden of an expensive criminal trial.

Now in contrast to that is the case against Robert Hughes.

Some of the world’s biggest stars are standing by Australian power agent Robyn Gardiner in the aftermath of the conviction of her husband, Robert Hughes, for child sex abuse. With Hughes awaiting sentencing on 10 counts of sexual and indecent assault of young girls, Sydney Confidential understands that Gardiner’s Sydney-based agency RGM, founded as Robyn Gardiner Management in 1982, has not lost a single client.

Granted, his wife Robyn isn’t the one being charged, but it’s been shown she knew about the abuse. She then went on the stand and lied robyn-robert about another woman, the mother of one of the victims, claiming she had tried to have a lesbian relationship with her. She got evidence mixed up, as it came out, because she had been reading all the evidence the lawyer had, including witness statements and also the newspaper everyday, which she’s not supposed to do, as a witness. She assisted in trying to get a pedophile found innocent. People seem to forget that all their commissions paid to her helped to pay his defense lawyers…. So by keeping her as your agent, you assisted in his defense, and when he appeals, your commission check will also help to pay for that.

Much respect to those stars in England who have chosen to step up and do the right thing. My hats off to you. To those in Australia who choose to stay where you’re at, please understand when I don’t watch anything you’re in. I won’t contribute to his defense fund.

April 22, 2014April 22, 2014

The Bryan Singer scandal

Hollywood sex rings

0417-bryan-singer-face-blur-priest-instagram-6 — Bryan Singer dressed as a priest. That’s not creepy at all…

I want to do more research on the Bryan Singer scandal, but I can’t read any of the sites that have comments. Same BS I got 4 years ago, with everyone saying the victim is only in it for fame or money. When will people learn that there’s absolutely nothing to gain financially or career wise by coming out as a victim of abuse? On what planet do people think that admitting you were molested could be “good for your brand”? It also doesn’t help anybody else who is thinking of disclosing, because they see all the hatred towards the victim, and they don’t want to have them directed at them.

I was finally moving on with life, and having fun with a hobby of filming my scuba diving. So when I was asked to talk about what happened on Hey Dad..! everyone jumped up and down saying I was making shit up to try to sell my scuba series. Nobody has been able to explain to me yet how coming out as a victim of abuse in Australia could possibly help me sell a scuba series to a network in America. Not one person.

Time and again, we see a person who publicly discloses get called a media whore or money grubber. Like Simone, Ben and I, they are all blacklisted. Look at the people in the US who have disclosed. They are all publicly discarded. Corey Feldman was hugely popular when I was a kid. He’s still trying his best to work, but now that he’s threatened to out some of the major pedo’s in Hollywood, he’s not exactly landing a bunch of roles is he? There’s are dozens of kids in Hollywood who have mentioned the problem, and they are all quietly pushed aside. If we’ve learned anything from my case, it’s that the studio doesn’t give a shit about kids, as long as they’re making money.

I wish people would realize that when someone has the courage to try to make a change, they find the balls to stand up and say No More, that they were taken seriously. Instead of having thousands of internet hero’s claim that said person is just trying to make a name for themselves, they would maybe step back, and see that where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

There are LOTS of pedophiles in Hollywood. I hope that the kids there start to stand up and shout. I hope that the Hollywood entertainment reporters, as well as the serious reporters cover the issues. I am so grateful I was given the chance to tell my story. I hope that the kids in Hollywood are also given a chance to tell theirs. I hope that some of those high ranking scumbags are taken down. I hope they make studio sets a safer place for kids worldwide.

November 5, 2013November 5, 2013

The name and shame debate

Should all pedophiles be named and shamed?

When I first went public, as in to the media, and not just people around me, I talked about the abuse, and I even said who it was, but the media chose not to name the perpetrator. This caused much controversy, and a lot of heated debate.

Many people believed I should name and shame or shut the fuck up. I was told that by not coming out with a name, I was damaging an entire show, that everyone who ever worked at seven was under suspicion. That I was irresponsible and damaging people’s lives and careers.

Corey Feldman is talking about his abuse. He wrote a book detailing his abuse, and what it was like growing up in Hollywood. He too is copping flack about not naming names. He originally put the names in his book, but the publisher decided to remove them, and his lawyers have advised he NOT publicly name them.

There are two reasons you don’t just run around naming alleged pedophiles.

Number one is the litigious aspect. If you can’t prove it, if you can’t afford better lawyers than them, if you don’t have people backing you up, you’re going to be sued and possibly charged with defamation. Not naming initially gives you a chance to have other people come forward, to corroborate your statement. When I went public, look at how many people came forward, not only as witnesses for me, but other victims. I knew there were others, but I didn’t know who they were. (I still don’t know who they are.) I wouldn’t have known where to direct police. I couldn’t have remembered every potential victim or witness. But by going public, I allowed others to say, Me Too! There’s also the very real threat of retaliation. If you go super public, and then you wind up dead in a ditch somewhere, people are going to know you probably didn’t have an accident…

There’s lots of former child stars who suddenly end up dead outside a nightclub from an overdose when they start mumbling about abuse. I named my perpetrator when it was legally safe to do so. Unfortunately for Corey, and other actors in the US, there’s a statute of limitations. He actually did talk to police back before it ran out. Their police chose to ignore it. – Sounds familiar…

The second reason, and this was actually the one that mattered to me:

When you talk about what happened to you in the industry, in general, without naming names, people do raise their heads and look around. People do start to look at everyone with suspicion. Parents start to wonder who is working with their children. This is NOT a bad thing. People who push their kids into the industry should be looking at everyone who works with their kids, and keeping their guard up. Parents should assume that the industry is NOT a safe place for kids.

Before I went public, everyone was worried about potential offenders. Once he was named, everyone just went back to their business, thinking OK, we know who that one person is. We’ll keep our kids away from him, and they’ll be safe.

No, they won’t. There’s way more than one pedophile in the business. By naming ONE person, all these parents have let their guard down, and are exposing their kids to potential harm. By not naming the offenders, Corey is letting people know that there are some seriously high ranking people in Hollywood who are dangerous predators, who are after your kids. Parents need to keep being vigilant, and not focus on just one person.

October 30, 2013November 1, 2013

Anaconda

Anaconda, the play.

Sarah Doyle, a fellow Aussie expat here in the US, who also went to Meriden, is currently in Australia, presenting her award winning play, Anaconda.

The script is based on events that happened at a school in our circle, and its pretty powerful stuff.

It deals with abuse, and the aftermath of that abuse.

If you’re in Sydney, please go along and support Sarah. I so wish I was there to see the Aussie version.

Break a leg Sarah. I know it’s going to be awesome!

July 1, 2013

What is wrong with courts in Australia?

When rapists are let off, and journalists are jailed…

There was an awful story in the paper today about a girl who was raped for years by her father, she made it to court, and the piece of shit was let off by the judge on a good behavior bond. This man raped his own child for five years. He even raped her in the bed with the mother there. Yet somehow, the judge feels that he didn’t deserve jail time.

Even worse, this isn’t an isolated case. Time after time, Judges are not even giving the minimum sentence to rapists and child molesters. They are continually giving them a simple slap on the wrist, and then, once they’ve been to court, they are protected by the courts. The names and crimes are suppressed. The community doesn’t know who these sexual deviants are. They are allowed back into the community, where they are free to continue their predatory ways.

Meanwhile, people like Derryn Hinch, who dare to try to protect the community, by naming and shaming some of these people, gets sent to jail. He was arrested again last week, because he named a man who was on parole, and should have been back in jail. Instead, the man was out, and he raped and murdered another woman.

Can somebody please explain to me why somebody who rapes a child is allowed to go free, while someone who names a rapist is sent to prison? Where is the logic? Why do we keep protecting these people? Why are we so concerned about the rights of these people, who clearly aren’t concerned about the rights of their victims?

Something needs to be done. We can’t continue to allow sexual predators a free pass, while punishing those who try to make the world a safer place.

Side note: I wonder how a lawyer can feel so concerned for the rights of the victim in the above case, when the following day he’s representing somebody charged with rape? How can you honestly represent both sides of the debate? Can you really give your all to a victim of a rapist, and the next day argue that another rapist is innocent?

May 9, 2013May 9, 2013

Lower the age of consent?

When law people go crazy, or just get lazy.

A twitter friend today sent me an article from the paper, and as I read it, my jaw literally dropped, and I may have even let out an audible gasp. Go read the article, then come back here for my rant…

In the aftermath of the Jimmy Savile scandal, and with Operation Yewtree in full swing, Britain is finally standing up and going after a whole bunch of people who were previously untouchable. Which is awesome. Just because you’re famous doesn’t mean that you should be above the law.

However, one woman, British Barrister Barbara Hewson, thinks that it’s just a witch hunt, and the better thing to do would be to simply lower the age of consent to 13 and we should get rid of the anonymity for victims. There should also be a statute of limitations, and most of these pedobears should only be charged with a misdemeanor.

So I’m wondering if she is just lazy, or has no clue of the impact of sexual assault on it’s victims. I’m hoping she’s just lazy, and thinks that all these “old cases” are just taking up her valuable time, which she could be doing something more important to her.

A lot of people simply don’t understand the impact of sexual assault on victims. Some people are able to heal from the trauma. Others are just really good at hiding how hurt they are. Some people openly have problems, but most people don’t know why a person is that way.

Assault actually has physical changes on the brain. It can change the way people deal with life. It can affect all their future interactions with society.I wish more people would look into the physical and emotional effects of assault before they start spouting off bullshit like this barrister did.

Does she truly believe that serial offenders like Jimmy Savile should have been allowed to get away with it “because they’re old”? Just because someone has gotten away with a crime for 20 or 30 or even 50 years, doesn’t mean they should be pardoned. The victims have had to live with the effects of that abuse their whole life, while the pedo was out and about, enjoying life. I don’t care if a child rapist is 90 years old. If he committed a crime, he shouldn’t get to go to the grave a free man. He should face his crimes the same as if he’d been brought to prosecution a day after the event.

I’m also tired of people pardoning pedophiles simply because they’re in the entertainment industry. People like Roman Polanski are still happily working, and all these people keep jumping to his defense, because even though he drugged, raped and sodomized a 13 year old girl, he’s an artiste, so it’s ok. Even though he was charged, then fled the country to avoid jail time, and has managed to avoid extradition a number of times, people still want to work with him. I just don’t get it. You couldn’t get me in the same room as that man. I won’t watch any of his films. I certainly wouldn’t work with him. I remember an interview with Kate Winslet saying that when Roman Polaski asks you to be in his film, you don’t say no. I so wish I had been there so I could say, Why, because he wouldn’t listen if you said no anyway?

Old men of the entertainment industry, you have been put on notice. You are no longer safe. All of us are getting strong and taking back our souls. If you did bad things to kids, you’re probably going to get a knock on the door.

Right now, it’s Britain leading the way, and Australia is doing pretty damn good too. There’s a lot of former child stars, and current working ones in the US who are watching these cases very closely. It won’t be long before there’s a lot of arrests in Hollywood. Unfortunately, for the older people, there is a statute of limitations in the US. However, for the younger kids who are currently living it, they’ll know that the older actors and execs are no longer untouchable. They’ll find their voices, and they’ll start to speak out.

March 22, 2013March 22, 2013

Jerry Sandusky on NBC

What the Hell are NBC thinking giving a Pedophile airtime?

Jerry Sandusky, the Penn State coach who is currently serving a 30 – 60 year prison sentence for RAPING young boys, is getting an exclusive “In His Own Words” on NBC on Monday morning.

Who the hell thought it would be a good idea to give Jerry airtime? Why are we letting a convicted child molester go on air, to give “his side” of the story? Has NBC given any consideration to his victims, or the millions of other survivors of abuse and wondered what the impact of seeing this monster on air could do to them? I’m guessing he’s not going to go on air and admit he’s a dirty pedo and he’s deeply sorry for all the pain and suffering he’s caused.

People like him think they’ve done nothing wrong. All this interview is going to do is trigger a lot of people. It’s going to cause great distress. In the midst of the other rape cases going on now, especially the Steubenville case, where people are blaming the victim, this interview is just going to show people once again that as long as you’re some kind of sports hero, or famous person, or have the upper hand socially over your victims, you’ll still be loved and lauded, and the victims will remain in the shadows, taunted, scared and re victimized.

Why don’t some of the networks do some interviews showing the impacts of abuse. Show some documentaries of the effects of trauma. How it deeply impacts people for the rest of their lives. How it can effect all their life choices. Instead of giving a voice to this deeply perverted man who took the innocence of so many young men, why not help the cause. Help bring forth change. Stop contributing to the rape culture.

I’m ashamed of you NBC. I won’t be watching. I hope my friends will also tell NBC they won’t be watching.

March 21, 2013

People have no idea of the impact of abuse

People like John Laws set the whole movement back

I take back my comments about the print media making a big deal of the John Laws interview. After watching his interview on Today Tonight I’m just amazed at his arrogance. He doesn’t seem to think he was insensitive at all, and the only reason he apologizes is if he offended anyone, but doesn’t see why he would have. So, not a real apology. He just doesn’t get that saying “My God they were having a good time with you” was inappropriate, and he thinks the interviewer is asking a stupid question for asking him how he could say it. When asked about how he could ask if it was a child’s fault, he answers, “if she allowed it to happen”….. Seriously Lawsie? You think a six year old could “allow” it to happen?

I think my most amazed moment came in the original interview when the girl says that it finally stopped and Laws states that the dad must have gotten physically tired of her. Like he understood that a grown girl was no longer attractive to an abuser. That made my skin crawl.

I’m so glad Liz Mullinar and Derryn Hinch went on air to blast John Laws. While I was at Liz’s retreat, Heal For Life, they showed how abuse has actual physical effects on the brain. How it really can create a change in life patterns. How simply ignoring it doesn’t make it go away. Laws suggested to the woman she simply focus on work and husband, and don’t think about it. Sorry Laws, but that just doesn’t work. So many people are told to just move on, get over it. Do something else. You can’t move on till you’re allowed to grieve. You have to face it. Be allowed to talk about your feelings. Survivors of abuse don’t need dinosaurs like Laws dismissing their trauma. That doesn’t help a person to move on at all.

I hope the Royal Commission will bring about a change in Australia and let people know the true effect of childhood abuse on people. Maybe then people will be able to address the issue, get the help they need, without being dismissed, without feeling like they need stay quiet and hide in the shadows, or try to self medicate with dangerous substances.

In the meantime, I hope people let Laws know how big a dickhead he is by switching him off.

March 20, 2013March 20, 2013

The John Laws audio

Print media creating a storm over radio again

Here’s the audio from the John Laws interview http://m.soundcloud.com/sydneylive2gb/laws-raw

I should have listened to it before my last rant, but I saw the papers, and their selected quotes. It triggered a massive response from me. I acted before I thought.

I have listened to the first 5 minutes. I’ve only got my iPhone with me, and I couldn’t listen to the whole thing. However, while his questions could seem insensitive, especially when seen on paper, his question about “are you unattractive?” was in response to her saying her family told her to take her ugly pills. All his questions were actually designed to garner a self positive response from the woman, so she could answer, “No, it wasn’t my fault.” He was trying to let her take control of her past.

I think he could be interpreted as insensitive, at at times he kind of was, but sometimes it’s easier to answer when people ask straight questions.

I don’t get the print medias obsession with constantly trying to make radio personalities look like total douchbags. Don’t cherry pick quotes to make people appear evil. Put the whole transcript in there.

I’m glad this woman was able to escape her family and find a good husband. I’m happy she is able to talk about it. I hope she is able to heal. I hope she finds a place like Heal For Life who can show her than she can heal and move on.

Edit after listening to the whole thing: Lawsie could use some sensitivity training. The condesending tone at the end with the “Poor little thing, it must be hard to get over, I just don’t know” was off putting. The telling her to simply focus on other things wasn’t good either. However, the man is a radio host, not a psychotherapist, or even a counsellor. You can’t expect him to know how to handle every situation.

At least people are talking about it openly. That’s certainly a move in the right direction.

January 17, 2013January 17, 2013

Illegal Immigrant Sex Offender protected by Democratic Senator

Elections are more important than laws….

According to police records, Sanchez was 15 when he was arrested on a charge of aggravated sexual assault in 2009. The records show he was accused of sexually assaulting an 8-year-old boy at least eight times and sentenced to two years’ probation and required to register as a sex offender.

He was working as an intern in the office of New Jersey Democrat Senator Robert Menendez. When he failed to update his sex offender registration, local prosecutors considered arresting him. At that time, immigration officials learned that Sanchez had applied for the Obama administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which would have allowed him to stay in the country and legally work for two years. He did not disclose his arrest or status as a sex offender on the application and was eventually denied, according to the documents. – Which means he applied for the Dream Act that we keep hearing about.

So what’s interesting, is that Sen. Menendez is known to be very pro-immigration. He claimed they didn’t do a background check on Sanchez, since he was a volunteer. – I’m going to call Bullshit on this one. No matter where you volunteer these days, they do background checks on you. I can’t imagine anyone who is allowed near sensitive documents, is not going to have been put through a background check.

Then, when ICE moved in to arrest him, they were asked to delay it till after the election. – Which the Senator won.

So, there’s a few issues here. The Dream Act. Anyone who works on the border can physically see this one is a bad idea. When they announced it, we saw a flood of people running the border. At least they managed to catch the fact that he wasn’t a desirable.

Politicians. Time and time again we see them putting their own agendas ahead of anything else. Hey, this guys a sex offender and an illegal? No worries. Let’s just hold off till after my election, eh?

The fact that ICE did hold off on arresting him instead of doing their job. They categorically denied this was the case. Yeah, right. I’m sorry, but I have trouble believing anyone who uses the term “categorically deny”.

So we’ve got all the shit going down in England with Savile, who apparently was sheltered from very high up, we’ve got Senators in the US hiding their sex offenders. For years people in Australia have been protected. When will people start to see that sometimes you just have to say fuck it, to hell with my job, I’m going to stand up and do whats right?