Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Here's an Idea

Actresses are reporting that sexual harassment and assault happen quite often in Hollywood, with some prominent actors, directors, and other entertainment 'professionals' using their fame and power to pressure young actors and actresses into sex or just outright raping them.  Reports to police are rare, at least in part because victims fear for their livelihood, as are civil lawsuits for cases in which the incidents are actionable, but not criminal.  Some even report that they respect their attacker so much that they don't want to harm their reputation. For an example of this last phenomenon, look no further than the reaction to Norman Polanski raping a 13 year old girl, then fleeing the country for decades because we unwashed plebs thought it might be a good idea to lock his pedophile self up for a while. 

The Screen Actors Guild apparently allows victims to make an anonymous accusation against someone. If an investigation by SAG finds that the charges are legitimate, they will send a letter to the accused, suggesting counseling so that the predator will stop.  Since these kinds of things seem to have been happening since about 15 minutes after Edison figured out how to make a moving picture, I'm guessing that approach might not be the most effective.

Here's my idea:

CALL THE FRELLING POLICE!!!!!

If someone sexually assaults you, first, defend yourself using whatever means you have to make the attack stop.  Next,  bring in the authorities, either to scrape the attacker up off of the hardwood floor and put them into a series of ziplock baggies or to arrest them and put them somewhere they won't attack someone else later.

I'm not talking about someone who suggests that if an actress doesn't go for a roll in the hay she won't get a part. While that's disgusting and wrong, that's a matter for civil courts, and maybe in that instance SAG's approach might be a good idea, although I doubt it.  It's hard to shame someone who feels entitled.

I'm talking about rape or child molestation here.  The article I linked to suggests that there are serial rapists and pedophiles loose in the entertainment industry.  Shaming people like that though their trade group or employer won't do anything so long as they are an important part of those organizations.  Stop the attack, call the police, and shine light on these criminals so that the next young actor or actress to get off the buss from Pine Bluff doesn't end up a victim.

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