The new "People" magazine asks a pathetic simple question about young Yeardley Love, "Could She Have Been Saved?" Could a young woman have been saved from a pathetic monster who beat her head in and left her to die a pile of blood?
The answer is of course absolutely yes. She could have been, should have been and was let down by people she told, by her school and more importantly she was let down by a society that increasingly to me seems to not only condone violent sexual behavior.
Increasingly, I see especially in the celebrity part of our world the cruel acceptance of violence towards women, an acceptance that trickles down to young women in a dorm in Virginia who become acceptance of threats against their friend. An acceptance that causes pause at critical moments when people should be standing up and defending themselves and others.
Violence against women, especially sexual violence, is unacceptable in a modern society.
Supporting, endorsing and advocating for celebrities who are guilty of acts of extreme sexual violence is disgusting.
Axl Rose beat his first wife regularly. And has made millions of dollars selling records to women since.
Erin Everly says that throughout her four years with Rose, she suffered regular beatings that left her bruised, bloodied and sometimes unconscious. "You never knew what would set him off," she says.
Jackson Browne beat Daryl Hannah and is still shockingly well-regarded.
It was the tempestuous ending to her romance with Browne that seems to have catapulted Hannah into Kennedy's arms. Last September a domestic quarrel at Browne and Hannah's $2.5 million Santa Monica home erupted in violence. According to close friends of Hannah, she ended up with a black eye, a broken finger and numerous bruises,
We've seen movie stars who have hit their wives so hard, they have broken bones honored by Governors. It's disgusting.
And now, we have Roman Polanski. With people actually wearing t-shirts supporting him in Cannes this year.
I wonder if they know what he actually did - when he was 44 years old to a seventh grade girl - what he plead GUILTY to I might add.
Here are the lowlights. From here.
On 11 March 1977, Polanski was arrested for the sexual assault of a thirteen-year-old, Samantha Geimer, that occurred the day before at the Hollywood home of actor Jack Nicholson. The girl testified that Polanski gave her both champagne and Quaalude, a sedative drug, and despite repeated protests and being asked to stop, he performed oral sex, intercourse and sodomy upon her.
He raped her vaginally and anally. He was 44 years old. She was someone's 13 year old daughter.
A grand jury charged him with rape by use of drugs, perversion, sodomy, lewd and lascivious act upon a child under fourteen, and furnishing a controlled substance to a minor.[59] At his arraignment Polanski pleaded not guilty to all charges.
In an effort to preserve her anonymity, Geimer's attorney arranged a plea bargain which Polanski accepted, and, under the terms, five of the initial charges were to be dismissed.
He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of engaging in unlawful intercourse with a minor, a charge which is synonymous under Californian law with statutory rape.
The victim later sued Polanski and received a settlement in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
I wonder how we would feel if the t-shirt held high in France was "I Heart Rapists" would there be an outcry then? Sadly maybe not.
Now, let's turn to the Charlotte Lewis part of the case. I don't think a woman stands up and says she was sexually assaulted because she is happy about it. It took great courage to do what she did. And let's not forget, Polanski had a "consensual relationship" with a 15 year old girl the year prior to this rape when he was 43 years old.
And famous people left and right are standing up and defending him.
Defending his right to rape and live free.
Defending his right to sodomize and not do the time.
Could Yeardley Love have been saved? Yes. But not till we, as a society, say no more. Not until we hold everyone, celebrities and non-celebrities alike accountable for their actions and for their despicable acts.
Not celebrate them.
I am happy to work with the people at Give Respect and would encourage everyone to pledge respect for others here.