Safely Ever After Inc. Blog

Merriam-Webster Definition:  PREDATOR -one who preys, destroys, or devours

This week filmmaker, Roman Polanski has asked a Los Angeles judge to sentence him in absentia for the sex crimes he committed in 1977 against a 13 year old girl. On January 22, Judge Peter Espinoza, supervising judge of the L.A. County Superior Court criminal division, will hear arguments from both the defense attorneys and the deputy district attorney before making a decision.  

Keep in mind: there has been no denial on Polanski’s part of whether or not he had sex with a minor.  He admitted it.  He admitted to giving her champagne and a quaalude. He admitted to having intercourse with her, as well as engaging in oral sex and sodomy.  When she asked him to stop, he did not.

Yes, people, you read all of that correctly.

Under a plea deal in 1977, Polanski agreed to plead guilty to a statutory rape charge, while other charges were dropped.  But…oops!  He decided to flee the country on the eve of his sentencing, instead choosing to live in France all these years, continuing to make movies and enjoying a rather nice lifestyle.  So much for accountability.

So, now it looks like more legal mumbo-jumbo before we can wrap this up.  To be honest here, this guy ticks me off big time.  He’s under house-arrest at his luxury chalet in Gstaad, Switzerland right now (gee, that sounds rough).   And, there’s a good chance he could be “sentenced” in absentia – oh no, more time to serve in Gstaad!!

But, Polanski keeps fighting extradition, and basically thumbing his nose at the justice system, and so it goes.

I know this case happened long ago, and many people would like to sweep it under the rug and forget about it.

But, as a child advocate for sexually abused children, this just galls me.

Roman Polanski is a textbook case of how a predator operates… oozing charm, grooming his victim by lavishing her with attention, promising fame and fortune, plying her with drugs and alcohol, and most importantly downplaying the severity of what he did.   Polanski confessed that he had sex with a 13 year old, but admits that he really doesn’t see anything wrong with that.   He still can’t believe he’s been charged with a crime!

And that’s what’s really wrong here.

Like every other molester, they don’t think that what they do is wrong.   They deny the hurt and the emotional and physical damage it causes.

Sexual abuse changes a child for the rest of their lives, in many cases destroying that life.  It robs its victim of a healthy, safe and secure childhood.  And… Predators don’t care.

It’s time for us to care.

To stand up for all victims of childhood sexual abuse.

To say enough is enough.

Childhood sexual abuse is a heinous crime committed on our most vulnerable victims, and those who commit these despicable acts deserve more than a slap on the wrist and a wink.

Roman Polanski does not deserve a “get out of jail free” card.

His actions are cowardly and defiant.

For the past 30 years, he’s pretty much proven that he doesn’t feel the need to respect any court decision that he disagrees with, and it’s evident that he considers himself above the law.

And make no mistake about it…. He broke the law,

he committed a crime, a serious crime against a child.

In a previous blog, I posed the question:  What if he wasn’t Roman Polanski, famous film director?   What if he was simply a soccer coach or school teacher who gave a student drugs and alcohol, then molested her?

What if he was good old “Uncle Joe” who had sex with his “favorite” niece when she was 13?
Do we tolerate a double standard where “famous artists” are allowed to be rapists?

Polanski needs to return to the United States and face the music.

To add insult to injury, a number of Hollywood celebrities have rallied around in support of Polanski, believing that all charges should be dropped and that we should all leave poor Roman alone.

Thankfully, there are also a number of  intelligent Hollywood celebrities who have spoken out against his release and feel he should be extradited; including Jaime Lee Curtis, Chris Rock, Howard Stern, Luc Besson, Kirstie Alley, Lisa Kudrow, Kevin Smith, Jewel, Drew Carey and Melissa Gilbert.  To those celebrities, I say Thank You… for putting children everywhere first.

By the way, Woody Allen came out recently, demanding the charges against Polanski be dropped (yeah, there’s a surprise).