Polanski’s Perverted Punishment

Here’s a little test for Harvey Weinstein, Whoopi Goldberg, Woody Allen, Penelope Cruz and all Roman Polanski supporters: Close your eyes and imagine standing in the room watching forty-four year old Polanski drug and liquor-up a 13 year old girl and proceed to have oral, vaginal and anal intercourse with her. Now, imagine during all this “consensual” sex, she repeatedly begs him to stop. Finally, imagine it’s your own daughter if you can’t cull any empathy for someone you don’t know or love. What? Too graphic? Wait, you’re filmmakers, artists, and actors who produce and star in graphic films, right? You’re immune to seedy and unseemly images depicting defenseless little girls being sodomized by older men. Oh, is that the problem? Reel life has desensitized you to real life? Well, here are a few tips to help you understand the difference between the two. An integreful, ethical adult man does not ply little girls with drugs and alcohol. You see, consensual, adult sex does not require incapacitation of one of the parties. That’s where the term “consensual” comes in. Additionally, a decent, honorable man does not take advantage of a little girl who is clearly being pimped by her mother. Healthy mothers value and safeguard with ferocity a daughter’s innocence and sexual boundaries. Only a criminal would take advantage of such a situation.Now that so many celebrities are speaking out in Polanski’s defense, I can’t help but wonder about others, like Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise. When I picture the face of one of their beautiful, precious, innocent daughters I want to believe they would spend the rest of their born days hunting down the forty something year old man who raped their little girl. It is understandable to me that Polanski’s accuser, now a grown woman, does not wish to revisit this story. Personal experience tells me the passage of many years, therapy and a wholly new life renders the past little more than ancient history. She has stated she feels as if she’s moved on. She probably has, mostly. Who really wants to dig up and revisit painful memories and expose themselves to more criticism, accusations and abuse anyway? Despite her reservations and insistence he’s been punished enough, I would encourage her to anyway. If this woman can stand up now to do for herself what her mother should have done for her, I believe she will recover a missing piece of her humanity and discover enduring empowerment. As a vulnerable child she was powerless to change the course of events. But, she is no longer defenseless or powerless. Speaking out against Polanski and asking for justice, however, is a personal choice not easily made.Polanski’s guilty plea is not in and of itself sufficient. Further, living in exile is not punishment. Admitting the crime, then fleeing and living a life of luxurious freedom with accolades and awards couldn’t possibly provide the same level of healing as seeing the abuser legally punished. It is her right to define her own recovery now, but I have to wonder if a deeper level of healing was possible then, or is still possible, knowing Polanski will not ultimately “get away” with it. Being proactive to be certain he doesn’t, could be deeply cathartic and restorative. However, she gets to choose her own path.Meanwhile, Polanski’s perverted punishment is finally in the hands of authorities who witness first-hand the devastation, aftermath and long-term consequences of child rape. I suspect Polanski’s accuser will experience some level of relief, consciously or unconsciously, knowing there were people who persevered for decades on behalf of her and all little girls who never deserved to be raped.