I've counselled many people who were victims of sexual abuse, and it destroys lives and families. Some of the tales I've heard beggar belief, and I've wept over at least one. It is appalling, and I would be the first to condemn it. But these protestors in their posh black frocks diminish the severity of real sex crimes by putting themselves in the same category. Some of them may have suffered genuine abuse, so this doesn't apply to them, but for the most part, these experiences sound relatively trivial.
Come on, girls! Whatever happens to real, stand-up-for-yourself feminism? A slap or a kick where it hurts should sort the monster out. And as for you guys, I feel sorry for you, as from now on you really are going to have to watch yourselves in case you find that you're accused of something you are completely unaware of.
I didn't even manage one Valentines card let alone a hand on my knee.
ReplyDeleteI have sussed what I'm doing wrong...I guess Eau de Pig and Diesel don't encourage folk to tamper with me.
Adrian, if I were nearer I'd love to put my hand on your knee.
DeleteThank you Frances! I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment of these women and further I do believe they let themselves be in compromising situations if not actually initiating them.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jill!
DeleteLet me be the next one to agree wholeheartedly with your assessment of some of these women.
ReplyDeleteI have always believed that there is a great deal of hysterics involved when it comes to anything related to (presumed) sexual offenses.
I'm glad you agree, Meike.
DeleteI do not agree. Not that I really know who you are referring to (posh black frocks), and I suppose discussions may well have developed a bit differently from one country to another. But I have to say I do think the campaign as a whole has brought to the light some behavior patterns that have been tolerated or ignored for far too long. (Including assumptions that like when someone says no they really mean yes, etc.) And the way forward really can't be to just sweep it all back under the carpet again... Ah well. Now I'm going to devote the rest of the evening to watching a film that I was actually coincidentally going to watch tonight anyway ... The Suffragette... ;)
ReplyDeleteDT, the frocks were worn at celebrity award ceremonies. And perhaps I need to clarify. I agree that many of these recent cases are awful, but I'm just saying it's gone too far now, with women complaining about relatively trivial things. And people are losing their entire careers without a fair trial. There's a fine line between a saucy gesture and genuine abuse, but the line is there. I hope you enjoyed your film!
DeleteAnd the latest Me Too to jump on the bandwagon is Monica Lewinsky of US President Clinton fame ... you can't convince me that she wasn't a more-than-willing participant in that "abuse!"
ReplyDeleteGoodness - I didn't know that, Jill!
DeleteI don't think there is anything wrong with standing up for abuse at all, maybe I think I can see where you are coming from in terms of sexual harrassment being pinned as a male issue so very publicly... But I would rather like to see equal reporting - say- those of sociopathic women who might block the innocent father from seeing their children under false pretenses (e.g. provoking them into violence) - also brought into the light.
ReplyDeletePs I read your book 'Dead Ernest' and really enjoyed it, thank you.
Good points. Thank you for making them. And I'm so glad you enjoyed D Ernest!
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