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| Image courtesy of Dailymail.co.uk |
For those who don't know the story: a recently deceased top celebrity, Sir Jimmy Savile, has been accused of a number of vile crimes against children, for a period spanning decades.
I suspect, and I’m sure I’m not
alone in this suspicion, that Child Abuse in parts of the entertainment is, and
always has been, rife.
In the 80’s and 90’s Children’s Homes,
Boarding Schools and Church institutions have all been ripped apart by scandal after
scandal.
In the Education world we have
learnt these lessons: - not to provide easy access and opportunity to those who
would do children harm, not to leave both child and adult in vulnerable
situations, where abusers can abuse or false allegations can be construed; we
have learnt the hard way. The world of Education is now so risk averse that
many would say we've gone too far, no longer being able to physically comfort an
upset child for fear of how it appears; no longer organising trips where we
know children will benefit but are told by the teaching unions that they will
not support us should anything go wrong. We've come out from a painful process of
self-examination…but at least we've been there.
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| Image courtesy of IMDb |
For many years we have heard
stories of child stars that end up so psychologically damaged by their experiences
that they have life-long therapy, battling demons like drug dependency, mental
health issues and relationship problems. Many lose this battle early on and die
before their time.
Those of my generation will
remember teen idols like River Phoenix, who starred in many classics including ‘Stand
by me’, he died of a massive drugs overdose aged 23; also, Cory Haim, famous
for his role in films like ‘The Lost Boys’ (how apt!), or Gary Coleman from ‘Different strokes’, or Dana Plato, his
co-star who committed suicide. Michael Jackson, the most famous child star did
more than just hint at being a recipient of abuse whilst a ward of the industry.
What was it about their lives and
the lives of others like them in these formative years that has messed them up
so badly? I suspect I know what…but I would never take on such a powerful industry
with so little proof; is this how some felt about Savile?
But what of the countless others?
What of those who didn't even get to be stars? Do we think for a second that
they weren't attracted by the ‘what might be’ spin of the countless faceless representatives
of the rich and famous?
Remember that catchphrase from
the 90’s show ‘the Word’:-“I’d do anything to be on TV”.
What were pushy parents prepared
to allow for sake of their child’s future career? What were career minded
executives prepared to ignore for the sake of their own? Haven’t many in the
industry bought and sold the lives of children, for decades, peddlers of the
last great bastion of child exploitation in the West. Haven’t we all been
complicit in our unquestioning cult of celebrity?
So perhaps, Sir Jimmy’s exploits
are only the tip of a very deep and dark iceberg?
So perhaps, it’s time we learnt
the whole sordid truth, no matter how unpalatable that may be…
The greatest revelations, I’m
sure, are yet to come.
