Rita Panahi: We must speak up on predators, but also keep a sense of balance
THE Hollywood cesspit may be even more putrid than we suspected, but we must strike a balance between the presumption of innocence and believing victims, writes Rita Panahi.
Rita Panahi
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THE Hollywood cesspit may be even more putrid than we suspected. Just as we were coming to terms with the extent of Harvey Weinstein’s predatory behaviour — with the list of women allegedly assaulted growing to more than 80 — the industry has again been rocked by allegations of sexual misconduct, this time against a child, by much-loved and respected Hollywood A-lister Kevin Spacey.
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Accused of aggressively pursuing a 14-year-old boy, Anthony Rapp, at a party in 1986, including carrying him to his bed and climbing on top of him, Spacey said he could not recall the incident, but apologised profusely if it happened and then took the opportunity to formally declare that he is gay.
The two time Oscar-winning actor’s bizarre statement only adds another layer of ugliness to an industry inhabited by grubs and enablers who feel entitled to preach to the little people about politics, ethics and standards of behaviour.
By declaring that “I choose now to live as a gay man” when responding to claims of preying upon a child, Spacey conflated being gay with sexual misconduct. It was a shameful and transparent attempt at deflection but it worked; segments of the media initially focused on Spacey “coming out” rather than the allegations against him. The CEO and chairman of Allied Artists, Kim Richards, was among those who tweeted their support for Spacey: “If true, acting on impulse while inebriated speaks to overindulgence, not predatory behaviour. You’re good & decent, deserving forgiveness.”
But it wasn’t long before the tide turned and Spacey’s “House of Cards” collapsed with Netflix announcing the cancellation of the award-winning program after the sixth season. That was followed by the International Emmy Awards rescinding an upcoming honour: “The International Academy has announced that in light of recent events it will not honour Kevin Spacey with the 2017 Intl Emmy Founders Award.”
Rumours of children being sexually abused in the entertainment world are nothing new but they have rarely been given weight by the powerful elite that dominates the industry.
Corey Feldman has spoken about his experiences as a child actor and has warned parents with children in the industry about an entrenched culture of predatory behaviour. He first outlined his own experiences in 1993 to Santa Barbara police, who were investigating allegations made against Michael Jackson. Feldman said that Jackson had never molested him, but told the officers about being sexually abused by a number of men in Hollywood.
“All names were given to police before statute (of limitations) had run out but they did zero,” Feldman claims. In his memoir, Feldman wrote about the abuse suffered by him and fellow child actor Corey Haim.
“An adult male convinced him that it was perfectly normal for older men and younger boys in the business to have sexual relations, that it was what all the guys do. So they walked off to a secluded area between two trailers ... and Haim allowed himself to be sodomised,” Feldman claims. Haim died at the age of 38 in 2010.
But when Feldman went on The View to share his experiences, he was scolded by TV doyen Barbara Walters, who accused him of “damaging an entire industry”.
In between Walter’s derisive sighs of exasperation, Feldman warned parents of child stars to be mindful of the dangers.
“There are people who did this to both me and Corey (Haim) who are still working. They’re still out there and they’re some of the richest, most powerful people in this business,” he said.
We can’t blame victims for not speaking up when they are abused, dismissed and black-listed when they do come forward.
Just as everyone in the business knew about Weinstein, rumours about Spacey’s predilections have been rife in the entertainment industry.
Actor and comedian Rosie O’Donnell yesterday slammed Spacey on social media claiming that many knew about his “creepy” reputation: “f--- u kevin — like Harvey we all knew about u — I hope more men come forward.”
IN THE past, stories about prominent figures were often suppressed, but times are changing and the famous and powerful are being named and shamed. That is empowering for genuine victims, but it can be terrifying for innocent people who are falsely accused.
Due process and the presumption of innocence cannot be forgotten in our eagerness to embolden the victimised.
It is naive to think that there are not any malicious claims made to damage an innocent person’s reputation. Remember the false claims of sexual assault levelled at Cliff Richard in 2014? The British pop singer was never charged but suffered enormous reputational damage when the BBC filmed the police raiding his home.
Closer to home a NSW Supreme Court jury of three women and one man found this week that cricketer Chris Gayle was defamed when Fairfax published allegations of sleazy locker room antics.
In the wake of the “don’t blush, baby” furore, the West Indies cricketer was accused of intentionally exposing his genitalia and propositioning a female masseuse in 2015.
The jury rejected Fairfax’s claims that the allegations were true and the defence of qualified privilege, finding that malice had been established.
Gayle is said to be ecstatic but not everyone can afford the cost of pursuing legal action in order to clear their name.
There must be a balance between believing victims and the presumption of innocence that is essential in a civilised society.
Rita Panahi is a Herald Sun columnist
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