May 18th, 2010

As reported in LA DA meets actress who claims Polanski sex abuse (WashingtonPost.com 5/14/10), Case Closed (Huffington Post 5/16/10), another Polanski victim has come forward. Actress Charlotte Lewis revealed at a news conference on Friday that Polanski had “sexually abused me in the worst possible way” when she was 16. Lewis said she’s come forward now after all these years because she wanted the information that Polanski is a repeat offender to be taken into consideration in his extradition hearings (read Repulsion for more about that).

It’s been revealed that Roman Polanski is a repeat offender.

That info should be a career (and freedom) ender.

It should also quiet any remaining defender

And even more repulsion engender.

(Except, it seems, for Woody Allen

Who has his own moral issues with younger women.)

If there are two, that means there are probably more.

Why haven’t they gone public before?

Ms. Lewis waited 26 years since before coming forward.

Does that delay signify something untoward?

There’s an old saying that all PR is good

(Or at least that’s what they say in Hollywood),

But with sexual crimes, that isn’t true,

Especially when the perpetrator is much more powerful than you.

A sex crime victim who makes an accusation

Must first consider the effect on her own reputation.

Look what happened to Polanski’s earlier accuser

Because she dared to confront her abuser.

The rich and famous are used to getting their way

(True back then, and still true today).

They believe no law binds the renowned

(There’s a lot of that going around).

They’re used to being catered to

And doing anything they want to do.

(Though they decry moral relativism and Hollywood’s debauchery,

There seems to be plenty of both in the GOP.)

They think they’re not bound by the laws of mortal men,

Because they get away with it again and again.

If finally challenged, they act surprised

When confronted by those they’ve victimized.

That’s especially true in the movie biz

For a creative genius (like Polanski admittedly is),

Worsened by a permissive subculture, low personal morality,

And a lack of extraterritoriality.

So as a victim, it’s easier just to keep quiet instead,

Especially in cases of “he said, she said.”

That’s even more true for an aspiring young actress,

With little power to seek redress.

Things are much better now though

Than they were 26 years ago.

Rape shield laws and prosecutorial limitations

Protect victims from hurtful counter-accusations.

But it’s still not easy for a sex-crime victim

Into the light of day to come.

She will still face possible condemnation

And the risk of additional victimization.

So Charlotte Lewis, I laude you.

And Samantha Geimer, I applaud you.

And to other victims not yet identified,

I encourage you to add your voice against justice denied.

And Mr. Polanski, you disgust me even more

Than you already did before.

I look forward to your return to jail

(And this time, no bail).

***

Here’s the Sky News 5/14/10 report on Ms. Lewis’s revelation.

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Comments

One Response to “Repeat Offender”

1. Paul Loeb: ‘Soul Of A Citizen’: How A Repeat Offender Prison Inmate Helped Heal His Community Says:
   May 20th, 2010 at 8:07 pm

   [...] Newsericks » Blog Archive » Repeat Offender [...]

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