I started writing this blog for a couple of reasons 1) to do something for me that I enjoy and 2) to keep in touch with my family and friends who live abroad. I’ve mainly kept the content about shoes or kitchens or Chick or light hearted and jovial or as that’s how my life is. I try really hard especially on the blog to not be judgmental and to stay off of my soap box so that I don’t upset anyone. This week however I’ve been more and more annoyed by a particular subject that you may or may not want my opinion on and that is the whole Roman Polanski rape row.
Generally I try and avoid reading stories like this, not because I’m disinterested, but because they tend to play on my mind and I end up either not sleeping or having very bizarre dreams about it but being powerless to do anything to help. However, as a complete and utter news junkie who has BBC News and CNN on constant feed it’s been impossible to ignore. The thing that has bothered me the most is the supposed ‘A List’ stars coming out in support of a man who raped a 13 year old girl. Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, Penelope Cruz and Tilda Swinton to name but a few have, according to CNN, signed a petition against his arrest and for him to be released. Now excuse me if I shout about this again but the man RAPED A 13 YEAR OLD GIRL!!!! How would they feel if that was their Daughter or Granddaughter or if he wasn’t a famous movie director?? I’m sure they wouldn’t be signing the fu**ing petition then. I know it was a long time ago but he admitted it and then left the country so that he didn’t have to serve any more prison time.
I read a few different blogs, most of which are superior to my own, including one from Nic over at ‘My Bottles Up’ who is a rape survivor. Her take on the whole thing is mainly aimed at Whoopi Goldberg who made some dumb ass comment on ‘The View’ and is re-posted below:
dear whoopi,
you sicken me. you make me sad for women and men alike. you make me sad for humanity as a whole. you make me sad for those who have been brave and strong enough to endure and come to eventually embrace the label of “rape survivor.”
even though roman polanski pled guilty to having sex with a minor, HE HAD SEX WITH A MINOR… WHICH EQUALS STATUTORY RAPE.
RAPE, WHOOPI…. “RAPE RAPE,” according to you.
as a rape survivor myself, one who has publicly and proudly shared my story of being drugged and raped with the world wide web, i find myself ashamed to say that i was once a fan of your’s… a fan of your sucesses… a fan of you as a woman.
and now, you disgust me.
please tell me what you define “rape rape” as… i’m just curious. indulge me please.
your ignorance regarding the issue of rape sounds as though some forms of rape are worse than others, which makes me wonder a couple of things about you…
1) have you ever been raped?
2) who do you think you are to judge those who have?
3) what criteria must one endure in order to be “raped” and not “rape raped”?
4) must there be weapons involved?
5) in order to be “rape raped” should there be more than one rapist?
6) does a pregnancy need to result from said “rape rape”?
i would LOVE to say more about how disgusted i am with you and how you make me want to wretch in my toilet, knowing that ignorant people like you, ignorant WOMEN like you exist in this world… but i am a better woman than you. i am a stronger woman than you.
and i will NEVER watch “The View” again, so long as your ignorant ass is on it.
september 26th marked my 9 year “suckiversary” since i was RAPED.
not “rape raped,” whoopi….
I WAS RAPED.
i am a survivor. and now, i have survived what i NEVER in my wildest dreams could’ve imagined… judgment and condescension from another woman regarding rape.
**********
If you really want to listen to Whoopi’s comments you can watch here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NX_D0Bv9M0 Whoopi even mentions how Europeans think differently about these things than Americans!!!!!!!! As a British lady I’d like to ask Whoopi ‘WTF?’ I feel the same about him raping a 13 year old as I imagine most normal people in the world do!!!
You can read Nic’s original post over at http://www.mybottlesup.com/ You can also read Nic’s story over at http://violenceunsilenced.com/nic/
Would you sign the petition for his release because I sure as hell wouldn’t. Surely the backlash must start soon or is it only Nic and I that don’t condone his behaviour and his support???
Just the Two of us 
And I thought I was the only sane one about! Seriously, this whole situation is bloody unbelievable. How can anyone condone him being out of prison and how can his wife support him?
He’s saying she consented-I don’t believe that personally but even if she did-SHE’S THIRTEEN YEARS OLD! Normal men would say no and send the child home not get down and dirty.
These celebrities are seriously fucked up-personally though I think they are all jumping on the band wagon without really thinking things through. Hopefully they’ll lose a lot of fans over this.
I have no idea what’s happening with him at the moment as I haven’t read the news this week but I’m hoping he’s still in jail and these petitions aren’t working but the problem is there is too much corruption in the government these days and these guys have a lot of money so I won’t at all surprised to see him walk free.
Sad but true.
oh my love… THANK YOU for spreading the awareness. that truly is the only weapon we have left. please feel free to share every bit of my story you feel compelled to share in the sisterhood that is survivorship. again, all my thanks.