So, Max Clifford, the man whose face has become familar to us as the white haired man standing by a celebrity who has narrowly missed disgrace, has met his own disgracing, from which PR can't save him. Clifford is one of the many white haired men who have been trooping in and out of court to discuss crimes they allegedly committed against young girls years ago. However many of these men have fans who feel a strong affection for them on account of a past gig hosting a now rather quaint show in which they entertained us by wobbling large sheets of card to a tune or announcing Bucks Fizz as the next act. However it's hard to dredge up affection for someone who does a job like Max Clifford, and due to being found guilty of eight indecent assaults on women and girls - some of whom were no more than 15 years old at the time - there is going to be no fond nostalgia for Max.
Even though Max didn't get his own TV/radio show it's still pretty big news. Such big news that it was covered on Newsnight. In an open letter on everydayvictimblaming a member of the team highlighted the peculiar handling of the cases on the programme. It is a recurrant theme since Operation Yew Tree kicked in, discussing how times were different back then. As though we are opening the door on the past and gasping "why, there's been no one sexually assaulted round these parts this past thirty year!" It was cool back then apparently. Older men waited for their prepubescent girlfriends at the school gates and parents were just glad to be excused the school run dammit.
I don't know when it is that you apparently silently relinquish your right to come to terms with and report sexual assault. All I know is that you do. This was made quite clear on Newsnight in which the subject was mishandled.
I don't know when it is that you apparently silently relinquish your right to come to terms with and report sexual assault. All I know is that you do. This was made quite clear on Newsnight in which the subject was mishandled.
| The site Everyday Victim Blaming posted an open letter to Sue Douglas who they believe failed to follow the National Union of Journalists guidance on how to cover violence against women and girls* in the media. | you are still allowed to feel frightened, to feel intimidated... |
Speaking to Jeremy Paxman, Douglas said: "Most women now, this is not that many years on, would think absolutely I'm not going to do that, don’t be ridiculous. So it's not even the kiss and tell culture. It's I'm not kissing and I'm still telling". With whistleblowing on how rape and assault is reported (or not reported) by the police it's clear that even if this was true, these women are not being heard.
Douglas displayed a confidence in young girls that ignored all kinds of circumstances. When Paxman queried what was normal behaviour when it came to a man expecting a young girl to pleasure him Douglas said: "No, clearly and most 15 year old girls would get up and leave, why didn't they?"
No matter how confident you are you are still allowed to feel frightened, to feel intimidated, or to suddenly realise you might have taken something new to you too far.
As Everyday Victim Blaming said "I hope you understand that Max Clifford's violence and the violence perpetrated by other men against women and girls is their responsibility. It is their responsibility to stop, not the responsibility of women and girls to act differently".
We owe it to the young girls who are now women and the young girls today to recognise their right to report such violence. There is no difference in assault whether it was committed in the 60s, 80s or 00s.
Squeamish Kate
Douglas displayed a confidence in young girls that ignored all kinds of circumstances. When Paxman queried what was normal behaviour when it came to a man expecting a young girl to pleasure him Douglas said: "No, clearly and most 15 year old girls would get up and leave, why didn't they?"
No matter how confident you are you are still allowed to feel frightened, to feel intimidated, or to suddenly realise you might have taken something new to you too far.
As Everyday Victim Blaming said "I hope you understand that Max Clifford's violence and the violence perpetrated by other men against women and girls is their responsibility. It is their responsibility to stop, not the responsibility of women and girls to act differently".
We owe it to the young girls who are now women and the young girls today to recognise their right to report such violence. There is no difference in assault whether it was committed in the 60s, 80s or 00s.
Squeamish Kate
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