Shame On You, Johnny

[Sensitive stuff. Read with caution.]

Johnny Depp is the newest addition to a long list of Roman Polanski apologists. (For those who don't know, Polanski was arrested last year on 30-year-old charges of statutory rape. More info here: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/polanskicover1.html) Here's what he had to say earlier this month: “Why now? Obviously there is something going on somewhere. Somebody has made a deal with someone. Maybe there was a little money involved, but why now? ... Roman is not a predator. He's 75 or 76 years old. He has got two beautiful kids, he has got a wife that he has been with for a long, long time. He is not out on the street."

Come on, Johnny. Not you, too.

First of all, a person's age, marital status or parental responsibilities have nothing to do with it. A married man is just as capable of committing a rape as a non-married man, a father equally as able as a childless man. As for age, most 43-year-old men aren't (and shouldn't be) interested in 13-year-old girls. Polanski has proven that age is not, and was never, a deterrent. Many men who rape seem safe to the victims beforehand. And then there's the obvious: just because he's seemingly mellowed out doesn't excuse him from having had sex with a minor in the first place.

Anyone making these claims would be spreading false information, but it becomes a much bigger issue when the person is famous. Celebrities are paid more attention than your average citizen. The media publicizes their statements. People look up to them. Perhaps, then, they should exercise a little responsibility. If you have the nation's ear, you had better say something thoughtful and accurate. You should not claim that what happened was not “rape-rape” (Whoopi Goldberg), or that rape is a “so-called crime” (Harvey Weinstein).

Polanski's victim has publicly stated that she has forgiven him and doesn't want him charged. Why? No one knows for sure, but a guess could be hazarded. Imagine having the worst experience you can think of, and then having it highly publicized for all the world to see. Imagine a throng of celebrities saying that your attacker is really a good guy, that he didn't mean anything by it, that what happened wasn't really all that bad, anyhow, so what's the problem. It is hard enough for any woman to stand up in this culture where being raped is wrongfully perceived as a shameful thing for the victim. Roman Polanski is an acclaimed film director, and no one has ever heard of Samantha Geimer. We should applaud her for having the nerve to press charges in the first place. Why aren't these folks standing up for victim instead of rapist? Unfortunately, these celebrities are echoing common sentiments in our society. In many sexual assault cases, even when the perpetrator is not famous, the victim is not believed or is blamed for what happened. At a time in her life when she needs support, she is criticized and distrusted. She'd likely get more sympathy if her purse had been stolen.

Even if we're not famous, our words have weight and we have to use them wisely. Let's not automatically assume that a victim is lying when she says she's been sexually assaulted. Let's not blame the crime on her. Let's choose words to describe the crime that accurately reflect its severity. Let's create a climate where it is safe for a woman to speak out rather than having to suffer through her trauma on her own.

Shame on you, Johnny Depp, and shame on your fellow apologists. You defended a rapist, and everyone listened.