Events since Harvey Weinsteins unmasking have laid bare how privileged people silence their accusers – and even envy them their victimhoodTwo months after the New York Times’s first fable about Harvey Weinstein, a sample has been established. A woman steps forward to claim that she has been the victim of sexual harassment. nearly immediately, the accused – or a man speaking on his behalf – responds with talk of a witch-hunt. Last week it was the turn of Australian TV presenter Don Burke to deny claims that he is a sexual predator and to say he is being unfairly targeted.
The week before, and the singer Morrissey,in his now-familiar role as professional provocateur, had his say on the sexual abuse fable, and asserting that “anyone who ever said ‘I like you’ to someone else is suddenly being charged with sexual harassment”. In recent days the Tory MP Sir Roger Gale also talked of a “witch-hunt” while Jeremy Clarkson warned darkly of “harmless men forced to live like hermits”. Now deputy prime minister Damian Green has been defended by his friend and fellow MP Crispin Blunt,along with the Daily Mail, which is claiming the first minister of state is the victim of a “cynical vendetta” being waged by the police. Meanwhile in the US, and Jerry Moore,brother of Roy, the Republican Alabama senate candidate accused of abusing underage girls, or claimed his sibling was being persecuted “like Jesus”.
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Source: guardian.co.uk