If We Are Sex Offenders, They Are Sex Offenders !
Sexual Misconduct. Sexual Harassment. Inappropriate Sexual Behavior. Sexual Advances. Propositioning. Groping. Indecent Photos. Non-Consensual Sex.
We are at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to those of power, fame and fortune being knocked off their pedestals for sexual misconducts of every imaginable kind. Everyday there are new accusations. Accusations over incidents that happened 5, 10, 15 or 20 years ago, seem to be coming out of the woodwork. Some had been reported at the time they happened and were ignored, others were kept as deep, dark secrets that are only now seeing the light of day.
It seems the proverbial “cat” is out of the bag, in this case, many cats and many bags and everyone is accusing everyone else.
So why are we not hearing the terms “sexual offender or registry” being talked about?
Why isn’t the media referring to these rich and famous fallen as “sex offenders”?
Does fame, money and power give those famous people, the newly accused, immunity from the labels that the rest of us mere mortals must bear?
The powerful and glamorous “accused” are embarrassed, ashamed, remorseful and going to spend time searching their souls, changing their lives and becoming better people. Some will seek out fancy treatment centers, others will quietly dole out undisclosed financial settlements to make the “nastiness” go away. (Taxpayers money will be used from a Congressional “slush fund” for some of these pay-offs.) Maybe some will be sued in civil suits. But what about criminal charges? I’m not hearing anything about those being filed. I’m not hearing any of these folks labeled as sex offenders or potential registrants.
What I want to know is WHY?
Why aren’t any of these people being called sex offenders? In most cases they’ve admitted to sexual offenses! Contact offenses!
According to the laws the rest of us were judged by, a sex offense is a sex offense is a sex offense. Are they judged by a different set of laws?
They’ve inappropriately groped, fondled, sexually harassed and in some cases had non-consensual sex with many people and yet the term “sex offender” never seems to apply to them. Many of them have done far worse than those already on the registry have ever done and yet the term “sex offense, sex offender is never used to describe any of these people. (I would refer to them as registrants but something tells me that none of those recently accused will ever see their name on the registry.)
Where are the swarms of detectives, investigators and police pounding on their high rise condo doors or luxury mansions? The rest of America is subjected to these kinds of humiliating invasions at the first hint of sexual misconduct accusations? Why don’t we hear about that happening to these privileged icons, these pillars of the communities, these wealthy, stellar citizens?
I have nothing against the powerful, rich or famous. I can only assume they’ve reached their position in life through hard work, just like the rest of us. But I do believe that they should be held accountable for their actions by the same standards that the rest of are held to. If you’re going to label the rest of us for sexual offenses then label them too.
For most of those everyday Joe’s on the registry, when accused of child pornography, molestation, non-consensual sex or any kind of sexual misdeeds, there are knocks at your door, officials with badges, lawyers, interrogations, jail, trials, plea bargains, prison, family financial and emotionally bankruptcy and the resulting registry. For those of us that aren’t at the top of the heap, non-consensual sex automatically is referred to as rape, propositioning becomes prostitution and inappropriate sexual behavior lands you in prison. We seem held to a different standard of terminology than those stars of TV and the politicos of Washington.
The John Q.Public’s of America carry the Scarlet Letter. We are the ones labeled Sex Offender and Registrant.
Why, with all of these wealthy, well-known (one has even been referred to as an American Icon) people being “called-out” on their behaviors, are none of them subjected to what the rest of those on the registry have been subjected to?
If we are sex offenders, they are sex offenders! (I don’t Tweet but that sounds very Tweetable!)
Power, fame and fortune should not be the determining factor as to whether or not you are labeled and end up as a registrant.
This country can no longer get away with the labeling and ruination of the lives of many and at the same time sweep the offenses of the more fortunate under the rug.
If we are sex offenders, they are sex offenders!
Truer words were never spoken. Well said!
There is so much wrong with the registration of offenders. There are first off, TWO categories, PREDATOR and OFFENDER.
A PREDATOR preys on his victim. Someone who re-offends.
An OFFENDER is someone who made a mistake, paid for their crime, never re-offends,and is trying to get on with their life.
I mean Public urination gets you in the sex offender registry. A 19 yr old dating a 16 yr old. We need to re-evaluate these laws.
The rich and famous get away with it. Convicted felons don’t have to register anywhere. Do you want a convicted murderer living next door to you? Why only sex offenses? Why only the poor and working-class?
You are wrong about the TWO categories. Like in Illinois, a PREDATOR is not a predator, but just a title that lawmakers put on almost everyone to force lifetime registration. It does not mean that the person has committed even one contact offense. It has no relation to repeat offenders. It is no indication that the person even had a victim. It is a mistake to assume that someone with the label is any different than someone without the label. 95% of all sex offenses against children are committed by first-time offenders and not by the predators or offenders on the registry.
I agree 100% and think that it’s wonderful that finally someone that had the quote on quote balls to write a story about this and bring it to the public sigh. I personally think it’s b******* that all these people with Fame and Fortune can brush all this under the rug pay a little money and not have the label as registering or sex offender and nothing ever happens to them but a proverbial slap on the wrist. I’m sick and tired of hearing about people like the mayor of San Diego Bill Cosby and Michael Jackson being accused in the public eye of all these things and all that ever happens is a fake investigation and allegations being swept under the rug and money being doled out to victims but no labels or any other court related things happening I think it’s utter b******* if a standard Joe commits a sexual offense and has to go through the b******* of jury trial plea police investigation Etc then why shouldn’t somebody of the Hollywood Elite and or the Washington Elite this treatment needs to stop now