Rolf Harris

merlot There were rumours about Rolf Harris, because I remember them circulating - I can't remember where they came from, or what exactly they were about. I have a dim memory that it was boys, not girls, but I would not swear to it, and it was only rumours. But I do remember that shortly after these rumours, he vanished from our TV screens in this country for a long time, so I suspect that someone, somewhere, had doubts about him. It could have been, to be fair, just that he had been overused on TV and new talent was needed.

Many years ago I used to begin a training session by asking the participants, in pairs, to describe what a typical child abuser might look like. Then I would explain that a child abuser looks like anyone in the room - there is no 'typical'. The very first case of child sexual abuse I came across was perpetrated against his daughter by a senior legal official.
I really didn't want to believe this of Rolf Harris, but I have no doubt at all that he's guilty as charged because I know how hard it is for the prosecution to get a conviction.

Like Savile, I expect there were a few blind eyes being turned although on a much smaller scale. Harris was not always TV gold and it's a wonder there was no speculation or rumour during his career's leaner periods.

It makes me very angry when I think of all those years he was basking in the limelight when all the time his poor victims must have been wondering whether anyone would believe them if they plucked up the courage to speak out.

I hope so MiceElf, would hate to think my radar had let me down. I think Rosequartz that he will get a very hefty sentence as he basically called the victims fantasists and liars, so like Stuart Hall ( another one who made my flesh crawl), he could be in for a long sentence. I feel for his daughter who has believed her Father over her friend, what a betrayal.

I often think that ones instincts can be very reliable, however, in the case of celebrities that have only been seen on the TV or other media that image is carefully manipulated. If met personally, instincts would probably have kicked in. I hope so, anyway.

Five years I reckon, unless his age is taken into account.

Gill, I know how you feel. Is anyone trustworthy any more?

But yes, of course they are, it just shakes your faith and makes you question your instincts the more you hear about terrible cases.

I wonder what the sentence will be.

I am shocked and upset by this verdict, not because I dont believe he is innocent, but because as I posted on here some week's earlier, I truly didnt think he had done it. I feel that my own radar has let me down, does anyone know what I mean? I was repulsed by Savile before the ghastly revelations, repulsed by Max Clifford, but not by Rolf Harris. Now that my own instincts have let me down, I dont know who, if anyone, is what they seem.

Yes, you can trust most people, Soutra. Most cuddly, avuncular men are just that. Some men might have traditional or sexist views about women and children but they also have boundaries and know you don't cross them, even if the opportunity presents itself. Aware, responsible men who understand risk to children will usually try to close down opportunities to make potential victims safer. Anonymised questionnaires conducted over decades have consistently found that many men might think about inappropriate sexual behaviour but banish those fleeting thoughts and wouldn't put them into action and the majority are as repulsed by paedophilia as the rest of us.

But, yes, there's a lot of it about

Re Rolf Harris, As the trial progressed the more evidence I heard the more guilty he sounded.

I had that reaction when last year I drove home through Machynlleth in Wales where that five year old girl was killed. ?in 2013? In the town there were still yellow ribbons about. It's another town that still seemed sad.

I am really shocked about Rolf Harris.

Tegan I know that feeling. DD2 had a friend who lived in a nearby village. The girl was an epileptic who died after having a fit on her way home from her leaving do. She was leaving to move to Italy to marry her lovely Italian boyfriend after a few fairly troubled years due to her mother dying. I will drive miles rather than go through her village because I cry!

I have felt that when passing Soham Tegan. What a terrible terrible crime that was

Going off at a tangent here but have just returned from Newmarket and found my stay there clouded by the fact that Soham was nearby; every time we passed close by it I felt a terrible sadness pass over me .

How deep does all this paedoplilia and sex abuse go? The more "cuddly" or avuncular the individual the likelier he seems to be a foul abuser. Can you trust anybody?

Just heard it on the radio news too.