Covenant House Vancouver

There has been much bantering in Hollywood over the fate of film maker Roman Polanski who drugged and raped a 13 year old girl in 1977. Polanski has until now avoided prosecution, having fled the United States, but was recently arrested in Switzerland. It is remarkable to me that there are those who argue the assault was not a "rape rape" (Whoopi Goldberg). A 13 year old girl was drugged and raped by a grown man. What am I missing here?

At Covenant House, we see the wounds sexual assault/abuse leave on young women (and men) and it is devastating. To argue the legality or "fairness" of apprehending Polanski now leads us away from the real issue: children who are physically and sexually abused suffer, sometimes for the rest of their lives.

Supporters of Polanski and the (now) woman herself, who was the victim of Polanski's crime, argue that she is being re-victimized, as this "story" plays out again in the media, her wounds re-opened. So on one hand, the abuse is acknowledged while simultaneously its impact denounced.

The raping of a 13 year old girl is a horrific crime; that the rights of the criminal are of great concern to some is of great concern to me.