What has emerged from these cases is that many of the girls couldn't, or wouldn't, tell anyone what happened to them. What abuse they experienced. As one complainant said in court "who would have believed me?
He was a famous man. We saw him on TV". There was no supportive climate at the time that ensured anyone making a complaint would be believed and an investigation undertaken. There would certainly have been little appetite to mess with a celebrity. The wheels of justice have been slow to turn and now court action is being taken.
And every accused person has the right to natural justice. A fair trial.
What might their lives have been like if the girls, now women, had not had to wait for 40 years to tell their story? And what about the many women who haven't come forward, because those who have would only be the tip of the iceberg. There will be those that tried to bury their experience.
Some may have been successful while others will say their lives were ruined by what happened to them.
I'm sure all good men feel disgusted when they see these cases being reported. They must despair when they hear the evidence and think "how did this happen? How did this go on for so long undetected? Why didn't this come to light years ago"? It all comes down to believability and power and control.
There are those, I call them "the A Team", who will always be given the benefit of the doubt. They have the "believability factor".
There is something inherently wrong in society when we continue to believe a person's position, public profile and popularity with the media puts them above suspicion. That they should be believed first, over others. Suspicion is just that, suspicion.
But when the same names keep coming up, bandied around, then suspicion moves up to the next step. Start investigating.
I have never had much time for sex education in schools. It's not that sexual health and reproduction information isn't needed. I believe it is. It's who's taking the sex education classes that worries me. I believe this is a specialist area. Classes can greatly assist young people to understand the human body, how it works, changes as we mature and that it is to be respected.
By themselves, their family and friends. Children from an early age should know there are places on their body that no one must touch. And should anything like this happen they can tell the people they trust. And they will be listened to.
Children have to be convinced to speak up, and when they do adults need to listen with a willingness to understand, no matter how unpalatable. And that complaints will be investigated and all necessary action taken.
Sorry scenes of old men shuffling into court assisted by family members, who will never believe their husband or father was capable of such gross behaviour, must become a thing of the past.
But what's the bet in 30 years time we'll still see and hear that this behaviour continues.
Society can't get past the need for an A Team to hero worship. They are so believable too.
Merepeka lives in Rotorua. She writes, speaks and broadcasts to thwart the spread of political correctness.
