JUST PHILOSOPHISING - ON THE 'WITCH FINDER' BRUTALITY OF THE 'OUTING OF ALLEGED HISTORIC SEXUAL OFFENDERS'. PART 1.

It is a precarious time for the male species, at present. With the current trend of people making allegations about past or historic sexual assault, harassment, rape and inappropriate behaviour by men who have crossed their paths. 

Simply put, it would not be surprising if many men, indeed, probably all men, were to be looking back on their past, however distant.  

And wondering whether they might, knowingly or unknowingly, deliberately or unintentionally, have done something for which someone might now come forward and accuse them of having done.

Might a father, having personal care of his daughter who was not yet able to wash or bathe herself properly, because of her young age.  

Be wondering whether she, now an adult, or someone else, could come forward and accused him of having 'touched her down there', or of otherwise 'interfering with her.? 

Or might he, having had the personal care of a female or male relative, have the similar accusations made against him? 

You never know, because the past was a different time, with different principles, expectations and practices in force. 

Practices, traditions and values which, when examined, cursorily or indept, through the prism of contemporary society, are, probably not surprisingly, might be found wanting. 

Even though, at the time, they might have appeared 'quite normal', or were accepted.

Consider, for example, the 1960s, 1970s and 1980, when women, young girls, when the wearing of hot pants and mini skirts were queen, and women wanted to look beautiful. 

Consider the situation whereby men looking at them and wolf whistling them were 'normalised'. 

When many women wanted 'to look sexy' - just as many women are aspiring to appear today, and 'sexiness' is used to sell nearly or most commodity, from dresses, trousers to knickers, cars, dishwashers, etc.

Is it, for example, the case that women aspire, and are even genetically programmes to do somethings to attract the attention of their male colleagues? 

Even if they are primarily trying to attract the attention of 'desirable males', but might at other times privately welcome the flattery of undesirable males, as it boost their egos?

One of the hazard of these disclosures of alleged historic sexual harassment, assault, rape and exploitation and inappropriate behaviour.  

Is that, especially when they come to the attention of the media, the alleged offender ends up with 'trial by media and public opinion', long before any legal process might begin. 

Which, not surprisingly, increases the chances of the 'accused' not having a fair trial. This is more likely to be the fate of the high profile accused.  

Whereas the ordinary person might have more of a chance of suffering without the added pressure of being placed, more publicly, into the stock of public approbrium.

To be continued.