Unlawful sexual activity carried out by individuals -- often powerful players in their various industries -- who have long felt sheltered against public disclosures and liability has unquestionably come under a strong spotlight in recent years.
We reference that welcome scrutiny in a recent blog post at the victims' advocacy Law Offices of Joseph C. George, Ph.D. And we note in our December 4 entry that, notwithstanding the sudden upsurge in victims coming forward to courageously identify perpetrators and seek justice, "sexual assault has always been an issue" in California and across the country.
Reasonable and empathetic people everywhere who understandably want to see an immediate end to the heinous behaviors of criminals who target other adults and -- all too often -- children applaud the reporting window that now seems open, at least to a point.
Hopefully it does not shut, but, rather, continues to cast light on the evils of sexual abuse and increasingly brings about the identification and punishment of those who are responsible for it.
Time Magazine would seem to be doing its part to ensure that outcome. The publication revealed today that its annual "Person of the Year" for 2017 is a collective mix of individuals who have come forward throughout the year to report sexual abuse inflicted upon them in younger years. Their numbers have progressively swollen, with Time noting that the groundswell in reporting has been fundamentally marked by the "individual acts of courage by hundreds of women."
Will the momentum last?
Hopefully that will be the case. Whatever the long-term ramifications, the front-burner dialogue that is currently going on regarding sexual misconduct is a healthy and overdue development.
This is "not just a moment, it's a movement," says one victims' advocate.