# Roman Polanski - Victim says charges should be dropped. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 14, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340 "2009-01-14T22:45:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Omegaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340/21 "2009-01-15T19:51:52Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Did you read the post spoke- was responding to? I was responding to the thread in general. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340/22 "2009-01-15T19:57:39Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Isn’t there a statute of limitations on these things? I sometimes here about the FBI tracking some 20+ year old murder case while others are dismissed within a few years due to the limitation. Statute of limitations wouldn’t apply because he plead guilty. He’s a fugitive. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340/23 "2009-01-15T20:16:15Z")
> [@Omegaman](#): > > I was responding to the thread in general. You responded to spoke-'s post by making the exact same point that he or she was responding to. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340/24 "2009-01-15T21:14:53Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > Statute of limitations wouldn’t apply because he plead guilty. He’s a fugitive. And the act of fleeing from justice was not a crime against the rape victim in particular, but against the state and its citizens in general. ---
**Author:** ![Omegaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340/25 "2009-01-15T21:35:31Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > You responded to spoke-'s post by making the exact same point that he or she was responding to. So I’m a dumbass. Is that what you wanted to hear? ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340/26 "2009-01-15T22:25:09Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > I’m pretty sure having sex with a thirteen year old doesn’t have any real effect on his talents as a director. Yet Eli Kazan got a much more luke warm reception when he picked up his lifetime achievement award. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340/27 "2009-01-15T22:28:50Z")
well sure - his actions actually threatened the livelihoods of people in that room, or at the least people that they knew. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340/28 "2009-01-15T22:31:51Z")
Nope. I appreciate her thoughts on the subject, but the dude is a fugitive. He needs to go to jail for a very long time. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340/29 "2009-01-16T18:41:53Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > That would be a lot easier for me to say (and feel) about a dead guy than it would about a guy who is still fleeing justice in France, and a victim who is still suffering public humiliation. How many children do you think he has drugged and butt-fucked in the last 30 years, between making his brilliant movies? Yes, for you. Clearly not for others. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340/30 "2009-01-16T18:44:58Z")
> [@Lochdale](#): > > Yet Eli Kazan got a much more luke warm reception when he picked up his lifetime achievement award. According to IMDB when that happened he hadn’t made a film for 31 years. Perhaps due to this he didn’t resonate as much amongst those in the audience? ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340/31 "2009-01-16T18:46:48Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > I think I’d be a little miffed if my friend entered my house when I wasn’t there and proceeded to drug and rape a girl. But hey, he was full of a zest for life, apparently, so it’s OK??? Over thirty years ago. Some people move on. They make peace with people regarding previous sins. ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340/32 "2009-01-16T19:25:46Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Over thirty years ago. Some people move on. They make peace with people regarding previous sins. So you would “move on” if your best friend stuck his penis in a thriteen year’s old ass in your house when you weren’t home? I, personally, would never have anything to do with him again. Victims of sexual abuse at some point (hopefully) move on with their lives without having to deal with it all the time. Roman Polanski is the one who is causing her this continued grief by fleeing to France and refusing to submit to his punishment. Mr. Polanski not only drugged and raped her, but is now causing her continued grief and torment. He is an asshole, and should be jailed. If you can stomach it, the transcript is [here](http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/polanskicover1.html). The things he did deserve serious punishment, and neither his Hollywood connections nor his directing career can ever erase what he did. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340/33 "2009-01-16T20:19:56Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > According to IMDB when that happened he hadn’t made a film for 31 years. Perhaps due to this he didn’t resonate as much amongst those in the audience? I believe it was more for his participation/cooperation with the House Committee on Un-American activities. Some of the people giving him the cold shoulder were laughable (e.g. Helen Hunt). Not defending Kazan but I put a child rapist at least at an equal level with a supposed collaborator. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340/34 "2009-01-16T20:51:33Z")
From the account I read Polanski pressured the girl – it was not merely statutory rape but very close to forcible rape. If so, let him continue to stay out of our country. Otherwise, though – sorry, nothin’ to see here. What’s with all the [ephebophilia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephebophilia)-hate here? Ephebophilia != pedophilia. If you’re a dude and you would not have done the 15-year-old early-career Traci Lords, then you’re gay. You’re so gay Richard Simmons would go out of his way to kick your ass. ---
**Author:** ![Strassia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340/35 "2009-01-16T22:05:58Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > From the account I read Polanski pressured the girl – it was not merely statutory rape but very close to forcible rape. If so, let him continue to stay out of our country. > > Otherwise, though – sorry, nothin’ to see here. What’s with all the [ephebophilia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephebophilia)-hate here? Ephebophilia != pedophilia. If you’re a dude and you would not have done the 15-year-old early-career Traci Lords, then you’re gay. You’re so gay Richard Simmons would go out of his way to kick your ass. There is a huge difference between finding a 15 year old who can pass for 18 sexually attractive and coercing and drugging a 13 year old for sex. Jonathan ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340/36 "2009-01-17T15:56:22Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Understandable point of view for her, but fuck him. > > On the other hand if we prosecuted every film Producer who fucked a 13 year old we’d likely have no movies at all. If this was true, I’d say society has no need for the movie industry and should move on. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340/37 "2009-01-17T16:30:03Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > From the account I read Polanski pressured the girl – it was not merely statutory rape but very close to forcible rape. If so, let him continue to stay out of our country. > > Otherwise, though – sorry, nothin’ to see here. What’s with all the [ephebophilia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephebophilia)-hate here? Ephebophilia != pedophilia. If you’re a dude and you would not have done the 15-year-old early-career Traci Lords, then you’re gay. You’re so gay Richard Simmons would go out of his way to kick your ass. Dude, what the _fuck?_ First of all, 13 to 15 is a rapidly developing time in a girl’s life, and there’s a **huge** difference between the two ages. I’m not saying 15 is ok, just pointing out that those 2 years in particular are about as important as any other 10. Secondly, Traci Lords was known for looking particularly mature for her age. Comparing her to the average 15 year old is deliberately obtuse. Are we all Liberace-gay for not thinking it’s ok for 40-somethings to lure 13 year old girls under false pretenses, slip drugs into their alcoholic drinks, and fuck them up their poopers? “Nothin’ to see here”?! ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340/38 "2009-01-17T16:56:04Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Dude, what the _fuck?_ First of all, 13 to 15 is a rapidly developing time in a girl’s life, and there’s a **huge** difference between the two ages. I’m not saying 15 is ok, just pointing out that those 2 years in particular are about as important as any other 10. Secondly, Traci Lords was known for looking particularly mature for her age. Comparing her to the average 15 year old is deliberately obtuse. Are we all Liberace-gay for not thinking it’s ok for 40-somethings to lure 13 year old girls under false pretenses, slip drugs into their alcoholic drinks, and fuck them up their poopers? “Nothin’ to see here”?! To be fair, he didn’t say anything about “the average 15 year-old” at all. He specifically said Traci Lords. I think the point is exactly what you mentioned; she was famously “mature-looking” for her age; therefore what heterosexual man, not knowing anything about her actual age, wouldn’t consider her “ripe” for the picking, so to speak? Her chronological age has nothing to do with the aesthetic appeal of the appearance of a sexually mature female body. And females are tending to develop secondary sexual characteristics at earlier ages than in the past. I have a cousin who developed very early (she was almost a C cup by age 13) and got a LOT of attention whenever she went to the beach or a pool. Of course I’m not saying that she should have welcomed such attention, but it’s really not that much of a stretch to understand how a heterosexual male would be turned on by her, and if they never know her age, they wouldn’t even begin to feel icky about it. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340/39 "2009-01-17T17:07:04Z")
So you’re saying this girl only had a 99.99% chance of looking way too young in addition to being way too young, instead of 100%. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340/40 "2009-01-17T17:09:59Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > So you’re saying this girl only had a 99.99% chance of looking way too young in addition to being way too young, instead of 100%. READ. THE. POST. It’s about someone like Traci Lords who is in your hypothetical (but unsupported) .01% group. And of course the percentage is higher than .01%. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-polanski-victim-says-charges-should-be-dropped/481340.md?page=3)