Jimmy Savile - Stranger Danger
I have avoided commenting about Jimmy Savile for a number of reasons.
We are all aware the entertainer is emerging as one of Britain’s most prolific and depraved pedophiles.
He considered himself above his audience, his peers and most worryingly the law, preying on hundreds of children over 50 years - young girls, boys, and disabled youngsters.
There are rumours he was involved in even more disturbing acts.
He has, most recently, been linked to the killing spree carried out by Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe, the pair were apparently mates after Savile visited him in Broadmoor high security hospital.
I have consciously given the subject one a wide berth until now.
Firstly, in my opinion, it is all to late, he is dead.
He can no longer be brought to justice for what he allegedly did, nor can he defend himself from the cascade of accusations that come out day after day.
More importantly, if his reign of terror was so well-known to bosses, colleagues and others over the years, shouldn’t they have spoken out then?
I don’t mean his victims.
I mean the flood of presenters, producers and bigwigs who are all crawling out of the woodwork now to endorse the claims, “oh yes, we knew he was up to no good”.
They cite their reasons for covering up his crimes as “I thought I would lose my job”, “he was too powerful”, “nobody could take on the mighty Savile”.
I’m afraid for me that just doesn’t cut it.
Anyone who is aware an adult is systematically abusing children, or anyone for that matter for sexual kicks and keeps it hushed up to avoid the sack is complicit with the crime.
If anyone told me they knew someone was a child molester but they were keeping it under their hat to get a promotion, my opinion of them would change pretty quick.
So over the course of his career, Jimmy Savile, the eccentric, cigar-smoking television favourite, often pictured with a kiddie on his knee, was one of the most dangerous child molesters and rapists ever to go down in British history.
And if this is all true, what emerged this week is even more stomach-churning.
Presumably while taking a break from abusing children, Savile was teaching them about the dangers of talking to strangers.
In a book published in 1985 the then Jim’ll Fix It presenter warns primary school children of the explicit dangers of talking to people they don’t know.
Millions of teachers and parents who used it were unaware he had embarked on a campaign of rape and sexual abuse against his young victims.
In the book he gives a chilling introduction to millions of children from “your friend, Jimmy Savile.”
He writes: “ “Will you remember a stranger is danger when you are on your own? Will you remember the stories in your book? I hope so because I like you and want you to be safe and happy. Best wishes from your friend, Jimmy Savile.”
The hardback Stranger Danger, published by Hamlyn, used the travails of Benjamin Rabbit to help infants understand they should never accept sweets or lifts from strangers.
This is one of the most terrifying revelations of all.
That he brazenly put his name to a child-safety book, holding himself up as a protector, while secretly (or not so secretly) living a parallel life as a pedophile.
The revelations about Savile, and others in the worlds of entertainment and politics, are disturbing.
But this latest finding shows him to be nothing short of evil. He really was the child catcher, luring children with the promise of sweeties and presents, convincing everyone he was a friendly, gentle “Santa” figure.
When really, it seems, he was nothing short of a monster.
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