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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Jimmy Savile

141 replies

wavingwhilstdrowning · 17/10/2021 11:08

AIBU to say that the BBC should not be making a film about Jimmy Savile. They should not be profiting form his victims misery. Savile attacked at least 450 victims.

Once again his photograph is everywhere, retraumatising his victims who have been treated horrifically by the BBC.

for full disclosure I gave evidence at Operation Yewtree.

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Original poster
wavingwhilstdrowning · 17/10/2021 14:23

@Dbank

I think YABU

I'm sure Saville was an evil bastard and probably did many more horrendous crimes that we'll never know about. I also appreciate it must be distressing for the victims to be reminded about him.

The failure to bring Saville to account shows how many people turned a blind eye, as it wasn't in their interest to "make a fuss".

We have to discuss, examine and learn from these incidents and a drama is an effective way to do this.

Keeping quiet and moving on doesn't help, and was exactly the attitude that allowed him to continue offending.

I hope we live in more enlightened times, and it would be hard to imagine him getting away with it now.

Just in case anyone has forgotten, in the eyes of the law Saville was 100% innocent.

Do you believe that this bbc drama will investigate and reveal the truth?
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BeMoreQueer · 17/10/2021 14:25

‘Im the eyes of the law saville was 100% innocent’

Yep, that is how far this rot goes

Hands up who here is trying to convince themselves right now that 1 shady Cooper helped him cover it all up so they don’t have to accept the police will cover for child abusers

Still… after Sarah everards killer being jokingly called ‘the rapist’ by his fellow police officers

This is not the past

iklboo · 17/10/2021 14:30

It's a very hard no from me, and I have enjoyed some of SC's other work. This, though, is just not right.

Original poster
wavingwhilstdrowning · 17/10/2021 14:46

I reported the abuse to West Yorkshire police on 3 occasions

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Tal45 · 17/10/2021 14:57

I can't imagine wanting to watch it.

StellaAndCrow · 17/10/2021 15:02

OP I am so sorry that this happened to you, and that your warnings weren't listened to. I too work with CSE/CSA grooming victims, and like you say the lifelong consequences can be awful. A programme sensitively focusing on grooming and how people get away with it, how people and organisations collude, that would be something, but should not include someone impersonating Savile, that's just gross.
I too found Three Girls so painful to watch, I've worked with these very vulnerable people as adults, and I too have seen them be unable to keep their own children safe and the trauma of them being taken into care.

StellaAndCrow · 17/10/2021 15:03

And I can totally imagine him still getting away with it now, do we know that anything has changed? And him being innocent in the eyes of the law surely makes it worse.

Original poster
wavingwhilstdrowning · 17/10/2021 15:07

I don't think anything has changed.

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EboWen · 17/10/2021 15:13

Will not ever watch it. Can't believe anyone would want to watch it. Not a fan of SC anyway.

2bazookas · 17/10/2021 15:24

I saw the film; it did not glamourise that horrible man and it demonstrated exactly how a certain type of serial abuser purposely blindsides other adults, targets vulnerable people and organises opportunities to commit his crimes.

He was not the last of his kind and the whole of society needs to be reminded of that. To understand how they operate, why they get away with it in broad daylight, and the terrible damage they do.

I don't know how you imagine the BBC  is  " profiting from his victims misery,"  or  from making the program.   Those  who took part did so voluntarily.  Nobody is forced to  watch it.
Original poster
wavingwhilstdrowning · 17/10/2021 15:29

@2bazookas

I saw the film; it did not glamourise that horrible man and it demonstrated exactly how a certain type of serial abuser purposely blindsides other adults, targets vulnerable people and organises opportunities to commit his crimes.

He was not the last of his kind and the whole of society needs to be reminded of that. To understand how they operate, why they get away with it in broad daylight, and the terrible damage they do.

I don't know how you imagine the BBC  is  " profiting from his victims misery,"  or  from making the program.   Those  who took part did so voluntarily.  Nobody is forced to  watch it.</div></div>

We are discussing the drama currently in production starring Steve Coogan. No one has seen it yet. The BBC will sell this drama worldwide as SC is well known, and they will make a LOT of money.
No one is forced to watch it but all his victims are sick of being confronted with his gurning repulsive face leering out of newspapers and the TV at us. We cannot avoid that.
You post is ignorant and lacking in an empathy.

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thisplaceisapigsty · 17/10/2021 15:38

@wavingwhilstdrowning I totally support what you say. It's not suitable for a drama and it's not for any good reason. I hate this sort of glamorisation of abuse, because it is glamorising it just by giving it time on the tv with a star cast as JS. I don't care what the BBC say about their motives, it's business and it's money and it's prurience about the crimes.

shrugshrug · 17/10/2021 16:01

Saville visited Ireland, leading charity walks for the Central Remedial Clinic which is and was an organisation dedicated to the health, wellbeing and achievements of people with physical disabilities and he was feted in Ireland for "his altruism" by the great and good.
He would have had access to vulnerable children and adults at the time.
I don't know if there was ever any investigation into his activities in Ireland.
I don't know if he abused vulnerable children and adults in Ireland.
I really do hope that he was investigated and anyone, if affected, got the support they needed.
But somehow I doubt it.
At least in the UK it was investigated. Sad

iklboo · 17/10/2021 16:56

I saw the film; it did not glamourise that horrible man and it demonstrated exactly how a certain type of serial abuser purposely blindsides other adults, targets vulnerable people and organises opportunities to commit his crimes.

No you didn't because it's not been made yet.

colouringindoors · 17/10/2021 16:59

Completely agree OP. I think it's utterly disgusting the BBC have the gall to do this. And then undoubtably sell it and make money out of it.

Absolutely shameful and my heart aches for his victims.

campion · 17/10/2021 17:28

@wavingwhilstdrowning

I reported the abuse to West Yorkshire police on 3 occasions
The West Yorkshire Police were in it up to their necks imo, so they were hardly likely to take it seriously. He had his regular Friday 'Breakfast Club' meetings with them at his flat fgs. Very cosy and he had them in the palm of his hand but they were either too stupid to see past it or didn't care.

I'm surprised, to put it mildly, that there hasn't been more criticism of them or disciplinary action. I hope that this film may shine a bit more light on them at least.

I'm sorry you were ignored OP. I lived in the same part of Leeds as him and saw him around a fair bit.Horrible man.

OhWhyNot · 17/10/2021 17:48

What do we learn from a drama

That some people are not quite what they seem

There is nothing that we learn from these dramas only what the writers offer. If its true we might be surprised or shocked but it made to entertain not educate

There is no one way that abusers operate we don’t become knowledgeable about abusers or murderers only if that particular person and what the drama is informing us of

Floogal · 17/10/2021 17:51

Been a bit of a thing over past decade. Infamous criminals having TV dramas made about them. Keith Allen playing the Bullseye killer and Dominic West playing Fred West.
Steve coogan is very talented but it is surprising the BBC of all people would make it. People do forget that Coogan actually used to do the voice of Jimmy Savile on Spitting image.

Original poster
wavingwhilstdrowning · 17/10/2021 18:00

@Floogal

Been a bit of a thing over past decade. Infamous criminals having TV dramas made about them. Keith Allen playing the Bullseye killer and Dominic West playing Fred West. Steve coogan is very talented but it is surprising the BBC of all people would make it. People do forget that Coogan actually used to do the voice of Jimmy Savile on Spitting image.
Yes, people conveniently forget that both the BBC and to a lesser degree Coogan has profited from JS on many occasions, this isn't the first incident. I watched the Fred West film and whilst horrifying, I did see there was public interest in his trusted adult and what she saw/heard/believed he had done. It was absolutely horrible, and I would be interested to hear what the families of Wests victims felt and thought about it. The woman, the trusted adult, was the centre if the story not FW who was presented as an inadequate and repulsive man.

I think JS will be presented in the "genius psychopath" guise the BBC like to sell his memory. They were too naive and innocent to recognise JS's grooming and crimes. I do not think he will be presented as weak, repulsive and obviously a pervert - all things he was - because that leaves the question to the BBC of why they employed and promoted him and SC has to answer to why he dinned out on his impressions or a pervert.

JS was a repulsive pervert and well known to be a rapist. DM knew this growing up in Manchester in the 60s. Everyone knew. They chose to allow him to rape and abuse because they didn't care about the women and JS was useful to them.

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Original poster
wavingwhilstdrowning · 17/10/2021 18:04

@campion The YWPolice are responsible for PSutcliffes reign of terror, JS, many of the worst grooming scandals in the country ( there is a WYP man on remand for raping a 12 yo atm) and they hosted and visited Britian's only legalised prostitution zone in Holbeck.

My DS called Leeds "the only city in the world where you can buy a woman in the morning, and be a woman by afternoon" as they also had (maybe still have) a policy of self ID on gender that an individual can change in the council website. YW is the worst place in the UK to be a woman, I think.

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Sundancerintherain · 17/10/2021 18:04

It's a kick in the teeth for his victims. Plenty of documentary type programs have been made about this vile creature, this will not reveal anything that us not already in the public domain.

BeaucoupFish · 17/10/2021 18:10

@wavingwhilstdrowning
Brilliant posts thank you

The BBC are vile and it amazes me how they still exist on public funding, obviously the majority of the public just don’t care

Nayday · 17/10/2021 18:26

YANBU. I dislike particularly that the documentary is named for him and the focus on a famous actor playing him. It makes me feel uncomfortable that he is the focus rather than those he abused or tried to report him.

It would be a better impact to focus on what/how the abuse was enabled for so long and by so many and not allow his voice centre stage.

Original poster
wavingwhilstdrowning · 17/10/2021 20:53

I've written to the BBC. Again. I will get no where but at least I try.

I was at school with Emma Barnett (a few years above her), I wonder what she thinks about all of this....

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thiscountryisdotdotdot · 18/10/2021 08:53

I think the beeb is losing its grip on reality…