Michael Jackson, Pedophilia, Objectification and Power
This article below speaks of the revelations about Michael Jackson molesting young boys at his Neverland ranch, particularly the testimony of Australian Wade Robson who had previously testified he hadn’t been molested. The truth has come out it is clear that Wade wasn’t able to speak the truth when Michael was alive, as he loved him. He felt an inner betrayal, as often victims can feel if they care for their abuser. Self blame accompanies this as he allowed it.
I was personally very saddened to see this film as I, like many others, believed he was child like, given his deprived childhood, which became a cover for mass acceptance of him pictured with children and bringing them back to his ranch.
Issues that came up for me was the power of celebrity and the adoration of the children who loved Michael Jackson. He was primarily a child entertainer. The way Michael molested them was a form of abuse that was about gratifying himself without any regard for the needs of children. He didn’t rape but touched inappropriately, oral sex and a later attempt at penetration. In fact their love was exploited as he new he had the power to take advantage of them by asserting it was an expression of ‘love’ and warning them that they would both go to jail if anyone found out.
I wondered about staff, surveillance and all those who knew. Bystander apathy. This is because of his power and celebrity I assume they conspired to covered up silently (see nothing, say nothing) or did actually collude with Michael to remain silent (possibly family I postulate).
The fact that Michael did not rape the children is irrelevant as this is a form of both physical and psychological abuse which is not understood. It is devastating. The children were too young to know that they were used at the time, as they gained attention from him and desperately wanted him to love them as this is a basic human need. Their pain as adults is to do with their betrayal of themselves, the fact they let him and the realisation Michael did not love them. The pain is ‘he didn’t love me’. Byron Katie (thework.com) is worth watching to learn through inquiry where the real healing needs to happen.
He used a range of children, discarding the ones he used in favour of new ones, the new flavour of the time. This is not love but abuse of trust, abuse of friendship, physical abuse and the most painful, psychological abuse where love is withdrawn and a person discarded as worthless or unwanted. Many do not realise the deep impact of psychological abuse. For these boys when Michael didn’t ring, would have experienced devastation, sorrow, abandonment as he had told them he would help them, be there for them, look after them, he loved them and was their friend.
The boys as men stated they knew later it was abuse but the love they felt kept them silent. That is the power of their love. It was so sad to witness their marital problems later in life, depression and disturbance as the abuse surfaced in ways they couldn’t understand. Deep abuse is like that you can’t understand why you feel so distressed, some would be suicidal. You can only suppress the truth for so long. One stated how hard it was to suppress a bad secret and the pressure of that. We are naturally honest, deception is not who we are.
What this reveals is the objectivization of children, in this case, which I see as the source of abuse. I regard the abuse as psychological abuse with the core need in the children ‘to be loved’ allowing themselves to be used, not realising it at the time, but later on as they are too young to make sense of sexuality, they trust the adult. When they felt love they wanted to please him, such is the power of celebrity and the purity of children (part of human nature to give).
I felt for the mothers as they would be blamed and were blamed. Yet they, like everyone else, believed Michael was an ‘innocent’ and clearly thought their kids were safe. Perhaps they too were blinded by celebrity and the story most felt, he was innocent having a second childhood. Neverland was a theme park, he was like a grown kid. I can only imagine their guilt after finding out the truth that their children were abused for years. Terrible for any mother. I real betrayal and the feeling of powerlessness that they could have done something had they known, but the reality is often they don’t know as abusers seem like nice people that is why they get away with it.
So I guess the world is hearing revelation after revelation of celebrities that have abused children. Here in Australia we have had the court issue with Cardinal Pell and Pedophilia in the catholic church, another institution that was trusted. I remember Rolf Harris (Australian singer) who worked on children’s television here in Australia, he was convicted of child abuse. He used to sing ‘Tie me Kangaroo down sport’ which I, as a child, loved. He had this wobbly metal instrument that sounded funny. We thought he was kind and loving toward children. We loved him here in Australia and many were shocked to find out he too was a paedophile. So you can’t pick them by manner, the signs are not obvious which means the real work is inner work and how we empower children so they don’t become targets.
So the protection of children has to be priority. The fact that men or women desire to treat children like objects for their own personal gratification without any healthy empathy is a real issue that must be investigated and changes made in parenting and school curriculum. I think the objectivisation, as I said, is the core issue. This is exacerbated by television with programming showing violence, objectivization lack of empathy without consequences. Moreover, poor universal teaching where programs across the board do not display consequences of a lack of emotional intelligence, the impact on families of violence that is shown as excitement and adventure, the continual desensitisation of images, objectivisation of people shown without natural emotional responses, abuse being normalised as part of covert and overt violent narrative we call entertainment. There is no education or training that directly deals with this detachment in children and adults and offering social cues to integrate feeling into the way we see one another and deal with problems in sensitive ways. My work was developed to reintegrate values in children. It could possibly be unique in the world. I have the links below.
Another important issue was the fear of the children ‘not being believed’ and the shame associated. Many children were fearful to speak out for this reason. There is also the fear of a backlash from those who unquestioningly believe in Michael (fans) and who would defend him vehemently as they can’t allow their sacred cow to be destroyed. Denial is a way to deny the truth of something painful, many would not be able to conceive that he can do wrong as his public image appeared kind and gentle. This is not to say he didn’t feel kind and gentle but the issue is child abuse and in this area he had a serious problem, clearly. Thus the illusion of celebrity holds this person above all others as ‘untouchable’ when they are a person who the majority do not know personally. The people only know the marketed image and the music and it is this which brings them joy and they feel love for how he made them feel, personally. I loved his music as well. He then becomes an object of their affection and identity as his image is integrated into their lives evoking happiness and a sense of fun. He empowered others through music and dance but few knew him. He was a great entertainer.
The objectivisation and lack of empathy reflects a mindset that is unintegrated, where a person does not feel the other person but uses the other for their own gratification in a detached manner, similar to a scientist experimenting on a life form. Moreover, this is extended and reinforced in other arenas such as the social acceptance of naked women as objects for pleasure, pornography of boys and girls, advertising of prostitution as a product – this is all in the same vein, the creation of objects to self gratify. Commercialisation encourages this as profit is the goal rather than social development. Objectivisation is not about loving relationships that are healthy but using objects for temporary pleasure (addiction) not true joy (happiness). It is about using objects for personal pleasure as the inner world is disconnected from feeling world (emotions) expressed in healthy ways that consider the other. This mirrors the ever increasing breakdown of community bonds, family bonds, a sense of duty of care for others, self love (low self esteem) and neglect of the needs of others as if they don’t exist. We model what we know based on how we are parented, so early childhood is a place to go to work out what goes wrong with detachment. Some are born detached (psychopaths) some are socialised sociopaths or societal influences promoting narcissism. We have much to learn about true love, connection, deep respect, family closeness and community care. These are not motherhood statements they are the very basis of social stability and what some term ‘order’. It is more important than economic growth.
Below is an article by the Daily Mail discussing the documentary Leaving Neverland. Michael Jackson did indeed leave but many will say ‘never’ again. There is a loss of innocence in this story where the very icons we believe in are no longer held in highest esteem, replaced by cynicism and sadness. It is a loss of trust that has happened, I feel deeply for those who are devastated by this news, they will truly mourn the image of what Michael was perceived to be.
I would state there is still innocence in the world, there is still good in the world where people are selfless and there are those of us who dedicate our lives to children for their highest good. My work is www.worldpeacefull.com – see school programs REAL HOPE program https://schools.worldpeacefull.com/anti-bullying/. The solution is to empower children in universal values, so they value themselves and others. They have to learn this experientially, to know thyself is the key to turnaround abuse. I have experienced abuse to the point of suicide, because it was of a psychological nature I was not believed but it was a teacher to me as I learned about objectification, emotional disconnection, forgiveness, self love and my own empowerment to speak up and say the truth in a situation where I could be blamed as I was the visible one. These experiences are to teach us what is healthy what is not and to value ourselves. Respect is central, honouring others and recognising that love is not a ‘need’ it is freedom. Many can become confused as others will appear to care but they don’t in truth. It is to understand what happened to them to make them so disconnected. In Michael’s case, perhaps his father’s authoritarianism fed into this neediness and fear of aloneness. He was a feminine male, gentle but clearly he had psychological distortions as his role models were not healthy. Fame meant many loved him but he didn’t love himself which was clear from his facial disfigurement. So it comes back to the family. To ensure children receive the love they need, to learn to be honest, if he has these feelings to disclose them to family members and get help to ensure children are safe. Importantly for him not to believe he can get anything he wants, this is a negative result of fame and wealth, they believe they are untouchable. This is a key problem as so many stayed silent when he should have been reported.
https://www.9news.com.au/2019/03/06/20/54/60-minutes-bob-chappell-murder-breakthrough
Explosive documentary Leaving Neverland claims Michael Jackson ‘gave young boys JEWELRY in exchange for sex acts and staged a full mock wedding before ditching them for younger victims’
- The Michael Jackson documentary Leaving Neverland had its world premiere on Friday at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah
- The four-hour documentary, which will air on HBO and Channel 4 in the UK, details Wade Robson and James Safechuck’s allegations of abuse
- ‘MJ gave one of his young male victims jewelry in exchange for sexual acts, and even staged a mock wedding,’ wrote Patrick Ryan
- ‘Michael Jackson witnesses/sex abuse victims coming off very credible. He was a pedophile,’ wrote Mara Reinstein
- Robson has previously detailed Jackson masturbating while watching Robson naked on all fours and fondling his genitals
- Safechuck and Robson both received a standing ovation from the audience
- The Jackson family did not try to stop the screening in any way, but the King of Pop’s nephew did urge his Twitter followers to boycott Sundance sponsors
- The film is ‘so sexually explicit’ counselors were in the lobby of the cinema
- Its been labelled a ‘horror film’ by Jeff Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere, who said Jackson was ‘a fiend, a smooth predator, a monster’
- Jackson denied all allegations that he abused underage boys during his lifetime, and his estate has done the same in the decade since his death
Michael Jackson gave his young male victims jewelry in exchange for sexual acts, according to damning new documentary Leaving Neverland which details fresh allegations of sexual abuse against the singer.
The explosive four-hour film, which had its world premiere on Friday at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, accuses The King of Pop of even staging a mock wedding complete with vows and a diamond ring with one boy, critics say.
‘Among the many, many disturbing revelations of #LeavingNverland: MJ gave one of his young male victims jewelry in exchange for sexual acts, and even staged a mock wedding complete with vows and diamond ring,’ wrote Patrick Ryan of USA Today.
‘Many common parallels in victims’ stories: MJ grooming them to hate their parents and women in general, saying God brought them together, eventually ‘casting them out’ for younger boys. ‘There was a lot of jealousy and hurt. You were no longer special.”
The film focuses on the accounts of Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who have long claimed that they were raped and molested by the singer at his Neverland Ranch.
Jackson denied all allegations that he abused underage boys during his lifetime, and his estate has done the same in the decade since his death.
Reacting to the documentary on Friday night, the late singer’s estate branded it ‘the kind of tabloid character assassination Michael Jackson endured in life, and now in death.’
In a statement, it also accused Robson and Safechuck, of being ‘two perjurers’, in reference to sworn statements they gave while Jackson was alive stating he had not molested them.
But the new documentary, which will air on HBO and Channel 4 in the UK, shows the Grammy award winning artist to be ‘a fiend, a smooth predator and a monster’, according to one critic who has seen it.
‘Leaving Neverland is a horror film – an intimate, obviously believable, sometimes sexually explicit story of two boys who became Michael Jackson’s special ‘friends’ – i.e., lovers – while their oblivious parents went along. Jackson was a fiend – a smooth predator, a monster,’ said Jeff Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere.
‘Feel sick to my stomach after watching Part 1 of #LeavingNeverland doc. Michael Jackson witnesses/sex abuse victims coming off very credible. It’s so sexually explicit that counselors are in the lobby,’ wrote Mara Reinstein of US Weekly.
‘Shaking. Wow. We were all wrong when we cheered for Michael Jackson. He was a pedophile.’
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Devastated: The Michael Jackson documentary Leaving Neverland had its world premiere on Friday at the Sundance Film Festival in park City, Utah (Jackson above with accuser Wade Robson)
The film focuses on the accounts of Wade Robson and James Safechuck, pictured as a child with Jackson, who have long claimed that they were raped and molested by the singer
Accusers: The men took time to address their critics and naysayers after the screening, while making it clear they were not paid in any way for their participation in the film (l to r: Director Dan Hall, James Safechuck and Wade Robson)
Take: ‘Michael Jackson witnesses/sex abuse victims coming off very credible. It’s so sexually explicit that counselors are in the lobby,’ wrote Mara Reinstein
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Revelations: ‘MJ gave one of his young male victims jewelry in exchange for sexual acts, and even staged a mock wedding complete with vows and diamond ring,’ wrote Patrick Ryan
Robson and Safechuck both received a standing ovation from the audience after the film before tearfully answering questions about the documentary.
Both men go into graphic and specific detail about what allegedly happened in Jackson’s bedroom when they were just children, with both men claiming they were abused from approximately the age of 7 until they were 14.
Many of the critics did not get into the specifics of the film, though there were a few details revealed on Twitter.
#MJToo: Dancer who sued Michael Jackson for $1.6B alleges…
Hollywood hypocrites: Bryan Singer will still get $10million…Eugene Hernandez, the Deputy Director at the Film Society of Lincoln Center, also provided some details, writing: ‘Halfway thru the doc, which in its 1st half graphically details Michael Jackson sexual abuse of Robson & Safechuck, I wondered why it needed 2 more hours… but in its 2nd half it reveals the journey of the victims to be able to talk about it.’
He weighed in after the film as well, writing: ‘This is deeply moving exploration of abuse from perspective of its victims/families. Overall well-shaped & constructed. Raises so many difficult questions abt parental roles, celebrity, secrets, fame, enabling behavior & abuse. Topics that could fill a 4 hour follow-up.’
As critics posted their thoughts, an army of Michael Jackson fans latched on to attack and refute the claims made in the film, despite the fact it was played for the first time in Utah on Friday.
It did not impact those who saw the film however, who were almost unanimous in their belief that this film presented damning evidence to support the allegations made by Robson and Safechuck.
The men took time to address their critics and naysayers after the screening, while making it clear they were not paid in any way for their participation in the film.
‘I don’t feel like there’s anything I need to say to them except that I understand that it’s really hard for them to believe,’ said Robson.
‘We can only accept and understand something when we’re ready, maybe we’ll never be ready, maybe we will. That’s their journey.’
Naysayers: ‘I don’t feel like there’s anything I need to say to them except that I understand that it’s really hard for them to believe,’ said Robso (left with director Dan Reed and Jame Safechuck)
Jimmy Safechuck, left, pictured as a child holding hands with Michael Jackson, received a standing ovation from the audience at the film’s premiere Friday
Warning: Amy Kaufman of the Los Angeles Times said that before the movie screened, a warning was issued to guests by the director of the documentary.
Prepared: Matt Donnelly of Variety noted this too, tweeing: ‘#Sundance has provided health care professionals in the theatre
Details: Eugene Hernandez, the Deputy Director at the Film Society of Lincoln Center, also provided some details, writing: ‘Halfway thru the doc, which in its 1st half graphically details Michael Jackson sexual abuse of Robson & Safechuck’Speaking out: Kaufman also revealed that the film resonated with one man in particular after the screening
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Indiewire critic David Ehrlich wrote: ‘spoiler alert: Michael Jackson 100% sexually abused a lot of children.’
Even at intermission many were left shocked by what they had seen halfway through the film.
‘On a 10-min break halfway through Sundance’s 4-hour Michael Jackson child sex abuse documentary. Whatever you thought you knew or were aware of, the content of this is more disturbing than you could imagine. And again, we’re only halfway through, ‘ wrote Kevin Fallon of The Daily Beast.
Amy Kaufman of the Los Angeles Times said that before the movie screened, a warning was issued to guests by the festival director.
‘John Cooper warns the #LeavingNeverland audience that the docuseries contains explicit descriptions of sexual abuse involving minors and there are Healthcare professionals from the state of Utah in the lobby should filmgoers need to talk’ wrote Kaufman.
Matt Donnelly of Variety noted this too, tweeting: ‘#Sundance has provided health care professionals in the theater for audience members potentially upset by #LeavingNeverland’s explicit descriptions of sexual abuse against underage boys. They are in the wings ready with counsel.’
Kaufman also revealed that the film resonated with one man in particular, writing: ‘Incredibly emotional reaction from the audience after #LeavingNeverland. One audience member says he was molested as a child and that Robson and Safechuck ‘are going to do a lot more f–king good in the world than Michael f–king Jackson.”
Multiple critics were far more brief in their assessment of he film, but all used the same phrase.
‘Absolutely devastating,’ noted Marlow Stern of The Daily Beast and Hollywood Reporter writer Tatiana Siegel.
The word disgust also came up in a number of tweets responding to the film.
Thought: Multiple critics were far more brief in their assessment of he film, but all used the same phrase
Stunned: ‘Absolutely devastating,’ noted Marlow Stern of The Daily Beast and Hollywood Reporter writer Tatiana Siegel
Terror: ‘Leaving Neverland is a horror film – an intimate, obviously believable, sometimes sexually explicit story of two boys who became Michael Jackson’s special ‘friends,” wrote Jeff Wells
‘Leaving Neverland is also, of course, a very sad story. Damage & dysfunction is passed on. You’re only as healthy or sick as the amount of ugly secrets you’re carrying around. Oh, and the two complicit mothers of the victims are dealt tough cards by their trying-to-heal sons.’
Jackson’s family is not staying quiet and last week the normally press shy Jacksons lashed out at HBO for picking up the documentary and Sundance for screening the feature.
Jackson’s nephew Taj, whose father is Tito, voiced his disgust on Twitter.
‘To all the sponsors of @Sundance. I suggest you do your own homework on Wade Robson and James Safechuck,’ read one of the tweets.
‘By supporting their lies, you are now part of this and we will remember that when everything implodes. You can’t plead ignorance anymore.’
He also wrote: ‘I’m sure there are some incredible films that will be premiering and shown at the festival. Films that people put their hard earned money and life into. But @Sundance is jeopardizing these films to accommodate, promote, and showcase a film that stars two proven scam artists.’
Jackson’s official account also shared a tweet aimed at shaming HBO which read: ‘In 1992, Michael gave HBO their highest rated special ever. Now, to repay him they give a voice to admitted liars. #StopLeavingNeverlandNOW.’
That was a reference to Jackson’s first ever televised concert, which aired on the network in October of 1992 after being filmed in Bucharest.
The special smashed the pay cable provider’s previews record, scoring a 21.4 rating and 34 share in the approximately 17.5 million homes with subscriptions.
Hitting back: This has prompted members of Jackson’s family to last out at the festival and HBO, who will air the documentary later this year
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Backlash: ‘By supporting their lies, you are now part of this and we will remember that when everything implodes. You can’t plead ignorance anymore,’ wrote Taj Jackson
Robson is known to many as the man who reportedly came between Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, and inspired Timberlake to write the break-up anthem Cry Me A River.
The Australian-born dancer, 36, previously filed a lawsuit against Jackson’s estate in 2016 asking for $1.62 billion in damages.
In his complaint, Robson claimed that he was raped by the King of Pop for seven years, starting when he was seven and ending when he was 14.
That suit was eventually tossed, with the judge ruling that the singer’s estate could not be held responsible for the allegations being made by Robson.
The court made no comments in the validity of the lawsuit, but Jackson’s family was very vocal about the fact that Robson had testified on the singer’s behalf at his 2005 trial.
Robson said in his court filing that the alleged abuse he suffered at the hands of Jackson included: ‘kissing and french kissing; Michael Jackson rubbing [Robson’s] penis and having [Robson] rub his; Michael Jackson masturbating while watching [Robson] from behind on all fours, naked, with his knees and palms extended like a dog on all fours; Michael Jackson spreading [Robon’s] buttocks and sticking his tongue into and licking [Robson’s] anus while he masturbated using lotion; the mutual fondling of genitals with their hands and mouth; mutual fellatio’ and more.
He also alleged in his suit that Jackson lost interest in him when he turned 14, but prior to that had told the young boy: ‘We can never tell anyone what we are doing. People are ignorant and they would never understand that we love each other and this is how we show it. If anyone were to ever find out our lives and career would be over.’
Fans of Jackson and his family were shocked when they learned about the filing given that Robson had been a crucial witness in Jackson’s acquittal on similar charges back in 2005.
At that trial he testified under oath that Jackson had never once touched him inappropriately or abused him during their time together.
Robson responded to the criticism by stating: ‘I did not believe that I was forced. I believed that I was a consenting participant in the sexual acts.’