Jimmy savile autobiography of benjamin

This chapter uses the case of British television entertainer Jimmy Savile to explore the contours of sexual violence, knowledge and visibility.

Savile’s post-death unmasking as a violent sexual predator elicited complicated responses including disbelief, shame and anger.

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Some argued that nobody knew of Savile’s activities, or that moral standards were different in earlier eras. Yet Savile operated in a realm of tacit knowledge, and many did report him or otherwise try to intervene. The case reveals parallels between reporting of child sexual abuse and the nature of historical inquiry.

Flitting between contemporary and non-recent portrayals of Savile and comparing with those of Ian Brady and others, we also see how representational mythologies, codes and tropes both endure and transmute in the cultural conscience.

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   John Strickland, ‘The List’, Line of Duty (BBC, 21 April ).

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