The Decline of Trust to Protect our Vulnerable

In the wake of Rolf Harris's conviction for sexual abuse, it has been interesting to note how quickly the raft of celebrities and politicians who were happy to endorse him during the height of his fame, have been swift in their condemnation, as they rapidly attempt to distance themselves from him, writes Somerset County councillor Linda Vijeh.

We have seen comments from the likes of Esther Rantzen, Ronnie Corbett and Cilla Black, where not so long ago many of his showbiz colleagues would seek to bask in the reflected glory of association with someone who, at the time, was deemed to have become a national treasure.

What has surfaced during the trial is that Rolf has long been known to have had a dark side; reportedly coming to light on occasions such as those in which his latest artwork might have been unveiled. His response to criticism of his work revealed a less than genial side to his nature.

Inevitably, in the wake of his demise, the topic of much discussion is the fate of his paintings. They seem to have disappeared from public view overnight, as those who once lauded his dubious artistic talents now wish to hide their embarrassment at having fallen into the trap of paying through the nose for something with little merit. There have been calls for his paintings to be destroyed, but I would argue that they will quickly gain cult status, and will become quite valuable. Better therefore to auction them off, and the proceeds to go to his victims, or to support those organisations that support victims of abuse.

The real worry here is the extent to which such devious, manipulative behaviour is carried out so openly, with a level of arrogance borne out of the knowledge of the protection provided by his cosy celebrity coterie.

Closer to home, let's not kid ourselves; it may not make international headlines but this subversive, controlling behaviour is more common than we'd like to believe.

It is unfortunately a common ploy for those wishing to exert influence in an unhealthy way to position themselves within their communities, to become virtually untouchable. It is incumbent upon all of us to be aware of the motives behind those who seek to ingratiate themselves with us and our families, and for us to be more careful of the company we keep, or entrust our children to. Sadly, the lesson for all of us is that in future it will be that much more difficult to be able to blindly trust those who seek to do good, for we will all be looking for the ulterior motive.