Rolf Harris 5 years 9 months in jail...not long enough

This article will briefly explore the case of Rolf Harris as this Monday he was sentenced to 5 years and 9 months in jail for a string of sexual offences. There will be a follow up to this article when the Attorney General referral decision is recieved on August 1st 2014.

The Sun's breaking news article as Rolf Harris was quizzed by police over sexual offences from earlier this year. Source: http://kangaroocourtofaustralia.com/2013/04/19/rolf-harris-arrested-the-world-exclusive-that-wasnt-the-mainstream-media-fraud/

The case
On Monday Harris got found guilty of 12 charges of indecent assault on 4 girls aged between 7 and 19. 7 counts were against his daughter's childhood friend The jury sentenced him to 5 years and 9 months half of which will be served on license.The judge Sweeney J described Harris as showing 'no remorse' and being left with a reputation 'in ruins'. Essentially this means that within 3 years he will be back on the streets and able to abuse children. 

More details and discussion of the case as it unfolded can be found in the following article from the Mirror http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/rolf-harris-sentencing-live-updates-3806866

Referral of the sentence to the Attorney General
Since Monday the sentence of 5 years and 9 months has been referred to the Attorney General Dominic Grieve who has 28 days to decide whether or not to increase the sentence. This is despite Sonia Woodley QC acting as Harris' defence barrister and arguing that since the assaults 20 years ago Harris has done good for society and his assaults after the assault of his daughter's friend were opportunistic rather than predatory. 

For more information on the referral itself please read this Guardian article on the referral http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jul/04/rolf-harris-jail-sentence-review-attorney-general

Why the referral happened It is believed the swntswnce is too short . Harris has shown no remorse and offered no explanation or apology for the pain he caused. One victim said he 'stole my childhood' whilst Sweeney J explained he caused immense psychological damage to his victims. Harris is also believed to be part of a wider paedophile group including Jimmy Savile as they visited hospitals together. Including in 1973 when savile gave Harris a personally guided tour of broadmoor where it has been reported by the Guardian (see the link below) that they watched patients undress and visited them at bedtime. http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/jul/01/jimmy-savile-rolf-harris-alleged-tour-broadmoor

The infamous Jimmy Savile and Rolf Harris enjoying a smoke and laugh together, their smiles hiding the horrendous double lives they were leading. Source http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/rolf-harris-may-have-watched-patients-undress-in-broadmoor-hospital-visit-with-jimmy-savile-9576747.html
 

As this case reaches its final resolution there is no doubt that more horrendous activities in which Harris took place will be revealed. I will endevour to keep you updated as often as I can. Thank you for reading.

The dark side of the World Cup in Brazil

What has been going on in Brazil?
Other than a thrilling World Cup, this summer in Brazil there have been countless stories of football fans buying hard drugs from the children in Brazil's favelas and media reports about children being used as prostitutes for fans who wish to have sex with underage children. On the face of it this should be an issue for the government of Brazil but with the world cup FIFA have become entagled in this human rigts mess because it was the FIFA board who voted to hold the World Cup in Brazil despite the human rights concerns.

Exanples of the stories in Brazil include :

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/12/world-cup-child-prostitution_n_5474716.html#- The Huffington post on children selling sex for a packet of cigarettes

http://www.americanbar.org/publications/international_law_news/2013/fall/soccer_samba_and_sex_preventing_human_trafficking_attending_brazils_world_cup_and_olympics.html- The American Bar Association legal news article on preventing human trafficking at the Brazilian World Cup and Olympics

http://www.mnnonline.org/news/2014-world-cup-cause-human-trafficking-spike/- Katy Hearth's article on why the World Cup could cause a spike in Human Trafficking levels

What happens to the fans who are caught engaging in these illegal acts?
There is a prominent legal issue here in that those fans who engage in illegal activities in Brazil are not arrested and tried in Brazil but are deported back to their country of origin. This is a major problem for the Brazilian victims because it means that Brazilian law is not clamping down on sex and drug trafficking because it is the countries where the fans are from that are punishing their citizen's for committing the crimes of drug use or rape (rape because despite the fact the prostitutes are consenting to the sexual acts they are not of an age to consent to having any kind of sexual contact)

Should FIFA take any responsibility?
Although this is not just a Brazilian problem the drugs and sex gangs in the World Cup reports are Brazilian and so primarily it is for Brazil to combat their own legal issues. However, given that FIFA knew of the situation before the World Cup they shoud take some responsibility for thedevastating results that being involved in the sex and drugs trade has on the children and adults involved. FIFA have been adversely affected by statistics that show that had Brazil not been given the World Cup then the money they have spent on the tournament could have paid for Brazil's welfare bill twice over or more. This would mean that many of those involved in human trafficking and the drugs trade would not need to be involved as they would no longer be living in povery stricken flavelas and could instead live in safer and more protected accomodation. Again it should be stressed that FIFA are not responisible for their crimes but there is an outcry for FIFA to acknowlege that football in general should not be treating such Human Rights issues as an unfortuantely inevitability for making football a global game.

What should FIFA be doing?
In reality, there is not a great deal that FIFA can do. My argument is that they should be creating stricter criteria that host nations have to meet in order to host a World  Cup including adequate Human Rights protection for both natives and fans and good control of local sex and drug related crime. No one is expecting Brazil to have no drugs or sex crime but what should be expected is an effective legal and policing system that means that the World Cup will not increase exploitation of children or adults.

Picture Source: www.catwlac.org- see this site for ways in which you can help support the movement against sex trafficking in Brazil

The media's role in the situation
There is evidence to suggest that the figures based on trafficking before and after the world cup are inaccurate. Similar scares started before both the German World Cup of 2006 and the South African World Cup 2010. In her article for AlJazeera (link below) Sonja Dolinsek explains that in  Germany it was shown by the Federal criminal Office that only 5 incidents of trafficking were related to the World Cup

For Sonja's article follow: http://m.aljazeera.com/story/201465123438956286

In reality this shows us that although FIFA should be careful to investigate World Cup hosts they cannot be held responsible for the trafficking situation in Brazil. The media may misrepresent the cases of trafficking related crime during the World Cup in order to create animosity towards FIFA and create some accountability for a failing Brazilian criminal law system. That is not wise, when it comes down to it, it is Brazil's responsibility. As nationals of other states we should be concerned with ensuring our citizens are not buying drugs are having illegal sex in Brazil.

Conclusion

All in all we should remember the World Cup is about bringing the beautiful game yo the masses and encouraging harmony through global appreciation of one sport. The media should learn from the mistakes of the past and hopefully during this world cup will distinguish between football based issues and legal issues that should rightfully be left to the Brazilian government.

Image Source: http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/p/keep-calm-and-love-the-beautiful-game/- my sentiments exactly