Opinion

Culture of deference allowed Jimmy Savile to go unchecked

Rather than examine the “culture” of the BBC, perhaps we need to look at our own wider social outlook in the years when Jimmy Savile, pictured in March 2008, was carrying out his assaults
Rather than examine the “culture” of the BBC, perhaps we need to look at our own wider social outlook in the years when Jimmy Savile, pictured in March 2008, was carrying out his assaults Rather than examine the “culture” of the BBC, perhaps we need to look at our own wider social outlook in the years when Jimmy Savile, pictured in March 2008, was carrying out his assaults

HOW could someone have been allowed to carry out widespread abuse for six decades?

In retrospect it seems incredible that Jimmy Savile, one of the most high-profile television entertainers of his time, was never brought to justice despite repeated rumours about his crimes.

Between the mid-1940s and 2009, Savile abused children and assaulted adults.

Last week, a leaked report into the BBC’s “culture and practices” during the fifty years it employed Savile outlined a damning list of his crimes.

It found he managed to get away with four rapes and 61 sexual assaults - all on BBC property. In fact, Savile carried out attacks in almost all of the BBC buildings in which he worked.

The report said in the early 1970s, girls attending Top of the Pops, which Savile regularly presented, were exposed to ‘moral danger’. One woman has already described how Savile groped her live on air in 1976 when she was just 18.

Despite widespread rumours about Savile’s activities, according to the leaked report the most senior managers at the BBC were not aware of his crimes.

Lord Hall, director general of the BBC, described the abuse as “a dark chapter in the history” of the corporation - albeit a chapter that lasted for more than fifty years.

During Savile’s working life, senior executives and producers came and went, the broadcasting and wider media landscape changed almost without recognition, yet he remained and his abuse continued.

Lord Hall said although he had not yet received the final report, it would be "invaluable in helping us understand what happened and to help ensure that we do everything possible to avoid it happening again”.

How it happened has already been outlined. The report pointed to a "deferential culture", "untouchable stars" and "above the law" managers.

In essence, some stars were seen as too important to be challenged, regardless of their actions.

Yet Savile’s crimes were by no means confined to the BBC.

A separate report published last year found he abused at least 63 people connected to Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire.

And Surrey Police said he also sexually abused 22 pupils and one visitor at a school for emotionally disturbed teenage girls.

Again the problems were linked to the idea that Savile was ‘untouchable’ - an idea that had been encouraged due to his links with the rich and powerful.

His work to raise money to rebuild the hospital was supported and encouraged by Margaret Thatcher, who he visited to show her drawings for the new building.

As his associations with those in power strengthened, so did his influence.

Despite several complaints about Savile from within the BBC and Stoke Mandeville hospital, none of them were treated with the seriousness they deserved.

Clearly a culture of deference extended towards a light entertainer who, even when I was a child, appeared to be a ridiculous figure with a penchant for gold jewellery.

But rather than examine the “culture” of the BBC, perhaps we need to look at our own wider social outlook in the years when Savile was carrying out his assaults.

Between the mid-1940s and noughties, our society changed almost beyond recognition. Arguably we used to live in a more deferential culture.

At one time, the churches, doctors and, indeed, anyone in a profession or with a modicum of wealth, could do no wrong.

Never mind the social revolution of the 1960s, in that decade my grandfather was still expected to take off his cap whenever he met the owner of the factory where he worked.

That culture of deference has certainly changed, but has it changed quickly enough?

Less than a decade ago police and prosecutors missed their third opportunity to prosecute late peer Lord Janner over sex abuse claims.

The ex-Labour MP allegedly abused boys 22 times between the 1960s and 1980s - allegations his family reject.

Yet chances to charge him in 1991, 2002 and 2007, were missed.

We have a tendency, which is all too human, that when faced with trouble we look away.

In both the Savile and Janner cases, some people felt it was easier not to examine serious allegations too deeply.

If the cases have taught us anything, it’s that sometimes complaints made by a few courageous people are not enough.

We need, as a society, to be quicker to scrutinise the powerful and slower to dismiss those who dare to challenge them.