Let me address the defense many will give when defending someone accused of sexual misconduct. It is not uncommon to hear phrases such as, “He was always a perfect gentleman around me.” or “I never saw anything that came close to what he has been accused of.” “That is not the John Doe I know.”
Doubting a woman’s story based upon one’s own personal experience with the accused, is not a defense. Of course they are going to be the nice guy when they need to be, but act out on those vulnerable or those who they know will not fight back. Just because you have never witnessed inappropriate behavior does not mean it didn’t happen. The shock people felt when learning of Bill Cosby and Matt Lauer was based on what people around them thought they knew about them. The general public felt betrayed because these men led us to believe they were someone they were not.
A chameleon is difficult to see because he is so adept at changing colors to fit into his surroundings. The ability to hide who they really are is not only a talent but a necessity to continue their tawdry behavior. They need their tribe of supporters when the time comes to be defended against behavior no one would have suspected of them.
