Forty years later, Roman Polanski’s rape of then-13-year-old Samantha Geimer — the culpability for which Polanski dodged when he fled the United States before sentencing — remains a polarizing issue. In one of the most recent flare-ups, Polanski stepped down from his role as president of the César Awards after threats of protest from French feminists who called his appointment “an outrageous act to the many victims of rape and sexual assault.†While Polanski’s resignation was a victory for those committed to denying platforms to rapists, Geimer, who has repeatedly spoken out about her desire to move past her association with Polanski’s crime, says she feels used by people who go after Polanski in her name. Geimer told TMZ: “I don’t like being used by advocates boycotting that he’s going to be the president of the César Awards, people make a petition without my consent.â€
Geimer’s comments come as Polanski is once again trying to free himself from the legal consequences of his conviction, attempting to get court transcripts released that his lawyer believes will prove he deserves to return to the U.S. as a free man. With advocates again gesturing to Geimer to argue the case for Polanski’s continued guilt, Geimer says she is tired of people treating her like a victim. “What happened to me is, sadly, common — however, not the end of the world, and I’m sure I would have been fine, and I was fine, but nobody wants me to be fine … I continue to be asked to be a victim so people can use my experience, change it, make it worse, dramatize it for their own agendas … I’m not a victim anymore, I can speak for myself, I don’t want to be used.â€