R. Kelly behind bars, victims now free

Thank God that the piece of sex trafficking garbage known as R. Kelly will finally be off the streets when the singer is sentenced in May 2022. Still, most folks wonder why it took so long to bring him to justice, even though stories of his lurid behavior circulated for years. Years in which the lives of so many were damaged while people in the industry laughed off tales of his sordid lifestyle. Comedian Dave Chappelle even did a skit on his TV show depicting Kelly urinating on women. Kelly had many enablers.

One of the reasons justice took such a long time coming was that his celebrity helped shield him and gave him opportunity to not only indulge in depravity, but to turn lewd backstage encounters into a fullfledged criminal enterprise — sex trafficking. He was aided and abetted by a cadre of misogynists and opportunists, many of whom knew his very young conquests wouldn’t be believed, or would be disgraced. In fact, Kelly’s defense even exploited that theory: These young women were just groupies looking for a good time.

I have to praise the victims who found the strength to step forward, inspired greatly by the documentary “Surviving R. Kelly.” One of the more insidious effects of sex abuse and trafficking’s degradation is the grooming and breakdown of its victims, which leads to victims themselves participating in debauchery and harm against other women, and even recruiting new victims. This world becomes “normal,” and the enabling continues even among the victims.

Which makes the courage of the women stepping forward to testify against Kelly all the more powerful. How did he get away with this for so long? He had power, and he had fixers — managers, assistants, people on call to make problems go away so the lucrative R. Kelly brand could keep paying off.

Those who accepted the situation and helped perpetuate it may have enjoyed money and privilege, but it cost them their souls. More than a few of his enablers will be called to account for their participation in a court of law.

Although R. Kelly’s crimes flew under the radar for far too long, and many were hurt psychologically and otherwise, the best disinfectant has always been the bright light of day.

Now that he has been found guilty and locked away, let the healing begin.

Ap file JUSTICE AT LAST: After decades of avoiding criminal responsibility for numerous allegations of misconduct with young women and children, R. Kelly was convicted this week in a sex trafficking trial in Brooklyn Federal Court