Sexual misconduct, non-apologies and trial by social media

Gender curiosity is normal in children; it is part of their development of identity and a sense of their place in the world.

Conflating this natural curiosity in children with confusion is irresponsible. Using it to try to change sexual mores represents social re-engineering at its worst.

I am not conflating the issues of gender-fluidity and sexual assault. They are clearly miles apart in most respects. My point is that our response to them may reflect a deep, underlying confusion about sexual and gender roles.

It is past time that we faced up to the problems of sexual harassment and assault in the workspace. For too long, we've allowed them to go unanswered.

We must not allow our discussion to become party-politicised. In this, there are important lessons to be learned from the current political discourse across the Atlantic.

Last week, US conservatives were reportedly rejoicing over the fact that liberals such as Senator Al Franken are facing charges of assault. This follows the furore surrounding Roy Moore, a candidate for an Alabama senate seat. He has been accused of molesting two women when they were teenagers, denying all charges.

Meanwhile, Democart John Conyers has resigned from the House Judiciary Committee. Conyers admits that he settled a harassment case privately, while still denying any liability over the charges.

Some of the political fallout in these cases seems to have overshadowed the real issues at stake - the manipulation or intimidation of other people, mostly women.

We will doubtless hear many more stories like these in coming days and weeks. Some of the alleged pereptrators will surprise us, others may not.

The fact remains that no matter how well known the individuals involved, there is a gaping chasm between celebrity familiarity and intimate personal knowledge.

We must take a step back, inhale deeply, and think long and hard about what we all consider appropriate behaviour.

At the end of the day, I think we'll arrive at the conclusion that old-fashioned good manners, dignity and respect are far less anachronistic than some may have imagined.