--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would like to say that what Mel…" description: "\"I would like to say that what Mel Phillips was doing was not sexual harassment but more sexual abuse of children, because he was doing it in a sexual m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c7/tom-cole-27756_abuse_i-would-like-to-say-that-what-mel-philli_1235590.png" --- # I would like to say that what Mel Phillips was doing was… ![“I would like to say that what Mel Phillips was doing was not sexual harassment but more sexual abuse of children, because he was doing it in a sexual manner now that I look back on it.” quote by Tom Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c7/tom-cole-27756_abuse_i-would-like-to-say-that-what-mel-philli_1235590.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c7/tom-cole-27756_abuse_i-would-like-to-say-that-what-mel-philli_1235590.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c7/tom-cole-27756_abuse_i-would-like-to-say-that-what-mel-philli_1235590.png) > “I would like to say that what Mel Phillips was doing was not sexual harassment but more sexual abuse of children, because he was doing it in a sexual manner now that I look back on it.” [Tom Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cole/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reframes a sexual harassment case as broader sexual abuse of children, reflecting hindsight bias. **In simple terms:** He reinterprets past behavior as child sexual abuse. Key Takeaway Recognize and label abuse accurately. Themes abuse rehindsight sexual misconduct child protection Mood critical reflective Type legal ethical When to use this quote - court testimony - media reporting - policy making - education programs Key Concepts legal definitions psychology of memory ethical labeling Questions to Reflect On - What are the impacts of mislabeling abuse? - How does hindsight bias affect justice? A Different Perspective Reframing may obscure legal distinctions and victim experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Harassment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harassment/) [Sexual abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexual-abuse/) ## Related quotes > [“I could bring you up on charges for that." "What?" "Work harassment in the sexual place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-bank/i-could-bring-you-up-on-charges-for-that-what-work-harassment-in-the/) [Melissa Bank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-bank/) > [Whether it's Hollywood or Bollywood, sexual harassment is a reality. I've experienced it first-hand, and I know many of my counterparts have as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shenaz-treasury/whether-it-s-hollywood-or-bollywood-sexual-harassment-is-a-reality-i/) [Shenaz Treasury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shenaz-treasury/) > [I deplore sexual harassment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/i-deplore-sexual-harassment/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [I'm all for teaching about important concepts like consent; I'm also very aware of how damaging and destructive it can be to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-timpf/i-m-all-for-teaching-about-important-concepts-like-consent-i-m-also/) [Kat Timpf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-timpf/) > [There are things I take sides about, like capital punishment, which it seems to me there is only one side about: it is evil.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-byatt-2/there-are-things-i-take-sides-about-like-capital-punishment-which-it/) [A. S. Byatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-byatt-2/) > [Almost everything can be construed as sexual harassment depending upon the way it is said. One general rule of thumb is to think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-sunshine/almost-everything-can-be-construed-as-sexual-harassment-depending/) [Linda Sunshine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-sunshine/) > [Hmm, that's not sexual harassment, baby. When I decide to get sexual, trust me, you'll know it. ~ Braden ~](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lora-leigh/hmm-that-s-not-sexual-harassment-baby-when-i-decide-to-get-sexual/) [Lora Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lora-leigh/) > [“When one loves another without considering marriage as the goal, it’s sexual harassment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chairman-mao/when-one-loves-another-without-considering-marriage-as-the-goal-it-s/) Chairman Mao > [“No," he said, and he snapped his fingers. "You'll come work for me at K----. And be a real associate editor." I said, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-bank/no-he-said-and-he-snapped-his-fingers-you-ll-come-work-for-me-at-k/) [Melissa Bank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-bank/) > [“We live in a world in which women are battered and are unable to flee from the men who beat them, although their door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natascha-kampusch/we-live-in-a-world-in-which-women-are-battered-and-are-unable-to-flee/) [Natascha Kampusch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natascha-kampusch/) > [Sexual harassment law is very important. But I think it would be a mistake if the sexual harassment law movement is the only way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-butler/sexual-harassment-law-is-very-important-but-i-think-it-would-be-a/) [Judith Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-butler/) > [I believe that victims of sexual harassment must be allowed to tell their story on their time, in their own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-reynolds/i-believe-that-victims-of-sexual-harassment-must-be-allowed-to-tell/) [Kim Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-reynolds/) > [Sexual harassment and gender discrimination is real, it's far more pervasive than I think people have been willing to acknowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-west/sexual-harassment-and-gender-discrimination-is-real-it-s-far-more/) [Tony West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-west/) > [Sexual harassment legislation in its present form makes all men unequal to all women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/sexual-harassment-legislation-in-its-present-form-makes-all-men/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [“Technically this is assault and Henry would tell me to verbally request that you not file a sexual harassment claim against me,” she said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/technically-this-is-assault-and-henry-would-tell-me-to-verbally/) [Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/) ## More by Tom Cole > [I admire Grover Norquist. I think hes done a lot of good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cole/i-admire-grover-norquist-i-think-hes-done-a-lot-of-good/) [Tom Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cole/) > [And what they believe in real life is complicated. Theodor Koch-Grunberg wrote in his diary that indigenous peoples in the Amazon see these outsiders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cole/and-what-they-believe-in-real-life-is-complicated-theodor-koch/) [Tom Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cole/) > [The two explorers are given fictional names. But as in real life, they travel to the Amazon roughly a generation apart, in the early-to-mid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cole/the-two-explorers-are-given-fictional-names-but-as-in-real-life-they/) [Tom Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cole/) > [I really do believe most people understand raising tax rates is bad for the economy, it costs jobs. It actually in the long term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cole/i-really-do-believe-most-people-understand-raising-tax-rates-is-bad/) [Tom Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cole/) > [In the end, all Republicans want to make sure we don't increase taxes. That's where we differ with the Democrats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cole/in-the-end-all-republicans-want-to-make-sure-we-don-t-increase-taxes/) [Tom Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cole/) > [The Ocaina and many of the other indigenous peoples of the Amazon were nearly wiped out during the rubber boom in the late 19th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cole/the-ocaina-and-many-of-the-other-indigenous-peoples-of-the-amazon/) [Tom Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cole/) > [I admire Grover Norquist. I think he's done a lot of good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cole/i-admire-grover-norquist-i-think-he-s-done-a-lot-of-good/) [Tom Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cole/) > [Both the old and young Karamakates are portrayed by indigenous men, neither of them professional actors. The old shaman is played by Antonio Bolivar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cole/both-the-old-and-young-karamakates-are-portrayed-by-indigenous-men/) [Tom Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cole/) > [Well, I guess the sexual abuse by Mel Phillips in a sense, he had a fetish for feet. He used to play with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cole/well-i-guess-the-sexual-abuse-by-mel-phillips-in-a-sense-he-had-a/) [Tom Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cole/) > ["Embrace Of The Serpent" has been a big deal for Colombians outside the Amazon. It's been showing continuously there for more than three months.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cole/embrace-of-the-serpent-has-been-a-big-deal-for-colombians-outside-the/) [Tom Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cole/) > [Karamakate says, "to become a warrior, every Cohiuano man must leave everything behind and go into the jungle, guided only by his dreams. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cole/karamakate-says-to-become-a-warrior-every-cohiuano-man-must-leave/) [Tom Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cole/) > [I'm against tax increases on anyone, period, end of debate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cole/i-m-against-tax-increases-on-anyone-period-end-of-debate/) [Tom Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cole/) > [Follow up the interview with a phone call. If Carrot Top can figure out how to use a phone, so can you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cole/follow-up-the-interview-with-a-phone-call-if-carrot-top-can-figure/) [Tom Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cole/) > [The loss of the culture is one of the main reasons Ciro Guerra wanted to tell their story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cole/the-loss-of-the-culture-is-one-of-the-main-reasons-ciro-guerra-wanted/) [Tom Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cole/) > [I think we've had two presidents in a row that tried to unite the American people and both of them failed, quite frankly. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cole/i-think-we-ve-had-two-presidents-in-a-row-that-tried-to-unite-the/) [Tom Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cole/) [Explore all 20 Tom Cole quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cole/) ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I would like to say that what Mel Phillips was doing was not sexual harassment but more sexual abuse of children, because he was doing it in a sexual manner now that I look back on it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Cole" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cole/i-would-like-to-say-that-what-mel-phillips-was-doing-was-not-sexual/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cole/i-would-like-to-say-that-what-mel-phillips-was-doing-was-not-sexual/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c7/tom-cole-27756_abuse_i-would-like-to-say-that-what-mel-philli_1235590.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c7/tom-cole-27756_abuse_i-would-like-to-say-that-what-mel-philli_1235590.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c7/tom-cole-27756_abuse_i-would-like-to-say-that-what-mel-philli_1235590.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I would like to say that what Mel Phillips was doing was not sexual harassment but more sexual abuse of…” — Tom Cole", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tom Cole", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cole/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I would like to say that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cole/i-would-like-to-say-that-what-mel-phillips-was-doing-was-not-sexual/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cole/i-would-like-to-say-that-what-mel-phillips-was-doing-was-not-sexual/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```