Britain still grappling with celebrity sex abuse

FILE - In this Sunday Sept. 18, 2005 file photo, Vera Lynn and Jimmy Saville, right, are seen at the unveiling of a contemporary sculpture at Victoria Embankment in central London to mark the 65th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. A growing scandal of decades-old sexual assault allegations against television icon Bill Cosby has shocked many in the United States. Across the Atlantic, Britain has been struggling for more than two years to come to terms with a barrage of similar accusations against leading men in its entertainment world who allegedly used their fame and power to exploit young victims. The soul searching began with revelations that late DJ and television host Jimmy Savile - a cultural fixture once mourned by people from Prince Charles to the Bee Gees - had been assaulting underage girls for over half a century, using charitable work as a cover to get access to victims. Savile died in 2011 and his reputation began to unravel after an ITV documentary about the abuse. Soon the wave of allegations became a tsunami, implicating schools, charities and hospitals where Savile volunteered. (AP Photo/Matthew Fearn, Pool, file) FILE - In this Sunday Sept. 18, 2005 file photo, Vera Lynn and Jimmy Saville, right, are seen at the unveiling of a contemporary sculpture at Victoria Embankment in central London to mark the 65th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. A growing scandal of decades-old sexual assault allegations against television icon Bill Cosby has shocked many in the United States. Across the Atlantic, Britain has been struggling for more than two years to come to terms with a barrage of similar accusations against leading men in its entertainment world who allegedly used their fame and power to exploit young victims. The soul searching began with revelations that late DJ and television host Jimmy Savile - a cultural fixture once mourned by people from Prince Charles to the Bee Gees - had been assaulting underage girls for over half a century, using charitable work as a cover to get access to victims. Savile died in 2011 and his reputation began to unravel after an ITV documentary about the abuse. Soon the wave of allegations became a tsunami, implicating schools, charities and hospitals where Savile volunteered. (AP Photo/Matthew Fearn, Pool, file)

By Associated Press November 21, 2014 3 min read

LONDON (AP) – A growing scandal of decades-old sexual assault allegations against television icon Bill Cosby has shocked many in the United States. Across the Atlantic, Britain has been struggling for more than two years to come to terms with a barrage of similar accusations against leading men in its entertainment world who allegedly used their fame and power to exploit young victims.

Like the allegations against Cosby, most of those now claiming abuse against high-profile figures in Britain point to incidents that took place years, if not decades, ago. Here’s a look at what has happened in Britain:

WHERE IT ALL STARTED

The soul searching began with revelations that late DJ and television host Jimmy Savile – a cultural fixture once mourned by people from Prince Charles to the Bee Gees – had been assaulting underage girls for over half a century, using charitable work as a cover to get access to victims. Savile died in 2011 and his reputation began to unravel after an ITV documentary about the abuse. Soon the wave of allegations became a tsunami, implicating schools, charities and hospitals where Savile volunteered.

Britons wondered how they could have been deceived so long and allegations simmered of a cover-up at the highest levels. As the scandal exploded, authorities began investigating further, launching a national inquiry called “Operation Yewtree.”