Would you attend a peaceful protest if a convicted paedophile moved into your street?

[thefourgp]

I’ve never attended anything similar before and I’m in two minds about going. He was convicted (I’ve read the newspaper articles which show his photo) and has been released after serving half his sentence. I don’t know if he owns the property but he’s moved in with his wife who stood by him. There’s a peaceful protest being arranged. Would you go?

@Nicolastuffedone I have very similar views to you in this respect. It is an unhealthy pastime.

The problem is, these words have become part of daily lexis for some and they shouldn’t be.

‘Paedo’ just means ‘relating to children’. It’s a Greek word and so we have words derived from this like paediatrician, paedocracy and so on. ‘Phile’ means a fondness for or excessive interest in, hence bibliophile and so on. Thus the word ‘paedophile’ obviously and unpleasantly literally translates as ‘love’ for children. Of course it is anything but love which to be honest is why I don’t really like it but i think it is in common enough usage that people know what it means.

Paedo however, is different. It’s a slang term for paedophile. Slang, as we know, is informal. Child sexual abuse should not be something that is treated as informal, casual, careless, for obvious reasons, it isn’t.

I’ve explained about the history of nonce. It is literally straight from prison and is used because of violence.

Think about those sort of slang words in other contexts. Lezza, trannie, offensive words to describe someone’s country of origin. They really aren’t casually used by anybody.

Thanks to the pp who explained the difference between the terms “paedophile” and “child sex offender”.

I wonder how many people apparently driven by a desire to protect children would volunteer to be part of a Circles of Support and Accountability, an organisation supporting sex offenders to manage their behaviour so that they don’t offend or reoffend?

That takes real courage.

@SiSeniora

Some offenders will never ever rehabilitate it's wastibg tax payers money keeping them alive. Even when they get out of prison they are still bleeding the tax payer through welfare. Death penalty and directing all that money wasted in keeping them locked to the survives of their crimes. If a few innocent people get mistakenly hurt then im sorry but thats just a small sacrifice and casualties of a greater moral and societal good which is to get rid of individuals beyond hope. We would still be civilised enough that their death or execution will never be as painful ad the pain they inflicted on their victims so i dont accept that death penalty means wr are just as bad or being 'tit for tat' or have gone backwards. The current system is fucked up and broken. Its not working and haemorraging money on foul waste fit only for flushing out. But weak though majority liberals would never allow it.

WTF have I just read?

@DeeCeeCherry How does rehousing paedophiles work? Are there certain areas that they aren't allowed to move to i.e. beside schools or nurseries? Would they be allowed to move into say a semi detached house where the other side of the house has a young family? Are there any rules around where they can and can't move?

I am a hypocrite really as I answered yes, but I do not agree with Peadophile hunters, yet going to the protest would in effect make me one.

It's a difficult subject, knee jerk reactions, past events admittedly cloud my view. I dont know what the best solution is.

@SiSeniora what if it was your husband/brother/dad/son who got wrongly convicted and put to death, in alignment with your "If a few innocent people get mistakenly hurt then I'm sorry but that's just a small sacrifice and casualties of a greater moral and societal good which is to get rid of individuals beyond hope" opinion?

I wonder how many people apparently driven by a desire to protect children would volunteer to be part of a Circles of Support and Accountability, an organisation supporting sex offenders to manage their behaviour so that they don’t offend or reoffend?
That takes real courage
Real courage or real naivety?

I do not believe for one second a paedophile can be reformed, they will always be attracted to children.
They are the masters of manipulation imo.

@MrsJunglelow given your criticisms, what are YOU doing to try to resolve this issue in a fair and sensible manner?

@FamilyOfAliens I am involved with Circles, it is a great organisation with sound results.

Most people would rather the paedophile was far away from their own home. My priority is my own DC not anyone else’s. so you don’t actually give a shit about his actual victim either then? You know, the child who was raped by him but as she’s not yours she’s not your priority?

I'd go.

I'd much rather be counted as part of a united community who are unhappy he's there, than ignore my neighbours discomfort and turn a blind eye to a shitbag. I'd want the paedo to know from the get go that I'm never going to be approachable in any context no matter how long he's there.

And yes there are un-detected paedos hiding in plain sight but that's a different argument. We should all be vigilant and trust our instinct but that doesn't cancel out or minimise the other.

Unfortunately I've known a few convicted paedos over the years either via work, a music group, even a distant family member (via marriage) and they all behave the same before and after prison - no remorse and highly manipulative. they can and do slowly insinuate themselves into a community and participate in activities that don't directly involve children but give them even a small an inroad to groom parents. IME they are incredibly cunning, slippery and resourceful men who treat blind eye turning as tacit acceptance.

As for the people advocating violence on this thread, do you not realise that if your daughter came home with someone known for violence against anyone else, you would presumably be concerned for her welfare. But because that violence is committed towards what you perceive to be a just cause it’s presumably not actually violence?

A person who is capable of attacking and eleven murdering a paedophile is capable of attacking and murdering their partner, their children, their mates out on a Friday night. Violence is violence. If you commit a violent act then you’re a violent person. There is no middle ground here.

I note the OP has posted and ran. I’m guessing journalist maybe? For the next tabloid “hunt-a-paedo” campaign.

Sexual deviance cannot be "reformed"

@MrsJunglelow given your criticisms, what are YOU doing to try to resolve this issue in a fair and sensible manner?
Which issue, I’m a little confused.
Do you mean about paedophiles in society generally?
In my opinion, paedophilia is not curable.

I believe that people sexually attracted to children will always be sexually attracted to children and will always present a risk to society.

I don’t feel comfortable with the death penalty and would like to see paedophiles (and adult rapists) imprisoned for the rest of their lives because I don’t believe they are ever safe in wider society.

Because I believe they will always pose a risk wherever they are placed I have no real issue with them being driven out and although I wouldn’t personally physically harm them myself i wouldn’t really care if anyone else did and I would not help police find the perpetrator/s.

@FamilyOfAliens I am involved with Circles, it is a great organisation with sound results
That they know of...
As I said, masters of manipulation.
Just because you aren’t getting reports doesn’t mean they aren’t trying to abuse again or have succeeded.
I think you are very naive if you truly think they can be rehabilitated.

I think a known paedophile or known child sex offender are both appropriate. Why do you ask

Simply interested. I was hoping it wasn't going to be a diluted description of the crime tbh. Which fortunately it wasn't.

Having had a very negative experience of vigilante groups (which I won't be detailing here) I don't support this type of thing. Sex offenders are supervised and monitored though admittedly not 24/7. It's better to know where they are living than have them driven underground. And people can travel. Just because no "paedo" lives on your street does not mean your children are safe. Stay aware but leave this to the authorities.

@MrsJunglelow

I wonder how many people apparently driven by a desire to protect children would volunteer to be part of a Circles of Support and Accountability, an organisation supporting sex offenders to manage their behaviour so that they don’t offend or reoffend? That takes real courage Real courage or real naivety?

I do not believe for one second a paedophile can be reformed, they will always be attracted to children.
They are the masters of manipulation imo.

Please inform yourself about the work of this organisation.

Just have a look - it shouldn’t take you long. Then you can post from a viewpoint of being informed, rather than just posting your beliefs about the organisation and the impact their work has on preventing children’s suffering.

www.circles-uk.org.uk/about-circles

[quote BananaPop2020]@MrsJunglelow given your criticisms, what are YOU doing to try to resolve this issue in a fair and sensible manner?

@FamilyOfAliens I am involved with Circles, it is a great organisation with sound results.[/quote]
I take my hat off to you, @BananaPop2020.

Thank you for all you do to help keep children safe from harm.

Why was his sentence so short. Maybe that is what we should be protesting.

Out after 2.5 years, that is an absolute joke.

He destroyed young children's lives. Why should he get to carry on as normal so quickly. How must the victims feel.

Please inform yourself about the work of this organisation

Just have a look - it shouldn’t take you long. Then you can post from a viewpoint of being informed, rather than just posting your beliefs about the organisation and the impact their work has on preventing children’s suffering

www.circles-uk.org.uk/about-circles

@FamilyOfAliens
I will look at it but can you answer this?
Does the organisation believe that pardophiles can be rehabilitated?
Yes or no?

Because if the answer is yes, no matter what the organisation says, I believe you are naive and wrong.
I do not believe paedophilia is curable.

From the circles website:

‘Circles of Support and Accountability (Circles) build safer communities through local volunteers working with sex offenders to minimise alienation, support reintegration and so prevent sexual reoffending’

‘The successful rehabilitation and reintegration of a sex offender requires consideration of their own needs, the victim’s needs and those of the community’

No, just no.

Knowing that he is a convicted paedophile, could a restraining order be taken out so that he isn’t able to access the child next door in any way; to look at, speak to etc. If that means any windows overlooking the child’s garden are boarded, and he is unable to go into his own garden, so be it. The protection of the child is more important than his freedoms.

He has raped a 5 yr old. There is no safeguarding measure too strong, and it should not be up to the child’s grandparent to avoid her own garden.

@MrsJunglelow

Please inform yourself about the work of this organisation

Just have a look - it shouldn’t take you long. Then you can post from a viewpoint of being informed, rather than just posting your beliefs about the organisation and the impact their work has on preventing children’s suffering

www.circles-uk.org.uk/about-circles

@FamilyOfAliens
I will look at it but can you answer this?
Does the organisation believe that pardophiles can be rehabilitated?
Yes or no?

Because if the answer is yes, no matter what the organisation says, I believe you are naive and wrong.
I do not believe paedophilia is curable.

Thanks for agreeing to have a look.

It’s not about thinking paedophiles can be rehabilitated. It’s about enabling them to live their lives with the support they need to manage their behaviour.

A bit like how some mental health conditions can’t be cured, but people can be supported to live with them.

And please don’t demand “yes or no”. It’s more nuanced than that.

It cuts reoffending.

I don’t believe they can ever be rehabilitated either but what do you do with them when they’ve served their sentence? They’re going to be living in the community whether you want them to or not. Isn’t it better that they are known and monitored rather than living anonymously?