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?

"Goodwhich island? Under what jurisdiction? Who will enforce it?"

I know It's not realistic, but if possible that's what I'd do with them. I had an "escape from New York" type thing in mind for them. Also an Island (or several) for murderers, and another set for rapists too.

As it is here, at least, if they're housed near a school, lots of kids etc, they're put out, and named and shamed on social media, until they settle somewhere more sensible/out of the way. It tends to follow them, once what they've done gets out, they tend to be found out eventually when they have to move on. They're more likely to be left alone, if they're housed in less residential areas, don't try to become involved in community activities where children would be taking part etc (not saying I agree or disagree, that's just how it is).

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

But you wouldn't ever achieve that by joining a demonstrating mob. The concept that the paedophile is taking notes of everyone present and saying "Better not approach him/her" is just ludicrous.

@Imissmoominmama

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.

He will be out on licence. If his wife lives next door to a household with a child I strongly suspect he wouldn't be allowed to go to her house anyway, and there would be stringent terms attached to the licence. He will also be on the Sex Offenders' Register which means the police and others will be keeping a very close eye on him.

@Ketrina

I don’t believe they can ever be rehabilitated either but what do you do with them when they’ve served their sentence?

They shouldn't be allowed to live.

Pointless response, really, given that we don't have the death sentence and, even when we did, it would not have been applied to paedophiles.

@MrsJunglelow

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

I am reading through everything but quite honestly, we are never going to agree here because the organisation believes rehabilitation is possible and i don’t.

As far as I’m concerned they should be imprisoned indefinitely and the idea that they should be rehoused and ‘re integrated’ into society makes me feel sick and I think very many people will feel the same.

But, given that they aren't going to be imprisoned indefinitely, what's your solution?

Nobody wants a paedophile living near them but unfortunately you probably have paedophile living near you.It's scarily common.

This. Chances are it’s a member of your own family too rather than a stranger.

so it would be their interests/safer for them not to be in the community anyway and residents should be making it crystal clear to paedophiles they are not welcome anywhere.

But again, it is a physical impossibility for a released paedophile to live nowhere. It's so easy to shout about what you don't want to happen, but it's not so easy to come up with a solution, is it?

@Ketrina

Peados have always been hated, they know they risk prison etc and they still do it.

Exactly. They take the risk, they should be out in prison with the general pop and see what happens to them.

I really detest this concept that, as a society, we should deliberately put certain categories of prisoner in with other violent inmates in the hope or expectation that they will assault those prisoners. It's utterly barbaric. People who think this is OK really aren't a lot better than the people they condemn.

And what are you going to do with the assailants? Are they to be punished for carrying out the will of the more vengeful element of society, or are we going to congratulate them? What happens if they decide (as has been known to happen) that some harmless prisoner is a notorious child abuser? What if their victim has been wrongly accused, as has also happened more than once? Do we still congratulate them for their good intentions? What if they then take that as licence to attack people who are relatively harmless? What if you or someone you love is in prison and ends up on the wrong end of their suspicions?

There's welcome level headedness here. Who is most likely to carry out any wrongdoing? Someone who wants to, thinks they can get away with it, and has the chance.
It could be nicking someone else's biscuit, or abusing a child, or doing a bank robbery.
So who will molest your child? Someone you trust, someone who has plenty of opportunity, someone who won't be caught.
Nobody would actively choose a neighbour previously known to have committed crime. But 999 times in a thousand, nobody will know. And even less often, people will suspect that their charming neighbour murdered his last neighbour, defrauded a previous neighbour, or raped a previous neighbour.

The only offence you will get to know about is this one, and the purpose is to keep children more secure, for example the one with the child in the next door garden. She knows either to keep the child away, or to put a c.c.t.v. and/or a higher fence, and/or fence off an area of the garden closer to the house, or on the opposite side of the garden, as a children's area. (Maybe not have balls or frisbees or dogs in the garden at the same times as the child is unattended?)

It is extremely unlikely he will attempt contact with children in the area, because he knows he is under observation by local people, local police, and his wife. There may be ten potential other offenders living nearby, and nobody knows who.

@canigooutyet

Females do have court ordered medical invention such as hysterectomy. Families/health professionals working with those with learning difficulties get court orders if there’s a conflict to get that hysterectomy.

It's very rare, and subject to a very, very stringent process to show that it is in the patient's best interests and that they lack the required mental capacity to enable them to consent to it themselves. It would never be ordered in respect of someone with capacity.

So completely irrelevant to this discussion.

No, definitely not.

Echoing a lot of PP but;

• he has to live somewhere
• it’s better his community knows what he’s done and police are aware of his location
• US style ‘paedo communities’ were they have all been forced out provides no rehabilitation whatsoever and is probably a major catalyst for reoffending

I would like to see more chemical castrations. This though has to be agreed by the sex offender very very few agree to this treatment. Personally feel that this is a treatment that persistent sex offenders should (if they want their freedom) have to adhere to. Ex offenders with a mh diagnosis that are under section have to comply with their medication (which have many side effects one that it can cause sexual dysfunction) so why can’t sex offenders have to comply (though many have a mh diagnosis so will be in medication)

As for rehabilitation I don’t believe it works or for very very few.

I still personally wouldn’t protest. I would in a non confrontational way by not engaging with that person at all. The manipulation that sex offenders work on is beyond what I and I believe most people can understand and manage they work on a whole other level and see vulnerability where most of us can’t

surely supporting and working with someone which means they are part of a community, realise the impact of their actions and even though they may consider reoffending

good grief.

Part of a community, they don’t care about that at all, apart from insinuating themselves enough to groom adults and eventually be around DC. Realise the impact, well the ones I know talk like they’re misunderstood, victims, they aren't genuinely interested in the impact on others only themselves. I’ve seen enough to say I don’t believe people like this can be rehabilitated.

I don’t agree with violence or castration and agree these creeps are everywhere but I’ll always argue for tattoo branding of convicted child rapists. you see that big red P and you know straight away, they don’t get to ooze and groom their way into people's lives, into people's heads, and ultimately get anywhere near any DC which is the aim. the pain of getting a tat and having that reminder of what you truly are is nothing compared to the suffering inflicted on eg. a 5 year old rape victim

I don't believe they can be rehabilitated either, not once they've offended. I think intervention would need to happen before they cross that line. Someone who's admitted to inappropriate thoughts, but hasn't acted on them is different, and if they seek help they should be given it.

I’ve been working today but I’ve thought about it a lot and on balance I’ve decided not to go.

I don’t personally know the woman who lives next door to him but a friend who lives in the same street said his wife owns the house and none of the neighbours were warned about him moving in.

There was a paedophile who lived in the street next to me when I was growing up. He had a dog and would repeatedly try to talk to the neighbourhood kids at the parks but we always ignored him or walked away. I found out when I was in my twenties that he had given money to a 14 and 15 year old girl ( both of whom were very vulnerable and from troubled homes) to pose for naked photos and carry out sex acts on him. I don’t believe knowing where a paedophile lives stops them from reoffending though it may make it more difficult for them.

There absolutely should be longer prison sentences and I think it’s something we should all campaign for.

I would like to see more chemical castrations.

This wouldn't achieve anything.

It's a common misconception that castration, chemical or otherwise, prevents a man from becoming sexually aroused or having an erection.

It doesn't. It makes it a bit more difficult, that's all.

I would definitely attend a protest.

My mum was raped as a 5 year old & it has had a majorly negative impact on her life as you can imagine. She has ptsd & her issues have affected me also.

The thing that committed the crime did not serve time in prison.

After the court case he went to my mums home to say 'sorry' as his Christian Church asked him to do so apparently!!
My nan literally had to stop my grandad killing him.
She begged for the evil piece of shits life because she didn't want my grandad to get arrested.

There are two types of people I hate most in life - Nazis & Paedophiles.
If convicted war criminal or a convicted paedophile moved into my road they would not have a quiet life, even if they were 90.

Never forgive, never forget.

Why is it used and why do so many not want to engage In such a treatment (though open to abuse to those who will engage in exchange for a shorter sentence)

It can reduce sexual arousal, persistent sexual thoughts and some treatments testosterone

It’s widely used in some Nordic countries with positive results (less reoffending) . It is not a cure it could help services manage sex offenders better

Absolutely not, I know of someone whom has a paedophile live opposite them, the person put up photos, shamed them on SM and guess what the Paedo was made to look like the victim, it caused alsorts of problems for the person whom caused the offence.

Yes I absolutely would.

They should all be branded across their forehead and never experience a moments peace for the rest of their lives.

I dont understand why convicted sex offenders of children and adults don't get far longer sentences. I fully agree that it's something we should campaign for.
If the man who is said to have killed a certain young girl, MM, had been given a proper jail term instead of a few years then she'd still be alive.

I don't know. I'd rather know where he is so can keep an eye on the scumbag but I also won't feel comfortable knowing he's closeby.

I strongly support capital punishment for paedophiles. They can't be rehabilitated so rather than spend valuable resources keeping them in prison, better to take them out of circulation once and for all.

There's got to be a better answer than just let them live peacfully in your street (so everyone else in the street loses their liberty), and allowing them to contribute to society, they've contributed enough thatnk you very much.

I agree the law needs to be improved, there's a headline in my local paper a man got 6 years, yes 6 years! for the most stomach churning abuse. Do you think his victims will be rehabilitated in 6 years? Will they feel comfortable going about their day to day business or meeting new people?

I don't know how you can rehabilitate someone to stop acting on sexual impulses they have already satisfied. So yes, there needs to either be intervention to stop those impulses or some wy of making them clearly visble to anyone they try to approach.

But yeah, I agree with @Takeitonthechin unfortunately they do have a habit of convincing people they are they victims of whatever circumstance they seem to find themselves in so no I wouldn't attend a protest, there would be nothing to gain from it, and he just gets to know where all the local kids and parents.

@thefourgp Don't attend the protest, but be extra vigilant with your son. Don't let him play outdoors and don't let him have sleepovers. Men like that can't control themselves and his wife will be enabling him so you just need to do everything you can to keep your family safe.

Going on a protest can seriously affect your house price