Online troll called social services on MP he disagreed with

[CruCru]

There’s a thing in the Times about this.

“A senior female MP was subjected to a social services investigation after an online troll tried to get her children taken from her with a vexatious complaint about her political views.

Stella Creasy was then told by police that they would not impose criminal sanctions on her harasser, who also bombarded her office with emails, because he was “entitled” to the view that her children should be taken into care”.

I have to admit that, while this was terrible for the MP, my first thought was how awful it is that someone can freely waste social services’ time. There are children who experience terrible hardship and neglect and could really do with some intervention - but they won’t have got it because some pillock has decided to run a vendetta against an MP.

Hmmm tricky one.

Whilst what the troll did was terrible, if people were getting prosecuted for reporting suspected abuse, fewer people would report and more children would remain in dangerous situations.

The complaint to social services in and if itself should not be subject to a criminal charge but as part of a pattern of harassment it should be.

What I found particularly disturbing was the way in which the police vigorously upheld the right of this troll to object to Creasy’s “extreme” views about violence against women and girls. Compare that with the zeal with which the police turn up to reprimand or arrest women who believe in the dictionary definition of their own sex.

The harassment is what should be acted upon, I agree

I think Boris Johnson is unfit to be a parent on account of his pattern of behaviour, and indeed to hold public office, but I will not be contacting him about it.

I think that part of what I’m so annoyed about is the reporting to SS as a punishment for views this dude didn’t share. SS are not a bogeyman - they must get so fed up of having to investigate malicious complaints.

Another sign of how sexist the current SS referrals system is. This wouldn't happen to a male MP because their opinions and job wouldn't ever be connected with their potential ability to be a caregiver to their child.

How awful. I'm in full agreement with you about all this @CruCru Stella is a great MP and the idea of her being maliciously reported to SS is dreadful.

I reckon when I worked in a duty team up to 20% of my intake cases were vexatious reports. Ex partners or neighbors in disputes and the like.
Sometimes multiple referrals. They were a massive and frustrating waste of time. Each one needed looking at however in case it was true.