Men hanging around children's playparks

[Forcelittle]

There seems to have been a rash of these on my local FB. Posts full of outrage (?) Fear (?) about men, usually with dark skin, loitering near play parks.

My first reaction is FGS live and let live you nasty racists, but there have been so many I'm now wondering if either they're made up, or there is something untoward. Why are men hanging around in groups by a playpark?

Or was my first guess right?

Men on their own? Suspicious.

A group of men? I'd be guessing they don't have anywhere else they can gather in public so choose the park. They should stay away from the childrens area though.

Yes, your first guess was right. My local Facebook group is full of this nonsense. Hanging around by parks, going around in white vans, knocking on doors. Oh, they are everywhere except they are not.

I had a customer come into my shop last week in a panic about 'all the migrants'. I said 'where, here, in our town? Where have you seen them?' She looked stunned and went quiet and replied that actually she hadn't seen any here. She then said that it's 'on the local news' (which we established is the local Facebook group) where every other post is about the imminent threat of migrants, posted by red-faced local men who are, in fact, more of a threat.

Playparks are usually or often in public parks, where the public tend to hang around.

Yes, but also no. I spend a lot of time in the park. I don't choose to sit by the children's area unless I have children with me.

Racist content posted by aggrieved and often disadvantaged people, fanned by bot farms and signal amplification.

It might well be true. The Asian men in my street regularly hang around the playground and chat . There’s no nefarious intentions though. They’re just spending time together, sometimes with their children, often without. It does make some of the other parents uncomfortable though and I can understand why but no harm is intended.

We know men are a threat to us and to children, and increasingly there are stories that make it seem like it is "all men", but I like to believe otherwise.

I was running in the woods with friends recently and a passerby (couple) warned us that there was a man on his own round the corner. A lone man, with no dog, going for a walk 😮

I think it's fear. And a knock on effect is that the simple pleasure of taking your young children to a park, and watching them or joining them having fun playing will be something that's only done by fathers in the future. When my daughter noticed a group of dark skinned men leaning on the fence, watching us, we left immediately. I spoke to the only other family there, a grandma, grandpa and toddler and she said it was why nobody used the park much anymore.

I think your first guess was probably right. It’s untrue or exaggerated and perpetuated by racists who want to stir up hate because they don’t have enough going on in their own sad little lives.

Whats wrong with a man on his own going for a walk? I’m a woman the goes for a walk alone without a dog - there is no difference unless you want to create animosity towards migrants.

A man walking on his own in the woods is a potential rapist whereas a woman isn't.

Potential, not guaranteed. People
are supposed to be innocent until
proven guilty in this country.

I see a lot of men in my local park. They use it and leave. Like everyone else.🤷‍♀️

Ignore the race baiting posts on FB @Forcelittle.

Sorry I didn't realise the lone man in the woods was being convicted of anything 🤔Sounded like women were just being cautious.

If I offered you a choice of 4 drinks, but told you one glass was poisoned, would you still take one? Each one is only potentially poisoned, it's not guaranteed.

It’s all bollocks isn’t it? Just designed to whip up hatred

I was on the park with the kids once why my husband went on a run, said I’d meet him back at the park in an hour. Eldest needed a wee so I took him to the toilet next thing I know there’s a bunch of people accusing my husband of looking at children and hanging around parks 🤣 it was absolutely ridiculous!

I find myself wondering why the “save are women, while committing acts of domestic violence- keep abuse for British men” brigade, who challenge people sitting in a public park are doing hanging around those public parks…

Wow how racist and sexist can you be.??

a lone man going for a walk?? How dare he… but if he had a dog that’s ok?

Men on their own, dogs not on leads; there is always a risk in this world. You just have to stay as safe as you can, supervise your kids, and animals.

I tell my daughters to avoid groups of Pakistani-looking men, never to eg drink vodka if it’s offered and not to go with them to their flats or get in their cars.
I caveat it by saying I hate to say it because it sounds racist but with rape gangs operating in 149 areas they can’t be too careful. I’d rather I sound racist than they get hurt. They should have their guard up against all young men of course but need to be especially careful here.

In some parks, all or most of the seats, and facilities like toilets/food etc are next to this area. I'm always with the kids if I'm in a park, but there's not necessarily anything wrong with lone adults (who might well be parents-we shouldn't assume a particular skin colour or sex makes you completely safe or unsafe, or less likely to be meeting your kids at the park) who might need to sit down using the park too.

My DH is an Asian man who walks on his own in woods and goes to parks on his own. Not the play area but parks, yes. Shock, horror.
People should stay off FB.

I don’t know your ethnicity but do you also tell her to be wary of groups of white British men too? They’re statistically more likely to be rapists or participate in rape gangs in the UK.

I'd widen that warning to all men if I were you.

Wouldn't the same apply to white men offering them vodka or asking them to get in cars and go to flats?

Besides which that's not the way those gangs operate. The grooming doesn't start with vodka.

But if a bunch of white men offer her some vodka and a ride in their car she should go for it!