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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think this petition is not ok

245 replies

NotInMyBackYard1 · 09/02/2017 20:03

Just that really - a man convicted of possessing indecent images of children has returned from prison and gone back to live at his parent's house. The locals have got hold of this information and have now set up a petition to get him 'rehomed' somewhere with no children. Outer Hebrides?
My view is he's done his time, he wants a fresh start, as long as he keeps himself to himself then just let him be? This petition doesn't sit well with me at all.

OP posts:
SemiNormal · 09/02/2017 21:55

Personally Sweets I would like to see some sort of centre where you can confidentially ring up and access help. But who would pay for it? The government would come under fire in the current climate for paying for it and no charity would ever get any donations.

There is a small charity set up www.stopso.org.uk/ they help to train therapists specifically for dealing with with sexual offenders or those at risk of committing an offence.

Original poster
NotInMyBackYard1 · 09/02/2017 21:56

Lastnight sorry I should have picked a better example. I'm going with Mars instead.
I was really picking fault with the petition to be honest and the suggestion that he is 'rehomed away from children'

OP posts:
Sweets101 · 09/02/2017 21:58

The stats show that around 9 times out of 10, if a child is sexually or physically abused, or kidnapped or murdered etc. it's going to be someone they know that does it, not Joe Bloggs from two streets away.

Yes because those that offend in that way are highly manipulative and predatory, not poor marginalised 'loners'. They will seek out opportunities.

JAPAB · 09/02/2017 21:59

Possessing compromising images of children is a crime. You don't have to touch someone to commit a sexual offence.

In some countries possession of nude or sexual images featuring adults is or was a crime. In which case a person who does so will have committed a sexual offence, but still not necessarily be a danger to the people of the same demographic as in the material, who live in their town.

But as I say, I can understand why, when it comes to children, people can be less inclined to chance it.

anaiis · 09/02/2017 22:00

Let's not put about the misconceived idea that if you're person who either has viewed, or feels a compulsion to view these images, but knows it is wrong and wants to seek treatment, you won't end up being reported to the police who will certainly raid your home etc. If they don't find anything, you won't get charged, but you'll wait months on bail while they are investigating - during which time you'll likely find the police may well block any attempts by you to get therapy.

As said above, any health professional you discuss this with has an obligation to notify the police.

Sweets101 · 09/02/2017 22:02

Are you actually comparing sexually images of adults to sexually images of children?
It doesn't matter whether they go on to offend against another child, they have offended against the child in the image by being party to their abuser and viewing it for their own gratification

pineapplesplit · 09/02/2017 22:03

I used to work on a ward for people who had committed sex offences. Obviously slightly different to the subject of this petition as they had been deemed mentally ill and so not responsible in the same way for their offences.
Not all of the men who had viewed child pornography were paedophiles, not all were capable of actually abusing children (some had the mental or emotional age of children themselves) not all of the men who had assaulted children were actually paedophiles.... in fact there was a massive array of situations as to why offences against children had been committed other than genuine sexual attraction to children.
If someone off this ward were ever released back into the community (which granted wasnt often, 1 person in the entire two years i worked there) they were judged by professionals to not present any danger to children in their vicinity. Now obviously there would be restrictions on them to prevent them working with or living with children and sometimes even remaining a certain distance from parks and schools etc (varies from case to case) but care is taken over the risk. Many many professionals have sat down and assessed this risk.

katronfon · 09/02/2017 22:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

user1478860582 · 09/02/2017 22:04

I can't accept that viewing images is acceptable. The damage done to the victims is huge.

JAPAB · 09/02/2017 22:04

Question to those who think pedophiles can be changed/helped... If one is to believe this is all a sexual desire/preference one that is deeply ingrained.

I don't believe you can change an underlying orientation. But eome people can surely be helped to not engage in certain behaviours, if they find themselves at a risk of committing them.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 09/02/2017 22:05

If you know you might (commit a crime) and seek help then multiple agencies need to share that information for safe guarding purposes

You'd think so, wouldn't you? If only it wasn't for all those blasted cases where "agencies" failed to do precisely that Sad

In the case I mentioned the usual shibboleths were trotted out to excuse yet another failure: "savage cuts", "staff shortages", "lessons have been learned" and all the rest, and still we're still expected to believe that "he won't ever be roaming free"?

I'm sorry, but no ... just NO

Sweets101 · 09/02/2017 22:06

Has viewed is completely different to felt a compulsion to. One is a crime, one isn't.

anaiis · 09/02/2017 22:06

In the Uk, the law draws a clear distinction between possession of images, and contact offences. Whilst both are indefensible, it is generally perceived that the former is less serious, and those offenders (for a number of reasons) more capable of successful rehabilitation.

TheWrathFromHighAtopTheThing · 09/02/2017 22:08

My sister is a social worker dealing with paedophile offenders who've been released under bail conditions.

She says you wouldn't believe how many people we're talking about; four men in her small village alone.

At least you know where this guy is.

thewindisscaringme · 09/02/2017 22:08

My FIL is a paedophile and if he moved nearby to my DC I would start a petition myself

YouHadMeAtCake · 09/02/2017 22:09

Need to grow up about it? Really?! You are odd user

Discussing how you want to rip them to pieces or whatever is a great way of beating your chest and looking all tough

That's a pretty stupid thing to say usercantbebotheredtogetaname

I don't know anyone that feels like that about it, it is because they genuinely want them hurt and or dead. I know I do.

SherlockPotter · 09/02/2017 22:11

I'm not defending people like him (what he has done is disgusting) but trying to get him moved where's there is no children isn't possible. The only two places would be a secure hospital or prison.

pineapplesplit · 09/02/2017 22:12

I might also add that depression can be big factor and/or having been abused as a child themselves. Someone may have severe depression that leads them to obsess over 'dark' things like child porn which they may then obsessively look at not because it arouses them or they want to sleep with children but from compulsion. They may also seek out videos of people being killed and tortured etc Its similar to the situation where anxiety and depression leads people to obsess over crimes they see in the newspapers to the point where they ring the police and confess to them even though they had nothing to do with it. I give these as examples because it is very possible to have viewed child pornography and been convicted but then to have been assessed by mental health professionals as being of no real danger to actual children and released into the community under certain conditions.

Sweets101 · 09/02/2017 22:13

She says you wouldn't believe how many people we're talking about; four men in her small village alone.
Yup.

anaiis · 09/02/2017 22:13

A therapist or other health professional presented with someone who feels a compulsion to view such an image may well consider they are minimising, and perhaps already have viewed it. So would be obliged to report to the police and lo and behold, we have a raid on someone who hasn't yet committed any crime. And a much longer wait for treatment?

Sweets101 · 09/02/2017 22:14

I'm not defending people like him (what he has done is disgusting) but trying to get him moved where's there is no children isn't possible.
Obviously, but people are still at liberty to sign a petition regarding it if they wish

JAPAB · 09/02/2017 22:15

It doesn't matter whether they go on to offend against another child, they have offended against the child in the image by being party to their abuser and viewing it for their own gratification

What do you mean "It doesn't matter"? It matters in terms of whether someone represents an actual threat to child safety and needs to be relocated to the childless end of the Outer Hebrides.

We can probably all agree that it is wrong to look at such images. But doing something wrong and being a danger are not necessarily one and the same.

ifoundthebread · 09/02/2017 22:18

I am the daughter of a paedophile and there is not enough details for me to make up my mind on this petition. Indecent images of children could be 15 year olds and the school is a primary school, majority of kids under 11 or vice versa. Of course I in no way condone what he is and in all honesty should be shot for being a sexual predator, but maybe he's not as much of a major threat at his parents house.

anaiis · 09/02/2017 22:19

pineapplesplit entirely agree, depression, early exposure to porn/ sexualisation, and sadly childhood abuse can often be significant contributing factors, and yes, those people would generally not be attracted to children or therefore considered to be a risk of escalating to contact offences.

YouHadMeAtCake · 09/02/2017 22:19

but trying to get him moved where's there is no children isn't possible

The bottom of the sea. No children there. Job done.