To feel a bit sorry for women who cannot protect their own children ?

[notmeagain0]

Don't get me wrong I could never let my children come to any harm but after watching moorside I can't help feel a bit sorry for Karen. She obviously should have protected poor Shannon but I think women like this can be so brainwashed by their boyfriends/ husbands and end up thinking what they are doing is ok. I obviously have no sympathy for the person who commits any crime to a child so don't want this post to appear that I do, just the mother who has been forced into it all

[DJBaggySmalls]

EightiethElement
"I'm pretty sure abusive men and women seek each other out."
NO. This isn't true.

Couples like Brady and Hindley most certainly do. They use compliance tests early on. They are an extreme, obvious example of something that happens on a smaller scale every day.

[corythatwas]

If Matthews' fault is that she "failed to protect" Shannon, who was she supposed to protect her from? As far as anyone knows, she was the main abuser here.

As far as I am aware her boyfriend was found innocent of any charges relating to Shannon (he served time for possession of indecent photographs but no suggestion of his having molested anyone). He was still very young, having entered the relationship as a young teenager, while Karen was a much older woman, so clear suggestion of grooming there. And the uncle, who was in on the abduction plan, had LD's. So who planned it if Karen didn't?

Is it at all conceivable that a man who had made a young vulnerable girl his girlfriend and then plotted with a relative of same girlfriend to drug and kidnap his own child would evoke reactions of pity?

Infantilising is right.

[c3pu]

I had to get a court order cos my kids mum can't/won't protect them from harm.

Love and affection, yes. Food and clothes, yes.

Protection from sex offenders and drug dealers? Nah, that's a risk she's willing to take... Pity I feel a lot of, patience has run out though.

[RainbowsAndUnicorn]

I only feel sorry for the children, adults have choices children don't.

A parent letting the abuse happen is just as guilty as the one doing it.

Children are supposed to be our most precious family yet the amount of parents that put their own needs, wants etc first whilst the children pay for that is astounding.

[puppysurprise]

In this country? Yabu sorry but there is plenty of help. I'm not saying it's easy and unlimited and I understand how hard it is to leave an abusive relationship. I have a friend who keeps going back. No children though. Not protecting your own children - no excuse.

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

I feel sorry for he children. I had a rather crappy childhood where there was some violence towards me and I still can't understand why my parents didn't protect me (more so since I have become a mother myself).