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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think Brigitte Macron is a pedophile

347 replies

INFP · 26/08/2017 02:12

Apologies if this subject has been done before. But I came across an article where Brigitte Macron describes her love affair with her then 15 year old pupil where she goes on to say "when we became lovers is our secret".

AIBU to think this woman is a pedophile?

She actively groomed her FIFTEEN year old pupil. How is she different to Jeremy Forrest who was jailed for having a relationship with his pupil?

It is beyond disgusting.

OP posts:
FanDabbyFloozy · 26/08/2017 15:53

She is an abuser in my mind, no question.

Last year a similar MN who had reached the age where she had older children started to consider her relationship that had started when she was underage. For years she thought she was fine and then suddenly felt groomed when she started to look back through the eyes of her children. I wish I knew how that concluded .

Eemamc · 26/08/2017 15:57

I was totally unaware of this. I am a 35 year old secondary school teacher, and I find the idea of entering into a relationship with a 15 year old student completely abhorrent, and if I were to do so I would quite rightly lose my career. Having worked as a teacher and experienced teacher pupil relationships I completely fail to understand how this kind of thing can even happen.... the year 10s and 11s I work with are very much children. I could not understand someone who could develop those kind of feelings for someone more than 20 years younger than them when you have been their teacher. So inappropriate. It properly gives me the heebie jeebies. If I suspected this of any of my colleagues, I would have no hesitation in reporting it. In this country this would unequivocally be child abuse.

winglesspegasus · 26/08/2017 15:59

child molester

Original poster
INFP · 26/08/2017 16:03

I think it is deeply disturbing that this relationship combination is in charge of the state of France.
The alternative was Le Pen which would have been the triple whammy following Brexit and Trump. Fortunately this didn't happen but what we are left with is a child abuser and her victim. Make no mistake who is behind the campaign to enstate the unprecedented position of First Lady of France.

OP posts:
swingofthings · 26/08/2017 16:03

Gaelle if the French were so outraged by it they wouldn't have voted for him in the first round. The French had a choice of a number if candidates they picked him.

I had a friend who went out with a teacher when she was in 2nde. We all thought it was weird but she knew exactly what she was doing and certainly was the one who pursued it. They stayed together for 10 years and she talks about him fondly in the same way we talk about her first boyfriend.

No one was shocked at the time and a few teachers knew about it.

Original poster
INFP · 26/08/2017 16:07

I had a friend who went out with a teacher when she was in 2nde
No one was shocked at the time and a few teachers knew about it.

This is absolutely warped. And has echoes of the attitude of the recent Chethams school scandal. Nobody batted an eyelid at the time either but now there are jail sentences and one suicide as a result.

OP posts:
Eemamc · 26/08/2017 16:07

Incidentally I was on a one day course once with someone who worked with Jeremy Forrest when it all happened. The general staff had no idea, but it had been noted by some, had been reported and he had been suspended by the time they ran off. They were all very shocked and found the whole thing quite unfathomable. They felt sympathy as far as he had ruined his life and was in prison, but did not question that he should face these consequences. They seemed most concerned with the lasting impact of this inappropriate relationship with that poor girl.

BananaSandwichesEveryDay · 26/08/2017 16:08

I think the person upthread who mentioned hypocrisy has a point. There was a thread a few months back, where the op (can't remember who) happened to mention in a subsequent post, that her do was older than her by about 7 years and that they'd been together since the of was about 14/15. From that point on, the original reason for posting was ignored as the weight of MN jumped in to tell her that she'd been raped, abused, groomed etc. And yet, on this thread, where the 'perpetrator ' is a woman, many (not all) posters find it acceptable.

Gaelle1 · 26/08/2017 16:12

swingofthings, 'outrage' is something french don't do well. we compartmentalised very well. As long as we don't talk about it, its fine. Just because we voted for him, does not mean that we accept what she did.

x2boys · 26/08/2017 16:14

Yep that doesn't surprise me st all Banana I have read similar threadsHmm

FixItUpChappie · 26/08/2017 16:19

The French obviously don't see it the same way as the Brits or else he wouldn't have got voted in.

This sentiment bothers me so much though - he shouldn't be punished or seen as abhorrent himself. He would be the victim of what I agree is a crime. I hope they are happy now but that really has no bearing on whether she was wrong and abused her power and position. If a 40yr old teacher was sleeping with my 15 yr old I would swiftly be in touch with the police and go after their jugular I have no doubt.

JAPAB · 26/08/2017 16:19

If paedophile is not the right word, would "child-abuser" perhaps work?

Personally I don't know enough about the details of what happened. You could say that there is a very good possibility of this, though, based on generalisations of cases like these.

Gaelle1 · 26/08/2017 16:20

BananaSandwichesEveryDay, I agree. I think that is also one of the reasons why BM got away. The older woman predator isn't as frequently seen as a man predator. Having to 'handle' this situation from his parent's point of view or even her husband at that time, was surely so embarrassing. Of course, if the predator was a man - I think that the parents wouldn't have thought twice before filing a complaint.

swingofthings · 26/08/2017 16:23

INFP can't speak for others but my friend is as emotionally stable as it gets. My point is that not every teenager has to be traumatised by it because not all were groomed. I appreciate some have been but no need to make generalisations.

Gaelle shows we can be same nationality and not agree! I think the French are experts at expressing outrage when they believe to be reasons to warrant it. Outrage or not they chose to vote for him in the first round.

HeebieJeebies456 · 26/08/2017 16:23

Before we start throwing stones at others........shouldn't we be shocked and outraged at the pedophilia that pervades OUR Establishment?

The 'inquiries' and 'investigations' that have quietly been shelved?

Even our Queen was groomed by Prince Philip - and god knows what else went on!

Eemamc · 26/08/2017 16:23

I can tell you for a fact that if a teacher entered into a relationship with a 15 year old student in this country it is child abuse. We have regular child protection training as teachers, and we should report this kind of inappropriate relationship as part of our jobs. When you are a teacher this is a very very clear cut thing.

CoinOperatedGurl · 26/08/2017 16:37

Why people are outraged at at other people's relationships?

sunglassally · 26/08/2017 16:41

All I will say is look up "beard" in Urban Dictionary.

Views welcome.

Gaelle1 · 26/08/2017 16:42

swingofthings, " French are experts at expressing outrage when they believe to be reasons to warrant it. Outrage or not they chose to vote for him in the first round."

We voted for Macron as I said. The second choice was Fillon. Fortunately, there is no first lady position in France. There is still the possibility that what she did will catch up with her.

swingofthings · 26/08/2017 16:42

It did happen in this country. A male teacher ran away to France with his 15 (or was it 1)6 yo pupil?

He ended up in jail. I too thought at the time that they passed her as the innocent having been groomed by him. I thought way too much drama was made of it then so not gender biased!

swingofthings · 26/08/2017 16:46

I voted Macron but if I'd been outraged by their live story I would have abstained.

My understanding (but haven't read latest stories) was that they supposedly didn't start their relationship until after he'd moved school many miles away. Maybe a lie maybe not!

EnthusiasmIsDisturbed · 26/08/2017 16:49

She was certainly predatory in her behaviour regardless of how happy they are now

There are many cases of adult/child relationship and it never can start of as equal their is always manipulation and wrong doing by the adult

How it moves on to be equal I am not sure I don't personally believe it can

Gaelle1 · 26/08/2017 16:52

swingofthings, "My understanding (but haven't read latest stories) that they started relationship after he went away."

Well, that's not what happened. It started before he turned 17 when she was coaching him for the theater and it is why his parents asked her to leave him alone.

JAPAB · 26/08/2017 16:53

I can tell you for a fact that if a teacher entered into a relationship with a 15 year old student in this country it is child abuse. We have regular child protection training as teachers, and we should report this kind of inappropriate relationship as part of our jobs. When you are a teacher this is a very very clear cut thing.

Such laws and ethical rules are based on generalisations. Take the age of consent. it is a generalisation of when people become mature enough, or emotionally ready enough. In reality nothing magically happens on a person's 16th birthday and some 15 year olds are probably more "ready" than some 16 year olds.

Since we are dealing with a single specific case, do we know enough about all the relevant factors. To my knowledge we don't even know at what age they even started having a sexual relationship.

sunglassally · 26/08/2017 16:55

The French don't give a shit about sex outside marriage, affairs and all the rest of it, it is nothing to them, accepted.

We here are a bit more tut tut about it.

I still think he is ahem, using her as his beard. look it up. He probably knew from age 12, and chose his partner wisely. No kids would appear geddit.

Was she still married when he hooked up with her I wonder.

I admire her enormously. She doesn't give a shit, and looks fabulous.