AIBU or is this a MAJOR safeguarding issue?

[Whatthefudgeisthis]

NC for this,

I’ve been absolutely stunned at the ignorance shown by the organisers with this one! A naturist night at the water park 😱 this place is designed for kids entertainment, it’s basically loads of water slides a wave pool and play area etc
Who in their right mind would take a child to such an event. Obviously I’m not shooting down naturists, each to their own, but this is an event that ANYONE can attend. Known paedophiles have attended these events, with one saying that he can’t even swim. What the actual fuck is going on? Who thought this one up?
If adults want to swim naked that’s their call, but why open the event to children too?

I’m pretty sure I’m not the one missing the blindingly obvious here, but I’m so amazed at the stupidity I had to share and maybe raise some awareness.

www.stokesentinel.co.uk/whats-on/family-nude-swimming-session-coming-2589946

These events are being held across the country, so there’s possibly one near you.

I’m not victim blaming. Speaking as someone that was abused as a child I would never EVER blame a victim. Even the slightest hint of something untoward can cause a child untold amounts of damage.

And yes, there is harm done in looking. That’s why we have child pornography laws. Those bastards are ‘only looking’ too. Does that make it ok? Nope, nobody in their right mind thinks it’s ok.

Look up stats for unique users of online child abuse images in the uk. Unique users. It’s horrifying. Then check the number of men in the UK between the age of 15 and 75. Do the maths. You’ll get a pretty shocking, if very rough, percentage of men in the UK who are accessing child abuse images in any given year in the UK.

I'm not surprised tbh. When I did Tele marketing, I had to check the companies website. One was "{insert local town name} naturist club" I checked the website and as first it looked like a nature enthusiasts club with a lot of events aimed and children, then, scrolling down, a picture of a blokes cock and balls. It seems to be pretty common practise for these "clubs" to aim events at children.

It's a bit knee jerk hysterical.

The vast majority of paedophiles live within their family unit, (or are extremely close to the family) they abuse their own, and step children, and grand children, and younger siblings. Men target single mothers with children in order to groom them. Far more danger behind your own front door than a few people skinny dipping.

I think there is a very unhealthy thread here that by allowing an event to happen where children are nude around adults then they are tempting people into sexually assaulting them.

The culture of needing to cover ourselves up because there may be other people who can't control their urges is exactly the bullshit used by rape defence lawyers every day as they perpetuate rape myths and blame the victim.

My children are often in a swimming pool changing room where they are naked around adults of both genders. (We don't live in the UK) and I feel comfortable that they are safe because they understand that their bodies belong to them and nobody can touch them without their permission. I supervise them and guide them and keep them safe. It is what we do. We have never had any incident of someone staring or making us feel uncomfortable. I get changed openly top and my kids can see that I am safe and confident doing so.

In terms of statistics, children are far safer than their mothers who are far more likely to be sexually assaulted by a stranger than a child is.

The fear on this thread are for me a symptom of culture in places like Britain where it is our responsibility to cover ourselves so as not to bring harm down on ourselves because when something bad happens, it is the fault of the victim or their parents.

It isn't.

By all means don't go if it is not your bag but if people are confident and comfortable that they are keeping their children safe then they should be left to get on with it.

No, it's not an issue if no single men are allowed in. Nudity is not necessarily sexual, but in this country you'd be forgiven for thinking it automatically is. Paedos go after kids that are fully clothed already, so what does it matter? This is more about the paedo hunters who do NOTHING to safeguard kids and do EVERYTHING to stoke (forgive the pun) their own egos. They have ruined innocent lives, men have killed themselves due to being set up by those wankers and I hate them, they are distracting from the real life issues to make themselves feel righteous. Sincerely, a survivor of CSA.

they understand that their bodies belong to them and nobody can touch them without their permission

Since when has any abuser ever asked permission????? That’s the whole point, you can have as many pants discussions as you like, an adult can overpower any child if they so choose and then it’s too late, you can’t go back.
Not every naturist is out to harm a child, and rightly so, but it’s only a 2 minute google search to find that LOTS of paedophiles have also stated they’re naturists and have attended such events. One was even permitted by a judge to continue to attend naked Alton Towers events! He did lose his membership but it just goes to show, not everyone is as innocent as you would like them to be.
One naturist website was a massive cover for a paedophile ring. I’m not saying that this is, far from it, just don’t dismiss the idea that this is basically Christmas for nonces.

I don't think there's any more risk naked than clothed.
You take steps to safeguard your children wherever you take them.
You will probably see a paedophile every day and you probably know men who are attracted to young children.

I think I’m missing the point, I know I’m overprotective as a mother but ffs why would you let people you don’t know look at your naked children?

If you go out in public at all there is a possibility of someone looking at you and creating an elaborate wank fantasy about you. This is a) nothing to worry about and b) none of your business anyway.

Stupid people whipping up and participating in paedo-panics do far more harm than good. Paedo-panics deflect attention from the greater problems ('traditional' values which uphold the idea that both women and children are the property of men, an obsession with shame and controlling the sexuality of other people, disgust with the human body;) and are usually used to attack and control people who are seen as different and outside the mainstream eg naturists in this case by insisting that they are a danger to children.

Paedos go after kids that are fully clothed already, so what does it matter

Paedos wank to pictures they’ve taken of clothed children already, what does it matter if they take naked pictures of the children instead?

There seems to be some type of campaign going on in society to break down peoples boundries, especially children’s boundaries.

Surely any male with a sexual agenda (be it a paedophilic one or a man wanting to watch young women for example) will be given away by their erection

A lot tougher to spot women but I bet anyone lurking would stand out

Think it’s wise to notice that these people would also have to get naked, they can’t just wander round fully dressed gaping at swimmers

I’d be more concerned at the people turning up who are non-members with the intent of making fun of people’s bodies or taking photos of the event, it should absolutely be members only

Just to add though I absolutely wouldn’t take my own children because personally I think the event should be 18+

Maybe don't go or take your child there. It's not compulsory.

Maybe don't go or take your child there. It's not compulsory

You think people shouldn’t be concerned about the safety of all children? We should all just think “well, I’ll not raise any concerns, I’ll just not do the same thing” when confronted with something we perceive to be a risk to a child?

ReanimatedSGB

So are you saying nonces should be free to express their sexuality?
This is nothing to do with women and children being the property of men. In a perfect world nobody would be abused and we could all walk around with bollock all on and just crack on with life, unfortunately there are a lot of sexual predators on the planet and they will use any available opportunity to get their rocks off.

Jesus, if someone’s asked to share a toilet with a transsexual there’s hell up because if it has a cock it’s a potential threat (even as adults), but don’t worry about letting your kids parade around naked in front of strangers, it’s perfectly safe 🙄

Nope but I think some posters hysteria on this thread is ridiculous. for reasons laid out by lots of previous non hysterical posters.

There are naturist swims held every week all over the country. I don't understand why the Blackpool swim (which has been running for 10 years) has caused such hysteria this time round.

Nudity is not sexual. Kids in naturist families are brought up around nudity, it's normal to them, just as it's normal to you to be clothed.

Paedophiles will exist wherever you go, whether children are clothed or not, and safeguarding children is the same, whether they're clothed or not.

This is my local area. I don't see it as a safeguarding issue at all. Naturist events have been held at Waterworld and Alton Towers for 30 years without all this hoo har.

Naturism was debated in parliament and specifically excluded from the sexual offences Act. Naturist families have been peacefully holding and attending events fort years. I beleive they have safeguarding officers and everything in place. There is no more risk than there would be at an event with everyone in swimming costumes.

It all seems to have been hi-jacked by a lot of busy bodies who think that all men are paedophiles. It would actually be illegal to ban the event as Naturism is a Protected Characteristic.

Naturism isn't my thing. I'm far too self conscious and prudish. But parents let strangers look at their naked children all the time on beaches up and down the country (are you really telling me you've never seen little kids get changed or go skinnydipping at the seaside.)

However I do find your use of the word "nonce" highly offensive. Whilst you may be using it in the context of an adult malw who is sexually interested in children it has for year been very widely used as a derogatory term for all gay men which is highly discriminatory.

I’m obviously using it in the context of an adult male with a sexual preference for children. Grow up!

Why would a paedophile go to the bother of especially going to a naturist event when any local park with a paddling pool has parents stripping their children and letting them run around in the sun stark naked.

Exactly Oliversmumsarmy.

I shall ignore the uitable childish response to grow up. When I saw the original posts (and members of this petition group have been spamming lots of local facebook groups) I decided that the adult response would be to investigate the legality of naturism and the ideas behind it, not have some knee jerk reaction of all naked bodies are something to be ashamed of and anyone who idsagrees must be a paedophile.

We have a naturist swim session here too (won’t say where) but I’m pretty sure it’s aimed at adults as it’s later in the day, there’s nothing to say children can’t attend but it tends to be mainly middle age people.

I think Spiderbanana has it right.

'The culture of needing to cover ourselves up because there may be other people who can't control their urges is', precisely, as she says, 'bullshit'.

Here is another example. Hot summer day. City centre. Fountains, water park. Children, including my grandchild, little or no clothing, happily splashing. Lovely scene. One busybody takes it upon himself to 'alert' all and sundry to the fact that perverts are known to come to this location and look at these children (presumably with lust in their black hearts, though that was left tacit) ...

Should we make our children cover themselves to thwart such perverts' inclinations? No. Should we avoid such occasions with small children for fear of people with bad intentions? No. Of course we should supervise children in our care. But it does our children (and us) a disservice if we make them (and ourselves) responsible for policing others' warped sensibilities in such ways.

For me to think - to teach children in my care to think - that I/they need to cover myself/themselves because of other people's putative desires is bonkers. Those who think it acceptable (OP and others): should we dress our children top-to-toe in tiny burkhas whenever we take them out? Why not? After all, there are loads of paedophiles around ... That is the logic of your position; think about it.

I’m obviously using it in the context of an adult male with a sexual preference for children. Grow up!

Thats a bit like saying that its ok to use the p word to describe a Pakistani national as its not being used as general insult to all ethnic minorities/muslims.