Publically outing a sex offender / peadophile on social media

[rosegoldivy]

This morning DH said to me he had seen something on Facebook that had stated that a sex offender / paedophile had moved into an address a few streets away from us. I asked how he knew this and he said that something had been shared on facebook. He openly joked about how people would be going round to have a word with the guy and said it seemed from comments that it looked like his door had already been kicked in by angry residents.

I went on to facebook to have a nosey (obviously) and found the post he was talking about.

It was from one of those vigilante groups and they had named and shamed the individual, given details of his past crime (molested a child several years ago when he was 15) and gave his full address. From reading the comments on the post it was clear his door had been vandalised and kicked in then further down in the comments it came out that the address that was publically outed was not his address but actually a member of his family’s address and that young children live there. The sex offender actually lives in a town nearby but had been visiting. (why he had been visiting a house with young kids after his past I don’t understand)

So my AIBU is more that I don’t think the vigilante group should have shared a full address on social media without knowing all the details. Yes named the street so residents were aware but giving out the full address I think is a bit much especially in this case when the sex offender doesn’t live there and in fact there is a family living there who have now been subject to violence.

Thoughts?

Hate to go against the grain here but do you know the age of the child he 'molested'? He was 15 (so a child himself) it may well have been another 14/15 year old.

Obviously it's 100% not okay what he did but he may not be a danger to young children or even a danger to anyone at all anymore.

I don't agree with these vigilante groups, thuggish men who think they're god deciding to take the law into their own hands by baiting and trapping other people. It just doesn't sit right with me.

YES a 15 year old abusing a younger child is still a sex offender. Adolescent boys are statistically more likely to abuse than most other age groups. The damage and harm is no different and the age of criminal rsponsibility is 11.
I might feel more lenient towards them than a fully grown man in some ways, but theyre still responsible and know exactly what they were doing.

Welcome back @AntiSocial

I'm still waiting for you to either
a) point out where I have lied on this thread, seeing as you made that accusation against me
or
b) apologise for stating I lied.

Stuff like this just drives offenders deeper underground where no one knows who they are so they’re free to do what they like .
Vigilante mobs are dangerous

antisocial You didn’t answer my question about people with learning difficulties who get caught up in theses stings. What’s your thoughts on the bully boy tactics in those situations?

Vigilantism is never acceptable, not least because the herd mentality of 'street violence' is rarely based on intelligence or reason (cf. the idiots who thought a pediatrician was a paedophile, and attacked their property in a similar manner).

More importantly, all the child protection charities, NOTA etc carry the same unambiguous message: that this sort of behaviour drives paedophiles underground and puts children at increased risk. And at best, innocent people who have probably had no idea of ever harming a child will end up getting hurt. These people deal with these cases on a daily basis: they know what they're talking about.

As for the right to know whether a child sex offender is living in the locality; unfortunately this only applies to the previously-convicted ones. There are a lot who remain under the radar, which is why unfortunately it's best to apply the rule of cynicism and lack of trust to everyone.

@AntiSocialLOL You sound really uneducated and easily swayed by fear.

the details of the crime was that he molested and raped his 6 year old sister.

someone mentioned that im just as bad for wanting to know the street but not the address.... im kind of on the fence about this because as someone who has young children in their home i want to know they are safe out playing in their street IFSWIM. but then what i dont know wouldnt hurt me so on the other hand id rather not know anything about it???

@RUOKHUN They are neither. They are being deliberately goady on this thread and one or two others, most notably one of their own. The fact that they refuse to actually engage with anyone who asks them a question or just throws more unsubstantiated rubbish is the give away. It's pretty low calling someone else a liar when everything I have stated can be verified in a moment of Google searching. Which is how I was able to prove their statement was incorrect. Any reasonable person would back down and apologise rather than continue to act like a moron.

I've reported them to MNHQ because their limited posting history is pretty pathetic.

It is clear to see that there is a bonkers gf on this thread advocating mob rule and illegal practice

Great point @Ginkythefangedhellpigofdoom

The more abuse these sex offenders have the more likely they will become isolated from society and feel unsafe so that they have nothing left to lose if they re offend. Also outing their behaviour could mean that their victims are identifiable. Longer jail sentences and better supervision to keep an eye on their behaviour is needed though.

Hi all,
You'll note that we have removed antisocialLOL's posts. This is because we have established that he is a PBP.

That is awful OP. I honestly dgaf what happens to him in that case, but what I really hate is the obvious glee that these vigilantes get from it. I dont trust them either.

Hey 👋🏻Hope- what does PBP stand for?

PFB. = Previously Banned Poster or feckin nutjob whichever suits

@NorthernRunner previously banned poster

Well, that does change things, knowing those details.

I still think 15 is young. Such a young and impressionable age.

Maybe I just want to believe that someone that age is capable of reformation. I've taught so many young lads at secondary school.
On the other hand, that 6 year old will forever be scarred by those things he subjected her to. Innocence taken away from her.

I still don't think vigilante justice is the way to go though.

😂😂😂 @portiacastis not quite PFB

Ahhh thanks. Yes effin nutjob makes much more sense!

adequate description

My question is what difference does it make if you know that someone is a sex offender? I might have one in my road. If my grandchildren were here, I'd be looking after them, and I'd be teaching them normal safety strategies. Paedophiles are everywhere. We don't need to know who they are. You might say to your kids "Don't go near the man in number 21", and not know that your next door neighbour is also a paedophile.
As for vigilante groups, they cause a lot of problems, not least when they have mistaken paediatricians for paedophiles! www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/aug/30/childprotection.society

@HopeMumsnet he wasn't @claig gone completely toxic was he?

I was thinking they sounded like @claig's angrier twin.

G'wan, do tell

Here in the USA the photos, names and address of all sex offenders in the area are listed on a notice board at our town police station

I've massive respect for some of the greater openness enjoyed in the US, but have never been quite sure how I feel about this ... though I guess it avoids ghastly vigilantes targeting the wrong person

There’s a lot of bullying going on these days, bullying should be a criminal offence.

81Byerly, very well said, I agree with you entirely.