to be shocked at the lengths some men will go to to access vulnerable women?

[PurgatoryOfPotholes]

A paramedic who raped a patient and sexually assaulted another in the ambulance has been struck off. In the BBC article it says

Police believed his career choice was "influenced by the access... to potentially vulnerable" people.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-59518773

For some reason, it has never occurred to me that anyone could go into paramedic training with an eye to being able to commit sexual assault. Perhaps it should have, but it seemed too intensive and pressured a career choice for any man to have the chance. But it notes that one way he did it was by sending colleagues away.

Wheeler sent away two other paramedics who arrived together in an ambulance, assuring them he had things under control.

I think that this is something we should take on board- no-one should be above suspicion and you have to be willing to think the unthinkable when a colleague wants to be alone with someone vulnerable.

In one of Daragh O'Briain's shows he asked audience members about their occupations so he could involve them in his set. When one of them revealed that he was a paramedic, DO'B said, "That makes you pretty bulletproof from where I'm standing, there's nothing I can say to that" (I paraphrase).

We can't have sacred castes that can not be questioned. Such predators rely upon the reputation of their profession or occupation to cloak their actions. Colleagues have a duty to have an eye on somebody who repeatedly acts in ways that others don't.

Sadly, I'm not surprised. Positions of trust, especially ones which are somewhat 'revered' by the public, have long been the smokescreen of choice for abusers to access victims, the veil of untouchability descends, victims won't be believed because how could someone so dedicated/in such a position do something like that.

No-one should be above suspicion, no-one should have a free pass, there should be no sacred castes, that's what true safeguarding is.

Oh god his poor victims :(

So many people think distrust if emergency services is just jumping on some bandwagon. But this proves that we can never let our guard down. And never assume the person turning up on the worst day of your life is garunteed to just want to help.

As you say, no one is ever above suspicion. Ever.

Not sure why people are shocked at this. Look at child abuse in the Catholic church

Time and time and time again it has been shown that abusers will pick out certain professions, hobbies or options in order to get access to their potential victims. Are we learning nothing from history?

Where there are vulnerable people there will always be those who make it their business to access them.

In one of Daragh O'Briain's shows he asked audience members about their occupations so he could involve them in his set. When one of them revealed that he was a paramedic, DO'B said, "That makes you pretty bulletproof from where I'm standing, there's nothing I can say to that" (I paraphrase).

Honestly, I'm surprised he was convicted, really.

What a pp said. Priests? Teachers?

And that bloody electrician necrophiliac begs belief

But it’s been going on since time immemorial.

Look at all the people who have trained as doctors /priests/ teachers, taken jobs as scout and youth leaders, etc to access vulnerable people and children.
Look at the men who marry single mothers to access the children.

It’s an indication of the length that some will go to to gain a position of trust.

@VestofAbsurdity

Time and time and time again it has been shown that abusers will pick out certain professions, hobbies or options in order to get access to their potential victims. Are we learning nothing from history?

We can't allow safeguarding to be eroded. There are too many people who don't take it seriously or attempt to downplay the harms to people who are vulnerable by circumstance (like the woman in OP 's link) or for other reasons.

One of the powerful scenes in Unforgotten Series 2 was when Tessa, the police officer wife of a child rapist, who had known of her husband's actions but tried to maintain she hadn't, until she broke down and said of the 80s:

[it was an era when] a rock star could go on telly and be interviewed about his underage girlfriend without getting arrested. We all bought into that – until we didn’t.

We seem wilfully purblind to safeguarding.

It happens over and over and over again. Men will go to any lengths to get access to vulnerable women and children.

Which is why self id of trans people is such a bad idea.

@MaryAndGerryLivingInDerry

Where there are vulnerable people there will always be those who make it their business to access them.

This is the truth in a nutshell. 😞

@EmbarrassingHadrosaurus

In one of Daragh O'Briain's shows he asked audience members about their occupations so he could involve them in his set. When one of them revealed that he was a paramedic, DO'B said, "That makes you pretty bulletproof from where I'm standing, there's nothing I can say to that" (I paraphrase).

We can't have sacred castes that can not be questioned. Such predators rely upon the reputation of their profession or occupation to cloak their actions. Colleagues have a duty to have an eye on somebody who repeatedly acts in ways that others don't.

This! 100%

I'm surprised you are surprised. Any job that gives men access to women and girls in a vulnerable position, are always going to be open to abuse.

There are sick fuckers everywhere. In any and all jobs.

Doctors, midwives, teachers, pet shop owners, IT engineers, police, accountants, world famous musicians, delivery drivers, SAHPs. Everywhere

A GP at my surgery wrote a very inappropriate record about me using language that wouldn't be out of place in a porn mag. I complained to the practice - it wasn't upheld and the response was utterly insulting. Escalated it to Ombudsman - again not upheld as said GP is "entitled to his opinions". Complained to Information Commissioners Office - not upheld as GDPR doesn't cover discrimination or medical opinions. Reported to GMC - wouldn't even bother to investigate although they did say they understood why I might be upset

I've sought legal advice and the GP and the practice hold all the cards with the medical defence union and unlimited legal representation to back them up.

When the establishment collude and condone this behaviour it provides fertile ground for abuse.

A GP at my surgery wrote a very inappropriate record about me using language that wouldn't be out of place in a porn mag.

What the actual fuck.

@CatNameChange101

A GP at my surgery wrote a very inappropriate record about me using language that wouldn't be out of place in a porn mag.

What the actual fuck.

"free unfettered access to her breasts" was what he wrote. Also said he suspected I "may be delusional"

No physical examination - I spoke about the difficulty I had getting help in school for my DC who has ASD.

Sorry, WHAT?! How could anyone not agree your breasts had nothing to do with the reason you were there?! I’m actually gobsmacked right now. Why is a man entitled to note an entirely irrelevant ‘opinion’ about you breasts on your medical record? WTF

Bloody hell talesoftheunexploded - and sadly a similar tale. I went to my GP - saw a locum, I thought I was menopausal. He said don't be stupid, you're an alcoholic. This came from nowhere. A week later I saw my lovely GP who said, you just need a blood test, which actually did confirm that I was menopausal. I'm still annoyed that I didn't put in a formal complaint about him.

I saw a great quote on a FWR thread recently. Unfortunately I can't find it, but it was along the lines of "if you relax safeguarding, the result won't be that all teachers become paedophiles, but that some paedophiles will become teachers".

Ultimately predators will go to any lengths to access their prey. We are constantly fighting a battle to reduce abuser's access, which is why principles of safeguarding should always override the "oh, he's a nice guy, I know him, I'm sure he just wants to help" narrative.

All male doctors should have a chaperone when treating a female patient (male and female being defined by sex, not by identity), teachers should never be alone with children, scout leaders should never give a single child a lift - all things that are obvious but which slip because "he's a nice guy, he wouldn't harm anyone" - until he does.

so sad but even more so believable

It makes sense when you think of other cases where for instance paedos will get themselves into positions of trust etc.

This is the post you're thinking of TurquoiseBaubles, I thought it was great too.

"To work in a school, you have to pass a DBS check. It's not a perfect system but it definitely makes children much safer.

Let's say one day they decide to remove the DBS requirement and let people make a self-declaration instead. Schools would immediately become less safe for children.

BUT that's not because all the
teachers would become paedophiles; it's because all the paedophiles would become teachers.

Its exactly the same with self-ID. Opposing self-ID doesn't mean you think all trans people are perverts, just that you know the perverts will identify as trans if it gets them access to women."