Would you hire a male babysitter?

[georgarina]

Why/why not?

No. I prefer to minimise the risk of my children coming to any harm (and obviously men are more of a risk to children (and women and other men) than women).

Precisely this. The Equality Act does not apply in these situations. I'm happy to see all sorts of equal opportunities in the workplace. But frankly I don't want men looking after my kids, I don't want to date people from other cultures, I would rather see female doctors - my choices, don't have to justify them to anyone.

I've used lots of male babysitters. Generally teenage brothers of DDs friends, I just think if them as just as reliable as their teenage sisters. Also used my childminder's grandson who was one of the my kids' favourite babysitters and was DBS cleared.

Amazed by this thread.

True, but the risk is still vanishingly small

Latest figures from the CSA suggest that 15% of girls and 5% of boys experience sexual abuse before the age of 16. I wouldn't call those numbers "vanishingly" small, especially as the hidden nature of CSA means so many cases go unreported so prevalence is likely to be higher in reality.

I'm not necessarily anti male babysitters but I do think people underestimate the scale of CSA generally.

This

No I wouldn't and I would not allow a son to babysit either . Too many safe guarding issues.

Is it? I thought it was something like 1 in 5 children that are victims of sexual abuse - the proportion of children seriously hurt in car accidents must be much much lower surely?

There is a very small risk. Slightly higher with men than women but very small overall

Slightly higher risk with men? Slightly?
98% of sex offences are committed by men.

The point being that you aren't judging the risk realistically. Otherwise why are you taking your kid in the car, given that's FAR more dangerous than lots of other things you probably avoid doing.

No. By just about every statistic that poses a risk of harm to my children that we know boys and men are a riskier proposition than girld and women and I'm not obliged to take into account any hurt feelings when seeking out a babysitter.

No. Trusted male friends or family members yes but not a random man. I wouldn't hire a random woman either but luckily I have lots of mum friends in my area and we help each other out.

Another safeguarding professional here and absolutely not - its the same for me as leaving a child alone in a room with a dog

I know some lovely men, my partner is one of them. But he would absolutely not hire a male babysitter. He’s aware that most of these crimes are committed by men, so why wouldn’t he just hire a woman?

The fact that he is a good man, means that he doesn’t take offence that many parents would prefer their children looked after by women. He understands that it’s not a personal attack on him, just a sensible precaution based on statistics.

You can't discriminate on the basis of sex any less so than religion they are both protected characteristics. Would the response be different if I wouldn't let my child be looked after by a Muslim? Can I insist on that and refuse to employ on those grounds?

When you’re talking about ‘hiring’, it’s like a professional relationship, not the child of a family member, etc. in that case, no I won’t, I won’t hire a female one that I don’t know either. Infact I don’t use baby sitters, explains why I’ve not been on a night out since my children were born. I always prefer a structured childcare setting with more than one person supervising the children especially when they can’t speak up for themselves

Never. I taught a boy who, at the age of sixteen, sexually abused his 5 year old cousin, who he was babysitting, in the most unimaginably horrific way.

People have to get to places so they use a car sometimes. They minimise the risk by using a roadworthy car, seatbelts, car seats, driving safely, etc.

To live life fully, we encounter risks but it seems sensible to reduce those risks.

Indeed this site should be renamed misandrynet and treated with the appropriate contempt. The good thing is outside of here women are actually quite reasonable and Mumsnet isn't actually representative of the wider female population.

Yeah, sure, ’anyone’ can.

But surely you must know the statistics?
You can’t be that naive!

Facts are mean people, let's go with rainbows and unicorns instead.

Yes, it is.

And I wouldn’t trust teenage boy ever, about anything.
I know how horrible they can be.

Not that I’d trust grown man any more…..

I only ever use babysitters known to me personally, male or female. I don't understand how anyone is happy letting some random person from an agency into their home, male or female and leaving them with their children.

No unless they were a family member who I trusted. Although I did trust a close family member once (not with DC, thank F!) and it turned out he was a pervert so now I'm even less likely to trust anyone.

I never leave my child with anyone apart from my parents or husband's parents anyway, so I guess I'm not technically discriminating because I would not let a non-family female to look after DC either. But if I had to choose I would choose a female over male. I don't mean to offend but I feel that DC would be safer that way.

No way. Reason: risk assessment.

No I would not because I am not comfortable with men other than my husband or my own father looking after my child.

Would not risk it and don’t want to have to second guess if the man is not a pedophile. Therefore all men other than my husband or father are off the list for childcare. These are the only men I know for sure aren’t pedos and I’m not willing to risk the safety of my child in order to give some man the benefit of the doubt.