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Original poster

So called 'paedophile hunters'

160 replies

motherofdragons33 · 16/05/2022 09:00

Apologies for sensitive subject but am I the only person who finds these so called hunters problematic?

There is a video currently circulating my social media of a 'sting' on a young man from a town not far from where I live. He has allegedly been talking sexually to who he believed was a 13 year old girl but was actually a decoy. The video shows the sting and is 45 minutes long. During the video he faints and his parents are involved, presumably this is a huge shock to them and they seemed confused and were defending their son.

The comments were terrible. Lots of people saying the parents must have known and should be arrested too. Comments about them looking like 'nonces' themselves. This is where I have the issue - people who have no involvement get dragged into the public lynching and have their lives ruined when it's probably come as a horrible shock to them too.

I'm not sympathising with this person of course, if he's done what he's accused of then it's sickening and he should be punished. But is this the right way to go about things? I can't help but feel like this type of Facebook vigilante justice is a bit of a glory hunt and is quite irresponsible. There are many cases where genuine police investigations have been hampered by them. And do the immediate family whether it's parents, spouses, children deserve to be dragged into something they know nothing about?

OP posts:
HermioneWeasley · 16/05/2022 09:03

Well, they seem to be finding a lot more than the police are managing so that’s th problem. When it’s something as emotive as child protection, people will fill the gap left by law enforcement

Sirzy · 16/05/2022 09:03

They are horrendous witch hunts and are probably much more likely to stop justice being done than allow it.

if you have reason to believe someone may be a sex offender then report it via the correct channels don’t take the law into your own hands and encourage pitchfork waving.

Original poster
motherofdragons33 · 16/05/2022 09:04

@HermioneWeasley but does that make it ok? What about the innocent people caught in the crossfire?

OP posts:
SafeguardingSocialWorker · 16/05/2022 09:10

A lot of the time the people they are 'catching' are neurodiverse or have some level of learning disability themselves.

There's obvio

SafeguardingSocialWorker · 16/05/2022 09:12

There's obviously a different set of concerns with that but it's a completly inappropriate way of approaching someone who is themselves very vulnerable.

FourTeaFallOut · 16/05/2022 09:22

The reason why we don't tolerate vigilante justice is because the punishment meated out is unfair, incorrect and violent.

But, it's the inevitable consequence of the lacklustre justice that is achieved between the police and the judicial service. If it cannot and will not put the resources in to keeping children safe then there will always be support for this kind of retribution.

AceofPentacles · 16/05/2022 09:22

My DS age 11 has seen one of these videos and excitedly mimicked some of the language of 'dirty paedos' etc being caught I don't want him to think it's ok to take the law into your own hands in this way. Plus why video and distribute it? Just hand over the EVIDENCE to the police . I find they are much more proactive with recorded evidence.

ittakes2 · 16/05/2022 09:25

"What about the innocent people caught in the crossfire?"
The most innocent people are the children. If that was a real 13 year old girl she would be the most innocent victim. I'm sorry his parents were shocked - but better than than the parents of the young children being shocked and having to rebuild their children's lives after they have been targeted by sexual predators regardless of neurodiversity.

ThatAnnoysMeToo · 16/05/2022 09:26

SafeguardingSocialWorker · 16/05/2022 09:10

A lot of the time the people they are 'catching' are neurodiverse or have some level of learning disability themselves.

There's obvio

How I am reading that is, you think pedophilia amongst disabled people shouldn't be stigmatized and they shouldn't be caught and publicised? Surely you have phrased that badly? Although I can't imagine what else you mean by that.

Every pedophile should be dragged through the mud. Everyone should know exactly what sort of scum they are. Regardless of whether or not they are NT, paedophiles are disgusting and should be ostracized from society. The punishments by law are so low, it is quite often a slap on the wrist, I think it's great some people are hunting them down and making them known to the public.

OP, YANBU, families should be left out of it.

ittakes2 · 16/05/2022 09:28

I do have a strong view but that is because I was once a child who was abused by a paedophile and left with life long scars. If the system was better there would be no need for vigilantes.

IglesiasPiggl · 16/05/2022 09:29

This is precisely why vigilante justice is illegal.

x2boys · 16/05/2022 09:29

If the people who carried out these "stings" were really interested in public justice they would just give their evidence to the police
Live streaming it all over the Internet, is just going to jeopardise any fair trial, and the perpetrator is more likely to be acquitted.

moomintrolls · 16/05/2022 09:30

So campaign for the police to arrest them so the public don't have to do this.

10HailMarys · 16/05/2022 09:32

I get the strong impression that a lot of the 'paedophile hunters' get quite a thrill from pretending to be little kids on line and having sexy conversations with paedophiles, to be honest. It's all deeply grim, like people who read nothing but child cruelty memoirs under the guise of 'concern'.

On a practical note, they don't do a great job of catching paedophiles or getting convictions. They don't share videos of the times when they've got it wrong and they don't tell you about the (many) times when they actually hinder a police operation or prejudice a court case.

They're self-styled vigilantes with a prurient obsession, basically.

Sirzy · 16/05/2022 09:33

x2boys · 16/05/2022 09:29

If the people who carried out these "stings" were really interested in public justice they would just give their evidence to the police
Live streaming it all over the Internet, is just going to jeopardise any fair trial, and the perpetrator is more likely to be acquitted.

Exactly.

and I doubt having faces and details posted over social media will help the victims either. They won’t see proper justice but will see the face of their abuser over social media.

I know of a family impacted by child sex offences recently, they dealt with it amazingly but when things where public knowledge they found it hard having those reminders and people talking about it. The family weren’t named in the media but he was and people put two and two together to link them.

ThatAnnoysMeToo · 16/05/2022 09:35

The thing is, if they gave it to the police, they wouldn't do anything.
I would agree with you if the system wasn't so broken.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 16/05/2022 09:37

I'm afraid I'm with Ittakes2 on this one. He turned up to meet what he believed was a child.!!! and to do (well it doesn't bare thinking of does it) Children aren't even safe in their own homes now because of these disgusting predators.

x2boys · 16/05/2022 09:39

ThatAnnoysMeToo · 16/05/2022 09:35

The thing is, if they gave it to the police, they wouldn't do anything.
I would agree with you if the system wasn't so broken.

So how is blasting all over the Internet, in anyway helpful to anyone ?

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 16/05/2022 09:39

Exactly! Moomintrolls

bedsidetab · 16/05/2022 09:39

But, it's the inevitable consequence of the lacklustre justice that is achieved between the police and the judicial service. If it cannot and will not put the resources in to keeping children safe then there will always be support for this kind of retribution.

yep

x2boys · 16/05/2022 09:40

10HailMarys · 16/05/2022 09:32

I get the strong impression that a lot of the 'paedophile hunters' get quite a thrill from pretending to be little kids on line and having sexy conversations with paedophiles, to be honest. It's all deeply grim, like people who read nothing but child cruelty memoirs under the guise of 'concern'.

On a practical note, they don't do a great job of catching paedophiles or getting convictions. They don't share videos of the times when they've got it wrong and they don't tell you about the (many) times when they actually hinder a police operation or prejudice a court case.

They're self-styled vigilantes with a prurient obsession, basically.

Indeed it's all a bit within plain sight isn't it?

Deadringer · 16/05/2022 09:40

It's one thing catching a paedophile and sending the evidance to the police, it's quite another broadcasting it to the world. Aside from the fact that yes, innocent people will be hurt, it will more than likely damage any subsequent court case.

AlternativePerspective · 16/05/2022 09:41

I think these people are probably sexually deviant themselves. There’s something sinister about pretending to be a 13 year old and indulging with sexy talk with a paedophile.

Sirzy · 16/05/2022 09:41

AlternativePerspective · 16/05/2022 09:41

I think these people are probably sexually deviant themselves. There’s something sinister about pretending to be a 13 year old and indulging with sexy talk with a paedophile.

I agree

ThatAnnoysMeToo · 16/05/2022 09:46

x2boys · 16/05/2022 09:39

So how is blasting all over the Internet, in anyway helpful to anyone ?

Show quote history

Having them 'outed' as a peado is more than what the police would do behind closed doors in more instances.
Peados are probably more worried about this sort of thing than the police. If anyone Google's their name, they'll know exactly what they are.

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