AIBU to be annoyed by DP reaction?

[Patrolpatrol]

Name change, but basically there was one of those ‘nonce stings’ near our house. I told DP I thought they had done a great job and DP exploded. Started shouting and effing and blinding about how it shouldn’t be allowed.

Basically, AIBU to be a little miffed?

They're just awful.

I'm incredibly suspicious of anybody who voluntarily chooses to engage with paedophiles online. They do what they do for the kudos and praise from the idiots who follow them, they jeopardise actual legal action, they get identities wrong and broadcast innocent and unconnected people live online. It's all just rancid really. I don't understand why they have to stream it live or broadcast video footage of it either.

If you suspect someone is behaving inappropriately with children, inform the police.

The people involved are thugs and bullies looking for an outlet for their violence, and they dont really care if they have got a "legitimate" target or not, but actually, no target is "legitimate" for a kangaroo court and mob violence

I recall one on a Facebook live a few years ago where the guy tried to throw himself in front of a car on the main road whilst being chased by these vigilantes.

now I’ve no idea if he was guilty of anything or not, but he was certainly having a mental health crisis at that point. I did ponder at the time if he’d been successful in his attempts would the group have any responsibility?

That's okay. I didnr think so and I'd rather educate than report. It really is very offensive.

I’m against complete idiots potentially comprising police investigations and ruining innocent people’s lives.

If the people in these groups had anything about them, they would be a part of the police force, legally investigating this type of crime. Rather than living in echo changers full of like minded thickos raining chaos.

A lot of these vigilante groups seem to target men with learning disabilities.

I heard about a group acting as vigilantes to out someone on a social housing estate. However, the man was already in prison and his poor wife and kids were terrified. She rang a local councillor who asked individuals taking part for their names. They were then sent a letter warning them about possible evictions for breaking the terms of their rental leases.
I cannot believe anyone would deliberately get in the way of a legitimate police investigation. I hope the so called vigilantes lose their homes over their stupid behaviour.

I used to work in homelessness. The amount of men who are falsely accused by these vigilantes and driven out of their homes and communities as a result is absolutely scandalous.

One of these "stings" went wrong locally to me, they rocked up at a man's front door, live on fb.

They got the wrong man and two days later he hung himself 😔 his wife and children have moved away and people still believe he may have been guilty, but it came out that the hunters were wrong.

Maybe this is why he has gone mad, you are not even aware this is wrong.

Of course they are! Only morons with no regard for how the justice system works supports these vigilantes

Lawyers spend years training on how to present evidence so that a jury/magistrate can decide if it is beyond reasonable doubt that a person is guilty. If they are, they are subject to the justice that has been voted for by the nation.

Now imagine Bob dates Anna. One day he catches Anna in bed with Charles. They break up. But Bob is still sour. 'I know what...' Bob says to himself. "I'll go round the pub and set up a nonce sting for Charlie."

Or Jimmy really is a nonce. But his brother Sammy is house sitting and looks awfully like him. Poor Sammy, tough luck.

Or the lodger James is at home, who looks nothing like him but is in the wrong place at the wrong time.

OP, can you now see how it destroys lives?

Agree with them or not (and I don’t, as it happens), seems a very strong reaction from your partner. Screaming and shouting, swearing at you? Very odd.

That is awful.

OP- there was a time when I too thought these groups were fantastic.

I reacted like your partner once about this exact subject; it was because I’m a victim of child sexual abuse & I’m painfully aware of how abusers can get away with it because of the conduct of so called “do-gooders” & legal technicalities. In my case, it meant key evidence wasn’t allowed to be presented in court.

These are dangerous, frequently inaccurate and often jeopardise actual police investigations.
On a side note you'd be surprised by the number of convicted sex offenders have participated in such vigilante stings and then try and use that as a cover for their own activities

Lives are ruined when false allegations are made against them.

These vigilante stings are organised by brainless buffoons. Lives can be ruined by these morons accusations, and genuine cases jeopardised. Anyone who thinks these are good things is a total moron too.

Annoyed at him Fing and shouting? Yes, assuming you either dropped it or agreed to disagree and didn't keep telling him he was wrong
A you're annoyed simply because he disagreed with you though YABU

Nobody of normal intelligence could possibly support these. It only takes a few moments to think through the many many problems with this approach.

Why do they always have to be streamed live. Because they are seeking validation as some kind of local hero protecting children, when in fact they are just instigating old fashioned mob justice, which often gets it wrong. Mob justice has no place in a civilised society.

Assuming you mean vigilante groups rather than the police?

They are disgusting. Do you really want to live in a world where random half-witted thugs get to decide you are guilty with no real evidence unlike high end forensics and I feel life de the police will have to ascertain guilt?

People hear ‘pedophile’ and lose all sense. Which I get, it’s an awful crime - but only the police have a right to determine if a crime has occurred.

Also these vigilante groups’s motivation is often racism related. Look up how many times they’ve got it wrong and innocent men were labelled pedophiles in their local communities. What if actually one of these ‘heroes’ was holding a grudge and targeted an enemy - would you believe him just because he’s part of a ‘nonce sting’. Come on OP, engage your brain.

*intelligence not ‘I feel life de’ (WTF autocorrect)

I mean he shouldn't have sworn at you but apart from that I agree with your DH.

WTAF.

Its 2023 @Annaishere did you actually think it’s ok to use that word?!