AIBU to go to this family party?

[Dappy777]

Someone in my extended family was caught meeting an underage girl he groomed online. It went to court, but he escaped prison. His parents, siblings, etc, made excuses (she led him on, he was ‘depressed,’ that sort of thing). They minimalised and dismissed the whole thing. Tomorrow I will have to sit in a room with this person or miss out on a family get together.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? By sitting in a room and talking to him I feel like I’m condoning what he did. But if I don’t go, I won’t see people I love. My friend’s brother was convicted of viewing indecent images of children and she cut him out of her life completely.

Find it weird and depressing people are advising to go and just ignore the guy - what about the people excusing him? Almost as repellent tbh. I don't think I'd go, I'd just stay in touch with the family members that don't like nonces.

He shouldn’t have even been near his own children for their safety.

These type of people don’t care what you or your family members think about them, they just want to stay in control. And he was in control of you all by letting him remain within the family unit like nothing happened. His control to do as his pleases whilst not being punished by his family remained.

Also, his adult children are very likely to worry that they may be like him now that they know about him, it’s known to be inherited or the abused go on to abuse. He should have been excluded from their lives when they were too young to know.

I would absolutely not go, sorry but I couldn’t socialise and be okay with a person who had done that, no matter their family connection.
Just say you’re not going and when asked why explain why and tell the truth!