Horrific child sexual abuse in the scouts

[JustcameoutGC]

www.theguardian.com/society/2021/jul/25/uk-ireland-child-sexual-abuse-scout-movement
This section in particular is interesting

"Much of their safeguarding policy relies on the integrity of the Scout leaders themselves, and is dependent on the individual choosing to adhere to it. It is important to remember that scoutmasters who perpetrate sexual abuse against scouts are by their very nature highly manipulative, secretive, devious and opportunistic individuals.

“There has to be a culture of transparency and trust and steps must be taken throughout all levels of the organisation so that sexual abuse within the scouts is actively prevented"

I wonder will the Girl Guides take note.

I note that the article states:
alleged perpetrators included “scout or guide leaders who sexually abused children within those community groups

It also talks about the importance of a culture of transparency and trust in order to actively prevent abuse. Can someone remind me how allowing born males who identify as women to sleep, shower etc alongside girls without parental consent demonstrates transparency and trust? As I can't see it.

Always that. No transparency in the guides. No safeguarding in the guides

Total disgrace the guides are

About as transparent as a brick wall...

Abuse hides in the shadows.

Using kids to fudge boundaries and create shady areas is disgraceful. Allows the lowering of defences in the safeguarding wall. Brings in doubt, making it more difficult to report anything. Hiding behind "good works"

Safeguarding needs hard boundaries. No males in female spaces is one of those

The article stated that more than 250 'people' had been convicted of these offences. I would like to see how that figures breaks down into male and female offenders. A link in the article contains an interactive map that maps where offences took place and who was convicted. I haven't had time to click on through for each case, but every single one I have clicked on, the abuser is male.

Isn't this an important point? I think it is disingenuous to report this as 'people' when (I am guessing) the vast majority of the offenders are biological males.

That is an awful lot of abusers. I am

Just another thought… Do they use ‘people’ in case one of the abusers feels ‘misgendered’ and has their feelings hurt? Or sues?

Who wins by obscuring the reality that males overwhelmingly commit these offenses?

Don't tell me: "lessons will be learned".

This makes me despair. Uniformed groups were great for me and my kids and there were/are people who were really important positive influences on me and them.

Scouting and Guiding must protect themselves, and that means transparency. This is at odds with Stonewall's idealogy.

I honestly think Guiding will collapse. There is a crisis of volunteers as it is. This idea that a worldwide organisation designed for women and girls and run by women and girls can accommodate males who believe themselves to be part of a female gang is an absolute nonsense.

It will be a terrible loss. Guiding has the potential to be a hugely positive influence and do such powerful good for girls.

The inclusion of males in Guiding is the reason I left and I'm sure I'm not alone.

I am so shocked that the men people who target jobs and roles where they have access to children, and who tell people they are no threat whatsoever to children, are not all telling the truth.

It really demonstrates how important it is to design safeguarding policies and practices using worst case scenarios. In an organisation like the scouts you would be right to assume that child abusers will be present, and therefore to design a system that is not based on trust.

"people"

I think they mean MEN

How many of them were women.... [tumbleweed]

Reminiscent of the abuse in UK and be Ireland by the clergy.

250 CONVICTED.

each of those 250 had/ may well have had multiple victims, been active for years.

And then there's all the ones where

Not reported
Investigated but no further
Not taken to court
Etc

What are the figures for arrest?

This is a difficult crime to get a conviction.

The actual number of abused children is actually. Massive.

Jesus.

Why is this coming out now?

I am a Scout leader, as is DH.
We go out of our way to ensure we are never alone with a child. For example, DH had to refuse to give a lift home to our neighbours child. But, it does rely on us all following the rules. And the children do trust us more than adults they don't know (I've been told frequently by my own DDs friends parents that they trust us because we are scout leaders...)

The one way I think Scout safeguarding could br improved is making it compulsory for there to be leaders of both sexes on overnights. The reason it isn't is practicality... often there isn't leaders of both sexes available. So for it to happen, there needs to be more volunteers.

The sad thing is, people who wish to harm children will be attracted to jobs/roles with children... sports coaches, teachers, nursery workers, medical workers etc. Thats why we all have to be vigilant and report any concerns.

@StinkyLilSinner

"people"

I think they mean MEN

How many of them were women.... [tumbleweed]

My bet is that none were women but there were some "women".