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Putting Paedophilia in Perspective

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I did say maybe its the parents reponsibility though, but when you put it like that I see what you mean.

    Why didnt you put all this stuff three pages ago :p
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by girl with sharp teeth


    but that's the kind of thing that david's getting at - people are massively overreacting to the threat of paedophilia.
    which people are massively over reacting to it? i have discovered my son in law is a paedo. it's destroyed my daughters marriage.
    i posted a thread stating ...paedophile in my family ...what would you do?
    someone else started a new thread imediately about putting it in perspective. it could have been discussed in the thread i started where i was asking ...what would you do?
    but no ...a complete rant and rave that he still clings to ...
    who is over reacting here?

    and now kermit kermit ...who proudly titles himself ...
    Neo-fascist Hitler pervert scumbag ...has started a third thread about paedos! says it all i think.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by morrocan roll
    which people are massively over reacting to it? i have discovered my son in law is a paedo. it's destroyed my daughters marriage.

    relevance being?

    someone else started a new thread imediately about putting it in perspective. it could have been discussed in the thread i started where i was asking ...what would you do?
    but no ...a complete rant and rave that he still clings to ...

    BeckyBoo criticises me for starting a new thread, you think I should have stuck to the old one. What is a man to do?

    For your information I started a new thread because your thread about your family was not the appropriate place to have this discussion. Or would you have preferred me to say it right underneath where you said about the ending of your daughters marriage?

    and now kermit kermit ...who proudly titles himself ...
    Neo-fascist Hitler pervert scumbag ...has started a third thread about paedos! says it all i think.

    Im deciding whether or not I can be arsed to explain the joke behind my title, which was given to me by Dom. On balance, Ive decided that I cant.

    But get a sense of humour, Becky for instance says her location is in the confessional box, and that shes a *norty nun*. Do you ACTUALLY think thats where she is?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by BeckyBoo
    Why didnt you put all this stuff three pages ago :p

    I did try:p
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Kermit
    For your information I started a new thread because your thread about your family was not the appropriate place to have this discussion. Or would you have preferred me to say it right underneath where you said about the ending of your daughters marriage?

    that was the general idea yes!
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    SkiveSkive Posts: 15,286 Skive's The Limit
    Originally posted by morrocan roll
    which people are massively over reacting to it? i have discovered my son in law is a paedo. it's destroyed my daughters marriage.

    I don't beleive that Kermit by started this thread, was implying that 'you' over reacted - you have had a personal experience involving a peadophille and it is quite understandable the way you have reacted.

    I think he was trying to point out that in general people over react to the 'threat' of peadophilles when in fact they have a very small chance of getting into a situation like yours.
    Originally posted by morrocan roll
    i posted a thread stating ...paedophile in my family ...what would you do?
    someone else started a new thread imediately about putting it in perspective. it could have been discussed in the thread i started where i was asking ...what would you do?

    But surely this is a different discussion?
    Originally posted by BeckyBoo
    Why didnt you put all this stuff three pages ago

    We did! :p
    Weekender Offender 
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Kermit

    BeckyBoo criticises me for starting a new thread, you think I should have stuck to the old one. What is a man to do?

    I dont know wether I managed to explain myself on this bit but I will try again anyway.

    When Mr roll first posted about his problem you have to understand it was a tough time for him, you did kind of start another thread straight away. My feelings were for Mr Roll as I knew exactly how he would be feeling.
    My main concern was him and I just felt discussing peadophiles and comparing them with crashes etc would be more or less saying his problem was nothing major.
    It was all to do with the timing of the thread.

    hope that clears that up :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hi, I'm an opinionated newbie gimp. :) You may remember me from such threads as 'Design or evolution' and... that's about it really.

    First off, I'd like to say that sexually abusing children is vile and unforgivable. Totally unacceptable. I sympathise deeply for MR and the suffering it has caused to his family.

    But, I don't think people should be punished for getting turned on by looking at pictures of children, even sexually explicit ones. So yes, I am saying that I think looking at child porn should be legal. Or at least, not illegal. My point is that by simply looking at the picture you are not hurting anyone. If you paid a subscription to a child porn site, that would be another matter, as then you would be an accessory to child abuse.

    I don't think it's right to punish someone for their thoughts, no matter how disgusting we may find them. As long as no-one is getting hurt, I believe people should be allowed to say, do and think whatever they like. If that includes masturbating while looking at Mothercare catalogues, so be it.

    To put this in perspective, consider homosexuality. A lot of people used to think that this practise was disgusting (many still do), and it should therefore be illegal. But I hope most of us will agree that as long as it takes place between consenting adults, it would be wrong to punish the participants. Now, obviously children cannot be consenting, so having sex with a child is always wrong. But if we are talking about a person getting turned on by images of children, nobody is getting hurt.

    Suppose, through no fault of your own, you start having sexual feelings about children one day. Not being a paedophile myself, I don't know if that's how it happens. But I don't imagine that anyone chooses to be a pervert, I think it's probably just they way they're wired up. What should you then do? Turn yourself into the police for your thoughtcrimes?

    Indulge me in a little thought experiment. Suppose child porn could be made using computer animation, so no children were ever actually harmed. Would this be wrong? I'm inclined to think not, although it would surely be disgusting to most well-adjusted people. Before you answer, consider this: I think we can all agree murder is wrong. Yet we watch countless simulations of murder in movies and on TV, for entertainment. Just how different is this?

    I'm not 100% sure about all this; it sort of worries me that these are the conclusions I've come to through being as logical as I can. I guess I'm kinda playing devil's advocate. So I'd be interested to hear others' views.
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    JadedJaded Posts: 2,682 Boards Guru
    I don't believe anyone is trying to belittle such a horrendous experience as Mr Roll is undergoing at the mo, but I do believe it is important to have this discussion.

    This thread was triggered by, but is not about a personal experience, because as I said before we cannot presume to know.

    No one is trying to belittle the seriousness of this crime, just discuss its context and implications to society as a whole. If we cannot talk about something that so many people take very seriously then we do have a problem.
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    JadedJaded Posts: 2,682 Boards Guru
    In response to Finlay, I think we have to make a very mportant distinction between looking at a catalogue with child models, who are being paid for advertising, and looking at child porn which is not a victimless crime. The means of getting the images cannot be seperated from the viewing of them IMO.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Finlay
    But, I don't think people should be punished for getting turned on by looking at pictures of children, even sexually explicit ones. So yes, I am saying that I think looking at child porn should be legal. Or at least, not illegal. My point is that by simply looking at the picture you are not hurting anyone. If you paid a subscription to a child porn site, that would be another matter, as then you would be an accessory to child abuse.

    Being turned on by looking at children swimming or playing in the school playground or modelling clothes in a catalogue is distasteful, but I think most steps that could be taken to prevent it are actually worse than the original "crime". Like not being allowed to film a school nativity play or a school sports day, or not being allowed to take pictures of your own daughter in the bath.

    Sexually explicit pictures are different though. Pictures of nude children would excite pedos, sure, but, really, I doubt much harm does come of it. It is when children are forced to commit acts, either to each other or with an adult, that a child does not have the mental or physical capacity to commit, that the problems start. Especially given how much of the child porn industry is controlled by the Mafia in Eastern Europe or SE Asia, and that children are kidnapped to either become "stars" of some horrific pornography, or to become prostitutes in places like Thailand and Cambodia. To say child porn is victimless is plain wrong, IMHO.

    I don't think it's right to punish someone for their thoughts, no matter how disgusting we may find them. As long as no-one is getting hurt, I believe people should be allowed to say, do and think whatever they like. If that includes masturbating while looking at Mothercare catalogues, so be it.

    I think thats pretty reasonable really, many people denounced as pedos would do little more than this. When downloading sexually explicit pictures of children the lines become more blurred, as they are, in a way, an accessory to the abuse of children; but if you just like wanking over the swimwear models in the Littlewoods catalogue then its distasteful but nothing more. So long as thats all it is.

    Suppose child porn could be made using computer animation, so no children were ever actually harmed. Would this be wrong?

    The Japanese have a whole cartoon-porn culture called Hentai, and this does sometimes depict young teenagers and pre-teens committing sexual acts because the Japanese, as a culture, seem obsessed by youth.

    it sort of worries me that these are the conclusions I've come to through being as logical as I can.

    The trouble is that if you DARE say that the threat of paedophilia is overrated, then you get flamed by all and sundry, with statements that verge on the libellous being put on this discussion and certainly on the flamewar that was started on Anything Goes against me for DARING to ask a perfectly reasonable question.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Skive
    I don't beleive that Kermit by started this thread, was implying that 'you' over reacted - you have had a personal experience involving a peadophille and it is quite understandable the way you have reacted.

    I think he was trying to point out that in general people over react to the 'threat' of peadophilles when in fact they have a very small chance of getting into a situation like yours.

    Im glad someone understands.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by BeckyBoo
    :lol::lol:

    I feel if anyone is getting off at looking at children in catalogues then they should stop children from modelling in them....full stop. Maybe its the parents responsibility to not allow their child to do modelling ? Im not sure really.
    .
    I completely disagree, that smacks to me of blaming the victim and penalising the victim for what an occasional pervert may be thinking.
    I think the whole `stranger danger` paranoia is possibly more harmful than anything else as statistically, the biggest risk from paedophiles is from members of your own family or family friends. The stranger danger mentality can make children scared of completely harmless people whilst thinking its normal that granddad does things they dont like.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by rainbow brite
    I completely disagree, that smacks to me of blaming the victim and penalising the victim for what an occasional pervert may be thinking.

    No quite the opposite, im thinking about the victim. I certainly would not put a child in a catalogue if I knew that someone, somewhere was getting off seeing her in knickers and vest. Its down to the parents of the child and how they feel tbh.

    As I also said if they didnt get it out of catalogues they would find it somewhere else anyway.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by BeckyBoo
    No quite the opposite, im thinking about the victim. I certainly would not put a child in a catalogue if I knew that someone, somewhere was getting off seeing her in knickers and vest.
    but how is that hurting the child? just curious. A child is not being sexually abused by the possibility some unknown imaginary person is thinking about them.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by BeckyBoo
    I certainly would not put a child in a catalogue if I knew that someone, somewhere was getting off seeing her in knickers and vest.

    I'm afraid you might have to end up wrapping your daughter in a blanket before leaving the house, or simply don't allow her out at all. For there is always going to be the chance that a paedophile will see her, be on the street, playing in the park, on a beach or anywhere else, and masturbate over her later that night.

    That is why the decision to ban parents from filming children in a nativity play was the most stupid one in the history of mankind. We now only need someone to be caught wanking over a children's catalogue for them to be discontinued. Or a pervert wanking over photos of children playing on a beach for children to be banned from attending beaches.

    Actually, that's not such bad thing...
    ;)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by rainbow brite
    but how is that hurting the child? just curious.

    Of course it is not hurting her. The problem arises when someone is caught like this fella kermit was talking about and the police land at the door telling us a perv was getting off at seeing her half clothed or whatever.
    She is not physically harmed, its *me* who would feel bad about it because she would know nothing about it.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Finlay

    As long as no-one is getting hurt, I believe people should be allowed to say, do and think whatever they like.
    and the trouble is that's the kind of place our society is becoming.
    everyone believing they can do anything they want! we are above animals surely? human societies have been built on rules.
    if i can do anything i want as long as it hurts nobody ...then i can drive through red lights ...drive the wrong way down the motorway ...scream racist words ...until someone gets hurt? if i believe i can pull these things off without hurting anyone then it's my right to try?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by BeckyBoo
    She is not physically harmed, its *me* who would feel bad about it because she would know nothing about it.

    And I suppose thats the crux of the whole debate. Paedophilia is awful, and it is rightly seen as awful, so parents will believe all the hysteria and make stranger danger seem like a huge huge threat in order to protect their children from this awfulness.

    And then they dont buy a smoke alarm *shrug*

    I know what you mean Becky, I personally wouldnt want my child to be the wanking object of some pedo, and not allowing them to be a model is one simple way of preventing it. Though the cotton wool mentality can go too far because of this well-meaning attitude- a pedo is just as likely to get off on seeing a girl do a handstand wearing a skirt, but you shouldnt stop children playing outside, and a lot of the obesity problems in this country are caused by children not playing outside anymore.

    I suppose what I mean is that as a parent I wouldnt intentionally put my child in a position to be the object of pedo desires, but I wouldnt rise to the hysteria and wrap them up in cotton wool and never let them outside. Many parents seem to lap up the hysteria, when really they dont need to be anything other than cautious.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by BeckyBoo
    Im not arguing, why do people think I am. Im not brilliant at getting my point across and you lot are taking me the wrong way. Im not sat here calling you a *cough, cough* , really im not :D

    Going back to safety in the streets I think some parents need a lot more education. Children should not be allowed to roam the street as you say there are many dangers in the outside world.
    Im quite strict with my Daughter, I have certain rules and regulations which she must stick to otherwise she is for the high jump, but at the end of the day its her welfare that concerns me.
    Undoubtedly some parents do need more education. The problem I see, and it relates to the subject of this thread, is that these kinds of parents only seem to have room in their head for worrying about paedophilia, and appear to believe that if they can register their disgust strongly enough, it will create a magic shield around their children to protect them from less personal dangers like traffic. I'm not kidding here, it's the same kind of 'logic' that leads to people not getting the MMR jabs for their kids, thereby precipitating another measles outbreak, sooner or later.

    By the way, you are arguing, but I've got nothing against that, because I am too. 'Argument', as a noun, just means viewpoint (probably something to do with Argus, the many eyed mythical figure) and you're entitled to your own views, as am I. When we engage in argument, though, the possibility of a shift in viewpoint arises, on both sides. No bad thing, that :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by BeckyBoo
    Of course it is not hurting her. The problem arises when someone is caught like this fella kermit was talking about and the police land at the door telling us a perv was getting off at seeing her half clothed or whatever.
    She is not physically harmed, its *me* who would feel bad about it because she would know nothing about it.
    Yeah but, realistically, would the police ever do that? Many convicted child abusers probably glop off looking at catalogue pictures, but are the police going to track down the parents of those child models in order to inform them of the fact? Probably not. The problem wouldn't therefore arise that way, it'd be down to whether the parent sees a problem in the first place.

    Not a key point, just something I though I'd mention :chin:
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Uncle Joe
    Yeah but, realistically, would the police ever do that?

    I think so, wouldn't they ?
    mmm I dunno now, I thought if they found stuff out like that then they let the parents know. Slightly different but a doctor from where I live was recently accused of indecent behaviour to a few of his patients but everyone who may have seen him were sent a letter explaining that he was being looked into.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by BeckyBoo
    I think so, wouldn't they ?
    mmm I dunno now, I thought if they found stuff out like that then they let the parents know. Slightly different but a doctor from where I live was recently accused of indecent behaviour to a few of his patients but everyone who may have seen him were sent a letter explaining that he was being looked into.
    But indecent behaviour towards his patients is more serious than a man wanking over a catalogue. A man having proper child porn is also a completely different kettle of fish to someone wanking over a catalogue. The difference is that in real abuse or pictures of abuse then a child has been harmed (mentally or physically) but in a picture in a catalogue, no child has been harmed. Just because someone might get off on it, doesnt make it pornography.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by BeckyBoo
    I think so, wouldn't they ?
    mmm I dunno now, I thought if they found stuff out like that then they let the parents know. Slightly different but a doctor from where I live was recently accused of indecent behaviour to a few of his patients but everyone who may have seen him were sent a letter explaining that he was being looked into.

    Whats the doctor got to do with the price of fish?

    Wanking off over a catalogue is not a criminal offence Becky, so the police wouldnt do anything unless the guy knocking one out was doing more than that. Viewing pictures of children, even naked ones, and being aroused by it is not illegal, nor is creating these pictures, unless the child is engaged in a sexual act.

    And that is the way it should stay.

    It would be for the parent to decide whether or not that the child's pictures should be released for public consumption or not, and to be aware of any possible consequences. But what, really, is the difference between a kid in a catalogue wearing a cossie and a kid at the beach wearing a cossie?

    Paedophilia is not a crime, sexually abusing children is. Please try to understand that.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    :lol::lol: Sorry you guys are cracking me up here. I just get myself out of a hole and then straight away dig an even bigger one :lol:

    I know what I mean and I did say slightly different. Yes i used a wrong example but thats the only one i could think of.

    I think I might just shut up :D
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