Paedophilia - Is It Becoming Socially Acceptable?
By robspeakman
@robspeakman (1700)
January 5, 2013 9:10pm CST
This discussion was inspired by a comment posted by MATERSFISH on another discussion.
Rather than take away and distract from the original discussion, I thought it best to start a new discussion.
Back to the subject matter...
Is Paedophilia becoming acceptable
Is it now cool?
Let me give you my view from the UK and you decide and comment.
We have had high profile cases of paedophilia in the UK, but usually it is just your average kiddie fiddler that would cause outrage and disgust around the country - The press would call for the Death penalty to be returned and anger mobs would wait outside the courts...
All that seemed to change in October.
Everyone in the UK knows of Jimmy Savile - he had been knocking about on Radio and TV for over 40 years until his recent death. He spent a lot of time on Children's TV in the 70's and 80's. Ask anyone from the UK and the would have given you a passable impression of Jimmy Savile
He was one of those people that looked and acted so creepy that we were blind to it.
In October, there was allegation that he had commited acts of abuse on young girls and boys for over 40 years. There was an initial shock the country - This was a person that we had known throughout our childhood. I don't think anyone thought "Nah - I don't think so"
It was like we all knew anyway.
Within days it was revealed that other famous people were likely to be arrested and questioned -
I will not name them here because they have not been charged or found guilty.
There is one I will name, because he has been convicted in the past due to his abuse of child and collection of photos.
Gary Glitter - Everyone knew he was going to be brought in and questioned - and he was.
The fact that hundreds of children had been abused by TV stars over so many years seemed to becoming overlooked and coverage and internet gossip turned to who was next to be arrested.
Which one of our Childhood heroes would be arrested next?
There are actual lists online listing who people believe is a paedophile.
A list showing UK household names and naming them as child abusers.
The victims have been forgotten and the naming of abusers has become a game or past time.
There is very little public outcry to be honest, we are too busy waiting for the next arrest to see if we were right on out mental sweepstake.
People went to halloween parties dressed as Jimmy Savile and Gary Glitter - Kids as they do are making Jimmy Savile jokes
It does concern me that we as a country are quite accepting of all these revelations
what do we need to happen to shock us?
2 people like this
4 responses
@GreenMoo (11833)
•
6 Jan 13
If you're suggesting that people in the UK are becoming accepting of paedophilia, I think you're way out of line.
You're a person in the UK. Are you accepting of paedophilia? How about your family, your neighbours, your friends?
I personally feel that people are glad to see ongoing investigations which result in people being arrested and finally punished. I think there was a huge public outcry when the first news about the allegations about Jimmy Saville emerged. So much so that even I heard about it in my little hermit world! It was in the news for weeks, and still is. How is that not a public outcry?
@robspeakman (1700)
•
6 Jan 13
I live in the UK and yes I am suggesting that we are accepting of this behaviour.
maybe accepting is a strong way of explaining it, I suggest it is more like wide spread APATHY.
The fact that it still remains in the news does not mean public outcry.
I am not accepting of it, nor are my family - However if i was to be honest I would say that the Savile case does not interest, shock or register with me.
What about you?
@robspeakman (1700)
•
6 Jan 13
I would gladly hold the rusty nails for you - it is a disgusting offence and something that I will never understand...
However in this case, I have no interest or disgust
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
6 Jan 13
I don't know the answer to your question but what 'went on' in the 70s and 80s wouldn't be allowed now. For example, Dave Lee Travis was questioned recently because he placed his hand on someone's shoulder in 1969.
I reckon a lot of these allegations are false which is why (not many) people are taking them seriously and even making jokes about them. It's all about money. If it were about the abuse they would've come forward years ago.
That's my feeling on it anyway. As for Jimmy Savile, even when I was little I couldn't stand looking at him on television, so why were the others taken in? I wouldn't write a letter in case I was invited onto the show.
Am I the only one who felt that way? I guess not but I do blame the parents in some respects. Where were they when these kids were 'invited' into his dressing-room. Not all of them were from children's homes.
I reckon a lot of these allegations are false which is why (not many) people are taking them seriously and even making jokes about them. It's all about money. If it were about the abuse they would've come forward years ago.
That's my feeling on it anyway. As for Jimmy Savile, even when I was little I couldn't stand looking at him on television, so why were the others taken in? I wouldn't write a letter in case I was invited onto the show. Am I the only one who felt that way? I guess not but I do blame the parents in some respects. Where were they when these kids were 'invited' into his dressing-room. Not all of them were from children's homes.
@savypat (20216)
• United States
7 Jan 13
There ae lists in the USA also. Mostley these are used to warn people with children who is living next to them. However there are those that scream about these people's civil rights. What ever the answer is to this problem I don't think it's working. But I also think this is a forever problem that has always been with us and is only now being recognized in a public manner. As a child we
were warned to stay away from certian people, however both my brother and I were still abused as children. We both were told that these things happened to many other children and they grew out of it. But I always wondered?
@inertia4 (27978)
• United States
19 Jan 13
Although it may appear that way, I doubt that it is becoming socially acceptable. The same thing goes on here as well in the USA. And people do make fun of them. It also was once said that Michael Jackson was a Paedophile. But no one knew for sure. Although lots of people surmised it. I do believe they take that offense seriously. And it is a shame that the names of the victims are forgotten and the abusers names are remembered. They have a list here as well. They even have an app in the iPhone for each area where registered child abusers might live. They have their names and addresses listed along with a photo of the person. It is a disgusting act against the children. As a matter of fact, there have been a few cases here involving Hasidic Jews. One of them was flown to Israel for safety. The other on is being defended by the community stating that he is a Rabi and is a respected man. While the children have no voice. They basically called the kids liars. I think thats a shame. It happens all over the place. From Rabi's to Priests to celebrities.
