Should persons accused of child sex abuse be presumed guilty?

<good on you I reckon RG> <the kids needs advocates like the wabbit>

working in a school one always wonders if a claim will happen. my old head teacher had an accusation (not serious if there can be a difference but enough to call him into question about being in the same room as a child without another staff member) which was proven to be admitted foundless - he still lives with the fact he was accused of something - think he always will - he's retired now. We ensure in school we are never left in a room with one child - to protect us as staff and to ensure all the kids are comfortable with all our children. You just never know - how sad it that?

yet... what about the kid who no-one listens too. my friend who pops on A2K is experiencing this with her family right now, thi minute, who are fighting not only the parent of the possible perpetrator - albeit he's only 8!!!!! (brother) for their 4yr old neice / grandaughter / daughter - there is a severely lacking legal system in the UK as well as worldwide. It stinks. It STINKS.

It's a nightmare. I don't think she will talk but will direct her here to read.

I think the only reason they are able to do so is because there is a legitimate case of moral panic in the US when it comes to sexuality. Their message resonates with the public because by now enough people agree that there are some big problems with the way that the society is addressing it.

It's a pity, however, that they use the legitimate criticism of overreaching efforts to combat child abuse to advocate the elimination of restrictions that really do help.

The sex offender registry is often blindingly daft and misguided. But they are using legitimate criticisms against the many stories of lives ruined by overzealous application of the laws in that regard to try to forward the erosion of other age of consent laws that are actually helpful.

Yes, we have a problem when teenagers having sex means that they can end up on a sex offender list for life, but no, we should not be eliminating the legal barriers for pedophiles to have sex with children. And the reason I feel the moral panic is just so very unhelpful is precisely because of the political capital it gives to those folk who are leveraging the criticism of the moral panic and the overzealous laws and processes to forward an acceptance of adult-child sex. They think this is a cultural awakening and that pedophilia will eventually lose its stigma like homosexuality did, and it's pretty ugly that they use the misguided efforts to fight child abuse to try to forward an agenda of acceptance of it.

Thank you...that is very interesting and very sad. I wish you and those involved well.

It's always easier to look to "them" as the source of the problem...not "us". This is a mentality I have observed in remote Aboriginal communities, as well....it's very natural.

If you think I could help with info or something, just ask.

Good to see CR cracking down on the foreign aspect.

We've had our first prosecutions of Australians abusing Thai and other Asian children under the laws allowing prosecution in Australia for such crimes committed overseas. Also the first prosecutions for "sex slavery" of women in Australia brought over to be abused in brothels.

Sigh. I suppose it's a start.

Yeah...though those groups use similar arguments in countries where the moral panic has not had such exaggerated effects....partly, I suppose, because they all get together on the web and support each other.

But your point is sound.

Kids having sex ending up on sex offenders' registers? Mad!!!!


It is an area where sanity struggles. The kinds of revenge fantasies I see posted on A2k about child abuse sicken me....so do the abuse apologists.

Dunno why sex issues make people so nuts. Child abuse in other forms seems to be able to be talked about more reasonably, to some extent.