Faceless babies

I wish there had been more of this attitude when I was small (1950s). Instead of 'smile for the camera' for anyone, kiss your 'uncle' etc. Children need adults to do the protecting - they are 'childish' and naive. - And the chances of some malicious or worse, use of images are myriad.

I have considerable experience in this area and have certainly been affected by it.
However, it doesn't mean that I believe everyone is an abuser.

Abusers don't have a sign pinned to their forehead, you can't tell.
I know of someone in prison for sex offences. I thought he was a lovely, old man. How wrong I was.

hollysteers

Callistemon21

What are you hoping for from this thread, hollysteers?

Exactly this👍

There are some very well-informed posters on here.

The internet has, of course, made the problem far, far worse and cases that come to light are just the tip of the iceberg.

We werent allow to hug, Iam. Sad but true.
I remember when we used to sit younger children on our knee if they were upset. Those days are long gone.

It’s also totally untrue that teachers can’t give a hug or comfort in any way.
Who sees child abuse as “the norm”. Certainly not anyone with professional experience.
I can only accept the views of others, this is a deliberately goady thread

Callistemon21

What are you hoping for from this thread, hollysteers?

Exactly this👍

What are you hoping for from this thread, hollysteers?

Marydoll

^If your job has been in the field of child abuse, it must affect you, but I like to believe there is more good in the world than bad.^
So do I, but it does not stop me being vigilant and continuing my Safeguarding CPD.

Hollysteers, count yourself fortunate, you have never come across this.
How can you be absolute sure that the warm and friendly Spaniard hugging your child/grandchild, does not have dark intentions. You can't.
That is why all those working with children in the UK need to be checked. Teachers can't even hug an injured child, as we did in previous times. These checks are not only to protect the child, but the adult working with them.

You are wrong there, I have come across it in my own family, but I see it as an aberration, not the norm.

It’s ridiculous that teachers cannot hug a child or give comfort in any way.

Marydoll

This is going to sound rude too. Ignorance is bliss!.

It must be.

To use a quote:
"Once you know some things, you can't unknow them. It's a burden that can never be given away"
Alice Hoffman

I agree with welbeck and ask if this is a deliberately goady thread?

There are some very well-informed posters on here.
The internet has, of course, made the problem far, far worse and cases that come to light are just the tip of the iceberg.

Listen to them hollysteers.

This is going to sound rude too. Ignorance is bliss!.

Iam64

hollysteers, if your job has been in the world of child abuse, it must affect you, but I like to believe there is more good in the world than bad
You’re suggesting the knowledge distorts our perception, worse that somehow your view of the world is right and ours wrong because we see the worst in people.
I don’t expect you intend to be rude but you’re succeeding.

This!

If your job has been in the field of child abuse, it must affect you, but I like to believe there is more good in the world than bad.
So do I, but it does not stop me being vigilant and continuing my Safeguarding CPD.

Hollysteers, count yourself fortunate, you have never come across this.
How can you be absolute sure that the warm and friendly Spaniard hugging your child/grandchild, does not have dark intentions. You can't.
That is why all those working with children in the UK need to be checked. Teachers can't even hug an injured child, as we did in previous times. These checks are not only to protect the child, but the adult working with them.

hollysteers, if your job has been in the world of child abuse, it must affect you, but I like to believe there is more good in the world than bad
You’re suggesting the knowledge distorts our perception, worse that somehow your view of the world is right and ours wrong because we see the worst in people.
I don’t expect you intend to be rude but you’re succeeding.

I believe we had a very close shave with my grandson.
My daughter was befriended by a man living close to her.
She invited him into her home etc.
At the time my daughter had not long had my granddaughter so her shit detector was a bit defective.
I went round to visit her one day and he was there. Very gracious and charming.
Fortunately my shit detector was working fine. I knew straight away that something was off kilter.
The next day I persuaded my daughter to phone the police.
My daughter knew where he lived.
A very nice female officer came to see us. She told us the police were very aware of him but so far he hadn’t committed a crime.
The family sorted the problem.

I’m not disputing that child abuse exists in all countries and the church in particular has a worrying history. I’m thinking more of everyday life, not the dark side. Germans sunbathing with their naked babies, not turning a hair and Spanish/Turkish friends showing a warmth to strangers’ children now frowned on in this country.

If your job has been in the field of child abuse, it must affect you, but I like to believe there is more good in the world than bad.

👍🏻 welbeck

well, not directly to do with this question, but i think there is some surprising lack of awareness around.
on MN a while ago, late one night (!) a 'mother' asked for advice where to buy her DD (8) underwear.
strange that she'd never had to buy it before.
several people came on, discussing what their child liked to wear, and why.
in some detail.
a few of us tried to warn them, but we were accused of being unhelpful. indeed.
i of course reported the thread and it was gone in the morning.
but i was surprised that so many current mothers of young children seemed unaware of the realities of how peadophiles operate.
it's a bit worrying actually.

Sorry, xposted there with MerylStreep and Parsley3.
Investigating child sexual exploitation is demanding work for police and others involved. You do not forget those children or their clever abusers, who walk amongst us, mostly looking as ordinary as the next person.

hollysteers, those of us who worked in safeguarding don’t need telling that most abuse happens in families. Accusing people of hysteria is both incredibly rude and frighteningly naive.

europeanconservative.com/articles/news/spanish-police-investigate-ai-generated-child-abuse-imagery/

Several minors in the Spanish region of Tierra de Barros could face prison time after they allegedly used artificial intelligence (AI) to create pornographic images of underage girls and released the fake photographs on pornographic websites, including the subscription site OnlyFans.

FYI hollysteers

Hollysteers
Your post @14.38 only confirms your naivety. Not only are you unaware what a problem it is in this country but also ignorant of the problem in Spain.

www.euronews.com/2023/10/27/spanish-inquiry-finds-more-than-200000-children-may-have-been-abused-in-catholic-instituti#:~:text=News%20World%20Spain-,Spanish%20inquiry%20finds%20more%20than%20200%2C000%20children,been%20abused%20in%20Catholic%20institutions&text=After%20years%20of%20outcry%20at,the%20reality%20of%20the%20problem.

seems rather blinkered to me.
nothing to do with purity of mind, rather wilful ignorance.
or, as they say on MN, just being goady.

What you wanted was a chance to have a pop at Harry and Meghan, what you got was people who know more about the subject than you.

Imagine being so rude that you dismiss peoples professional experience as hysteria.