Huw Edwards arrives at court this morning

surely all abusers are mentally unwell? doesn't it go with the territory
no Janejudge I don’t believe child molesters /abusers are mentally ill they have a sexual deviation which they choose to act on.

BlueBelle

*surely all abusers are mentally unwell? doesn't it go with the territory*
no Janejudge I don’t believe child molesters /abusers are mentally ill they have a sexual deviation which they choose to act on.

They know it's wrong and they could exercise self-control and seek help.
They choose not to.
They are evil predators.

He was supposed to have had a history of depression.. I really don't believe that caused him to become a paedophile.. much more likely the prospect of being exposed caused a reactive depression. If indeed he is truly mentally unwell..

I really think that this labelling by the press of anyone who does something criminal as having MH issues and using it almost as an excuse is doing a big disservice to people who have a genuine Mental illness and are truly struggling to live normal lives..

pascal30

I really think that this labelling by the press of anyone who does something criminal as having MH issues and using it almost as an excuse is doing a big disservice to people who have a genuine Mental illness and are truly struggling to live normal lives..

This ✔

Yes collecting images of that kind is a perversion not evidence of mental illness. As I understand it he had no personal contact with any of the boys. All online.
Never struck me as weird. I’d have said very good at his job.

I believe there was some saga about these contacts being made in his own time, therefore nothing to do with the BBC (unlike Jimmy Savile), who should not have reacted so precipitously. That prob explains the pay rise.

It is interesting going back to what led to his initial leaving the BBC.

If you read this article in the Daily Mail it's sympathetic/Depression based and includes a statement by the police they weren't taking further action at the time as regards the young man. ie not charges or possibility of being sacked by the BBC (and therefore not paying him tho I dont agree either)

This is what we were all led to believe back then, I think the article is fairly representative of the narrative:

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12296291/Huw-Edwards-spoke-openly-20-year-battle-depression-left-bedridden.html

Now a year later we find out that the police have in fact conducted further investigations and the truth is out and charges being brought.

Oreo

JaneJudge

surely all abusers are mentally unwell? doesn't it go with the territory?

Depraved or violent or both, urges very likely are from a mentally unwell mind, especially those who actually act on those urges and actively enjoy what they do.
That may explain, but can never excuse.

Oreo I don’t agree at all they have deviations/ preferences which they know are wrong but choose to act on them and thats not mental illness !

BlueBelle

Oreo

JaneJudge

surely all abusers are mentally unwell? doesn't it go with the territory?

Depraved or violent or both, urges very likely are from a mentally unwell mind, especially those who actually act on those urges and actively enjoy what they do.
That may explain, but can never excuse.

Oreo I don’t agree at all they have deviations/ preferences which they know are wrong but choose to act on them and thats not mental illness !

I absolutely agree Oreo.. Mental Illness is something else..

What is normal?
What causes such deviant behaviour ' nature or nurture?

Some people are intrinsically evil.
Such people are often charming and seemingly lead ordinary lives.
They're not all weird like Fred West.

national treasure has become national perverted paedophile. Sick man

So many experts here

pascal30

I really think that this labelling by the press of anyone who does something criminal as having MH issues and using it almost as an excuse is doing a big disservice to people who have a genuine Mental illness and are truly struggling to live normal lives..

I agree. The term 'mental health' is now used so broadly that it seems to mean anything from feeling a bit anxious to having serial killer tendencies.

I don't know enough about paedophilia to know whether it is something that can be helped or not. Is it about sex or power? I don't know, but I understand what Grandma70s meant when she said it might be a drive that can't be ignored, but that doesn't alter the fact that there are victims, and it is up to the adult to seek help or resist temptation.

Seeking help, particularly if you are a big name like HE, would be really difficult, I think. I am not remotely excusing his behaviour - in fact quite the reverse - but what can be done if someone has such a drive and there is no 'cure'? Punishing sexual behaviour doesn't work - in countries where adulterers are stoned to death people still do it, and children under 16 still have sex regardless of the law - but something has to be done to protect minors from sexual predators. I suppose if there were a simple answer then it would have been tried years ago.

Anniebach

So many experts here

What is your point Anniebach/?

The thing is there are experts on here, or certainly people with considerable experience in child safeguarding.

- ask anyone who has worked with men who sexually abuse children and you’ll hear they walk amongst us, don’t have a tail or horns to help us identify the damage they cause.
Years ago, the charming, likable, skilful head teacher are my children’s primary school was arrested. He was accused by two girls from his previous school of indecent assault. The parents split 20-80. 20percent were employed in work that meant this wasn’t their first encounter with a charming sex offender. It was a long tortuous process. Two years later he was charged with offences linked to 8 little girls. Overwhelming evidence.

Charming, likable, intelligent, successful men also act on their sexual attraction to children . Not every one who is sexually attracted to childre/adolescents acts on this.

Doodledog

pascal30

I really think that this labelling by the press of anyone who does something criminal as having MH issues and using it almost as an excuse is doing a big disservice to people who have a genuine Mental illness and are truly struggling to live normal lives..

I agree. The term 'mental health' is now used so broadly that it seems to mean anything from feeling a bit anxious to having serial killer tendencies.

I don't know enough about paedophilia to know whether it is something that can be helped or not. Is it about sex or power? I don't know, but I understand what Grandma70s meant when she said it might be a drive that can't be ignored, but that doesn't alter the fact that there are victims, and it is up to the adult to seek help or resist temptation.

Seeking help, particularly if you are a big name like HE, would be really difficult, I think. I am not remotely excusing his behaviour - in fact quite the reverse - but what can be done if someone has such a drive and there is no 'cure'? Punishing sexual behaviour doesn't work - in countries where adulterers are stoned to death people still do it, and children under 16 still have sex regardless of the law - but something has to be done to protect minors from sexual predators. I suppose if there were a simple answer then it would have been tried years ago.

No excuses. He could have sought help- maybe he did and it didn't work. Help is available to paedophiles who come forward- we don't get to know about the ones that do because it isn't news, especially with this man being so high profile.
Punishment is not about reform, it is about society deciding what is acceptable/unacceptable behaviour.
All crimes can be justified- there are those who are still claiming Rosemary West was innocent, the same with Lucy Letby.
He has admitted guilt- should he just be sent home with a counsellor in tow? This would protect no one, especially children.
This is an unacceptable crime regardless of the cause. Doing things that are wrong is a part of human behaviour, we will never eradicate serious crimes but we can always stand up and say, this is not acceptable and these children should have justice.

Galaxy

The thing is there are experts on here, or certainly people with considerable experience in child safeguarding.

And others dealing with the aftermath, making sure justice was done.

keepingquiet
I was not making excuses, and I wasn't justifying anything. In fact I carefully and explicitly said that I am not remotely excusing his behaviour'.

What help is available to paedophiles who come forward? As I said, I don't know. And how would someone with such a high profile ensure that any help he sought wouldn't end up with his name all over the media?

Would any psychiatrist broadcast his name if he'd sought help?

I don't believe so.

Pedophilia (alternatively spelled paedophilia) is a psychiatric disorder in which an adult or older adolescent experiences a primary or exclusive sexual attraction to prepubescent children.[1][2]: vii  Although girls typically begin the process of puberty at age 10 or 11, and boys at age 11 or 12,[3] psychiatric diagnostic criteria for pedophilia extend the cut-off point for prepubescence to age 13.[4] People with the disorder are often referred to as pedophiles (or paedophiles).

I imagine if we went back in time, or examined a vast range of cultures, the abuse of children was always there in many guises. There were many child prostitutes in the Victorian era, so called respectable men availed themselves of such services, they knew what they were doing was wrong, children pimped out to stay alive. It's why men who want to consort that way with children visit certain countries in the Far East. Children can never consent, they're just pawns, in this whole miserable degenerate business. Some of the worst betrayals of children have taken place in religious institutions, boarding schools, children's homes where the youngsters are vulnerable, isolated and silenced by manipulative adults.

Anniebach

So many experts here

What’s that supposed to mean? He has pleaded guilty to downloading sexual images of children. We don’t need to be ‘experts’ facts are facts. The BBC are rather good at producing paedophiles . He’s one of a long list. Disgusting man. I hope he’s put in jail for a long time.

Experts on mental illnesses

Rocky road, I don’t believe the bbc produces paedophiles.

TerriBull is correct, sexual abuse of children has been with us from the beginning of time.