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Almost all sexual abuse happens within the family or local community.

Everything else is pretty much a distraction, but it's much more fun for the media to harp on about, so that's what gets coverage: evil stalkers are much better TV. Much better politics too.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Jan 14th, 2009 at 04:34:43 AM EST
[ Parent ]
True.

For me, "Internet child molesters" is a subset of the US "stranger danger" obsession: the fear that nameless "others" are lurking out there just waiting to rape, pillage and kill you or your family. This mindset drives a whole lot weird behavior, most notably the cult of the firearm.

As you say, the fact that we all are much more likely to be victimized by someone we know is assiduously ignored.

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Wed Jan 14th, 2009 at 04:43:53 AM EST
[ Parent ]
It seems to extend further than "stranger danger" as well. I have for example seen many articles published in Swedish newspapers urging parents to be careful about posting pictures of their children. Even pictures that may seem so innocent and cute. Because, you see, some perverted paedophile out there might be getting himself off looking at those pictures. Now, would this pose a greater risk to the child? I have never heard of a case where a family's online photo album was used to track down a child, abduct it and abuse it. And it is not even suggested that this could happen. Rather, it is simply assumed that we should indulge in parental horror that someone out there might masturbate to the picture of your beloved child, and that this on its own is somehow a violation, though the impact on the child is of course zero. I.e. heavy on the 'ick' factor with not much else behind it.
by someone (s0me1smail(a)gmail(d)com) on Wed Jan 14th, 2009 at 05:35:59 AM EST
[ Parent ]
UK schools don't allow photography or video at school events just in case someone posts the content on YouTube, where - of course - evil perverts can masturbate furiously over it. Because evil perverts won't be trying to download and swap the hard stuff from their favourite porn rings.

Considering there have been a number of recent child porn cases involving head teachers and other authority figures, it's possible this may be missing the real dangers.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Wed Jan 14th, 2009 at 06:51:31 AM EST
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