tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-750949408338221752.post8849738615612865941..comments2015-12-30T10:33:25.534+00:00Comments on Throw yourself like seed: Who will speak up for offensive offenders?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01248358840390936013noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-750949408338221752.post-5787096450730389292010-09-07T15:18:13.032+01:002010-09-07T15:18:13.032+01:00Somewhat off topic but it needs saying again. Live...Somewhat off topic but it needs saying again. Lives need not be ruined by abuse. Victims are hurt, no doubt. But I believe in hope and healing. That journey from victim to survivor is made harder by the chorus of voices saying "ruined."Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17585828562282873091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-750949408338221752.post-60941599877022119032010-07-30T13:03:31.569+01:002010-07-30T13:03:31.569+01:00Note Robin Edgar's comment;
"I think the ...Note Robin Edgar's comment;<br />"I think the fact that Bath had "traded images of child pornography with at least two different collectors in Washington and Ohio" is an important factor here, even though Bath was not actually prosecuted for charges of "transporting, distributing and receiving child pornography" because these charges were dropped as part of a plea bargain agreement"<br /><br />And their you have it, a plea bargain agreement.<br />I agree with what many are saying, there are some atrocious images available from Hollywood so we do need to be wary of how we look at these crimes.<br /><br />Definitive sentencing is needed, and this case shows why, having pictures on a computer of your child in the bath could be construed as child pornography by a reactionary court, but "transporting, distributing and receiving child pornography" is a crime that needs stopping.<br /><br />And to get there this kind of perverse judicial reasoning needs to be stopped also.yeomanpiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03710739322449441185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-750949408338221752.post-57888276502761132712010-07-22T13:33:26.417+01:002010-07-22T13:33:26.417+01:00I think it's also worth asking what the aim of...I think it's also worth asking what the aim of sentencing for offenders is or should be. Surely, in a sane and rational society, we would want to cure people of paedophilia.<br /><br />AnnaS said "In my view, this certainly warrants a prison sentence, which should be accompanied by appropriate counselling and rehabilitation."<br /><br />The problem is that funding for appropriate counselling and rehabilitation of offenders is constantly being cut, as society moves to a more punitive response to this kind of thing. So a custodial sentence is very unlikely to be accompanied by appropriate counselling and rehabilitation. <br /><br />I suppose the other aim of a custodial sentence is to protect the public from dangerous people, but that could have been achieved much more cheaply by tagging and curfew and removal of his access to the internet, and the money saved could have been spent on therapy to prevent him (re-)offending.<br /><br />We should also look at where this public anxiety is coming from - I wonder if it has anything to do with things like children being entered into beauty pageants and generally encouraged to dress in adult ways? In other words, projecting society's tendency to sexualise children onto the extreme end of the phenomenon, so that we can pretend there isn't a wider issue. <br /><br />I am also reminded of the way the public bayed for the blood of the boys who killed Jamie Bulger. I think it's a similar phenomenon.<br /><br />As you point out, Andy, there is a spectrum of offences here, and the possession of images (whilst reprehensible because it may support or encourage the production of them) is a lesser offence than the actual abuse.Yewtreehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02028699564003381058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-750949408338221752.post-71146190766857664992010-07-14T15:31:15.520+01:002010-07-14T15:31:15.520+01:00My thoughts on similar were:
http://skibbley.dream...My thoughts on similar were:<br />http://skibbley.dreamwidth.org/161413.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-750949408338221752.post-58148351872878417252010-07-14T14:15:42.680+01:002010-07-14T14:15:42.680+01:00This certainly made me think. Unfortunately I wro...This certainly made me think. Unfortunately I wrote a long comment and then managed to delete it by mistake. <br /><br />I would defend your right to question the treatment of this man and people like him. However, as I tried to address the arguments logically I found it almost impossible as the mere idea of these pictures make me feel so uncomfortable - and I consider myself to be a very rational person. It was certainly interesting to be aware of these feelings going on. I guess this gives us an indication of where the extreme comments you refer to are coming from.<br /><br />I'll keep mulling it over ...LouiseBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04286275143149057082noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-750949408338221752.post-2319988703017842152010-07-14T12:52:47.311+01:002010-07-14T12:52:47.311+01:00I need to say - for the first time here - my polic...I need to say - for the first time here - my policy on comments. <br /><br />I am happy to approve your comment, whether or not you agree with me. However, the comment must not contain personal attacks against me or others or be written in an inflammatory tone. <br /><br />This blog is meant to be a place for thoughtful, reasoned communication in a spirit of compassion and understanding. I will do my best to keep it that way.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01248358840390936013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-750949408338221752.post-72905156769308805292010-07-14T00:23:34.845+01:002010-07-14T00:23:34.845+01:00"In order for a photo of child abuse to exist..."In order for a photo of child abuse to exist, a child must be abused."<br /><br />That is of course a very valid point, but what about children who are "abused" in any number of Hollywood movies and television programs? It should be noted that Rev. Pakula spoke of "pictures", which could be drawings of various kinds, not actual photos. I was not familiar with the details of this particular case when I first commented but have now looked into it a bit. It does seem that Kevin Bath had collected some quite atrocious images of child sexual abuse.<br /><br />"Even if a child were "only posed" being abused, that in itself constitutes child abuse."<br /><br />Again. . . what about children who are portrayed as being abused in various ways in movies and on television programs etc.? Is this also a form of child abuse?<br /><br />"If you access child abuse photos, you are creating a demand for child pornography and you are contributing to children being abused so that you can possess the photos."<br /><br />If one is not actually paying any money for access to such pictures/photos one is not providing any financial support for the producers of such pictures/photos unless perhaps the website derives income from advertising or something. What about someone who is researching child abuse and child porn? Are they creating a demand simply as a result of *their* visiting the websites and viewing the pictures/photos? Are the police who visit the sites as part of their investigations also creating demand?<br /><br />I think the fact that Bath had "traded images of child pornography with at least two different collectors in Washington and Ohio" is an important factor here, even though Bath was not actually prosecuted for charges of "transporting, distributing and receiving child pornography" because these charges were dropped as part of a plea bargain agreement.Robin Edgarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06208142626285495635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-750949408338221752.post-48498579751307131372010-07-13T21:40:10.438+01:002010-07-13T21:40:10.438+01:00In order for a photo of child abuse to exist, a ch...In order for a photo of child abuse to exist, a child must be abused. Even if a child were "only posed" being abused, that in itself constitutes child abuse. If you access child abuse photos, you are creating a demand for child pornography and you are contributing to children being abused so that you can possess the photos.<br /><br />In my view, this certainly warrants a prison sentence, which should be accompanied by appropriate counselling and rehabilitation.AnnaShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17911010352274682505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-750949408338221752.post-81996047772322915582010-07-13T17:14:38.461+01:002010-07-13T17:14:38.461+01:00"K.P. Bath will go to prison for six years fo..."K.P. Bath will go to prison for six years for looking at pictures - nasty, horrible pictures."<br /><br />Kind of ironic how people pay good money to see "nasty, horrible pictures" like the SAW series of movies etc. etc. ad nauseum yet are not considered to be criminals. . . I guess it's OK to look at "nasty, horrible pictures" as long as you pay Hollywood studios for the privelege.Robin Edgarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06208142626285495635noreply@blogger.com