Wednesday, 16 October 2013

UK Deals with 'Myths and Stereotypes' of Child Sex Abuse

Common 'myths and stereotypes'

The victim invited sex by the way they dressed or acted

The victim used alcohol or drugs and was therefore sexually available

The victim didn't scream, fight or protest so must have been consenting

The victim didn't complain immediately, so it can't have been a sexual assault

The victim is in a relationship with the alleged offender and is therefore a willing sexual partner

A victim should remember events consistently

Children can consent to their own sexual exploitation

Child sexual abuse is only a problem in certain ethnic/cultural communities

Only girls and young women are victims of child sexual abuse

Children from black and minority ethnic backgrounds are not abused

There will be physical evidence of abuse

These 'myths and stereotypes' are being dealt with in the UK by the Public Prosecutions Office. They have issued new guidelines which will make it easier to prosecute pedophiles. Keir Starmer, Director of Public Prosecutions, said it represented the biggest shift in attitude across the criminal justice system "for a generation".

This is great news which should eventually reduce the number of sexually abused children, at least a little. Keep praying people, good things are happening.

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