Pedophilia a Worldwide Issue, Not a Priest Problem

[Kobe]

On the side, I normally edit news for a local Catholic magazine. The magazine then posts the news online in the evening. Today, I was editing this story and I thought I should post it here for discussion.

The founder of a children's protection organization laments that pedophilia only makes the news when it is linked to priests, which misses the point that it is a worldwide problem. Father Fortunato Di Noto of the Meter association noted this deficiency in an interview with H2Onews.

Pedophilia is not just a crime but also a money machine, he explained, with an annual yield of €13 billion ($17 billion) and a victim toll of 200,000 abused children, increasingly even babies and toddlers. And yet, Father Di Noto lamented, much of the press is scandalized only by pedophile priests and not by this phenomenon of enormous proportions.

"The most striking thing is that while we have talked about pedophilia in the clergy, the global phenomenon of pedophilia has not been discussed," he noted. "And the global phenomenon of sexual abuse is before the eyes of all.

"What impresses me, and what in essence makes the difference, is that the newspapers, probably influenced much by communication, lobbyists, have spoken more of this than of the gravity of pedophilia itself, more than the seriousness of sexual exploitation of children, the seriousness of the sex tourism of children, the gravity of selling children and of the rape of children.

"This is a blatant and visible demonstration of how certain press, moved by certain types of lobbying mentalities, sometimes communicate false, unverifiable, or exploitive information." The founder of Meter added that the growth of pedophilia on social networks is another element that calls for greater parent responsibility and attention.

"The question is," he said, "why are there 180,000 children in Italy under the age of 13 who are enrolled on Facebook without authorization? And this means that there are 180,000 families who do not monitor the actions of these children."

Source: Zenit

I'll admit that I laugh at a lot of the pedophilia jokes that are available online, especially the 'pedo bear' ones. However, I think its hard to be taken seriously when I say I feel so disgusted about the reality behind it.

The Church angle is not what I'm attacking, the article is a PR tactic which is more than open to discussion. In my country there is about 1% coverage on local pedophilia cases though I'm 100% sure that they do happen daily. I'd agree that the local media is to blame for not highlighting how it affects Kenyan children today. There are the shocking stories of babies being raped but they forget about it by the next day (along with many other stories anyway).

What's the media coverage on pedophilia like in the country you currently live in? On a more sensitive note, do you think ISP's should find a way to filter/censor it out? I just think for it to be amounting to a billion dollar industry is sad.

 

[_carmi]

South Africa has the highest rate of rape in the world, including child and baby rape, with one person estimated to be raped every 26 seconds, according to aid groups and local organizations.

South Africa’s child-rape epidemic | Analysis & Opinion |

Although rises in poverty, violent crime and unemployment are said to have contributed to the escalation in child abuse, the most significant and worrying factor is the widespread myth sweeping the country that having sex with children provides a cure for Aids.

South African men rape babies as 'cure' for Aids - Telegraph

The 2nd article is old (2001) but I can't find the recent article I have read a couple of months ago. It's crazy that paedophilia and infant/child rape is encouraged due to misconceptions or simply not discussed. It's sad when it gets to the point mothers feel need the need to iron their daughters' breasts to avoid them being assaulted (Teenage Girls Undergo ‘Breast Ironing’ In Cameroon (VIDEO) | Cameroonwebnews| Site d’information et d’opinions sur l’actualité du Cameroun)

Paedophilia is rarely covered in the media unless something big happened in Canada. But it's highly discouraged and the offenders could do jail time. They are trying to get victims of sexual abuse to talk so they can catch the offenders. But they often get ordered short jail time.

 

[Pittsey]

In the Uk the papers make you fell like everyone is a paedo, and that you can't let your children out of your sight. Also, everyone who mixes with kids that aren't their own, has to have a CRC check. I need one just to accompany my son on school trips. If you are a single mum, you can go to a police station and run a background check on your new partner.

Although I know that the above is all extreme, I still have been caught up in the fear and stuggle to allow my children out of my sight.


And... Yes... I do think ISP's should monitor and report all child porn and grooming online. They are quick enough to allign themselves with media companies to prevent downloading... But not quick enough to prevent this awful crime on minors.

 

[S O F I]

All I know is, I'm becoming increasingly more and more uncomfortable and paranoid around young children. I don't play with them because I don't want to grab the kid in the "wrong" way and have someone looking over my shoulder trying to label me a pedo. I don't say HI to lil kids when walking on the beach or anything because who knows what their parents are thinking. In other words, I avoid all young children like the plague.

 

[Bobby Sands]

On the side, I normally edit news for a local Catholic magazine. The magazine then posts the news online in the evening. Today, I was editing this story and I thought I should post it here for discussion.



I'll admit that I laugh at a lot of the pedophilia jokes that are available online, especially the 'pedo bear' ones. However, I think its hard to be taken seriously when I say I feel so disgusted about the reality behind it.

The Church angle is not what I'm attacking, the article is a PR tactic which is more than open to discussion. In my country there is about 1% coverage on local pedophilia cases though I'm 100% sure that they do happen daily. I'd agree that the local media is to blame for not highlighting how it affects Kenyan children today. There are the shocking stories of babies being raped but they forget about it by the next day (along with many other stories anyway).

What's the media coverage on pedophilia like in the country you currently live in? On a more sensitive note, do you think ISP's should find a way to filter/censor it out? I just think for it to be amounting to a billion dollar industry is sad.

you awful awful person

yea it gets an awful lot of coverage, and rightly so, because it was widespread here but the whole lot get painted with the same brush and the fact of the matter is that it was a minority

 

[Tha_Wood]

well down here we get a fair bit of coverage of most Australian pedophile cases, and really only the shocking international ones.

we do get the coverage of the priest pedophile stuff, but i think that it should get greater coverage than the everyday cases. not because i am a church hater, but because they are in a position of power, and are trusted.

 

[Pittsey]

All I know is, I'm becoming increasingly more and more uncomfortable and paranoid around young children. I don't play with them because I don't want to grab the kid in the "wrong" way and have someone looking over my shoulder trying to label me a pedo. I don't say HI to lil kids when walking on the beach or anything because who knows what their parents are thinking. In other words, I avoid all young children like the plague.

I am the same.

 

[Kobe]

South Africa’s child-rape epidemic | Analysis & Opinion |

South African men rape babies as 'cure' for Aids - Telegraph

Teenage Girls Undergo ‘Breast Ironing’ In Cameroon (VIDEO) | Cameroonwebnews| Site d’information et d’opinions sur l’actualité du Cameroun

I never read the first article before but I've heard of such stories happening. Evidence is however required for all cases and that's why people need to speak out as soon as they get assaulted in any way. How to encourage them to do so is the challenge that a lot of girls face in Africa. There is always something that they fear, especially the likely hood that no one will believe them.

Years back, and today I am really disturbed by the case of the baby gang rape. I mean, WTF is wrong with some Africans? All these ideologies about HIV that come out of the blue doesn't help solve the problem as big enough as it already is. The breast ironing thing, I heard about that and I don't even think I can watch the video about it. The picture itself was disturbing enough for me. Its just really extreme measures.

In the Uk the papers make you fell like everyone is a paedo, and that you can't let your children out of your sight. Also, everyone who mixes with kids that aren't their own, has to have a CRC check. I need one just to accompany my son on school trips. If you are a single mum, you can go to a police station and run a background check on your new partner.

Although I know that the above is all extreme, I still have been caught up in the fear and stuggle to allow my children out of my sight.

And... Yes... I do think ISP's should monitor and report all child porn and grooming online. They are quick enough to allign themselves with media companies to prevent downloading... But not quick enough to prevent this awful crime on minors.

I understand the way the UK newspapers work, so I might have an idea about what you mean. You can't be too safe when it comes to kids these days. A lot of sick people out there means a lot of loop hole fighting regulations.

As for web censorship, I asked about it because I really have no idea what the law says about it. When is it possible, limitations and the like. I'm sure there is a law/s about it that will surprise me as I've seen crazier rulings in international court rooms.

All I know is, I'm becoming increasingly more and more uncomfortable and paranoid around young children. I don't play with them because I don't want to grab the kid in the "wrong" way and have someone looking over my shoulder trying to label me a pedo. I don't say HI to lil kids when walking on the beach or anything because who knows what their parents are thinking. In other words, I avoid all young children like the plague.

I get the same feeling now and then.

you awful awful person

Me, awful?

i think that it should get greater coverage than the everyday cases. not because i am a church hater, but because they are in a position of power, and are trusted.

I absolutely agree with that. I think it's a fair point that the Church seems to ignore.