As top cop wants to spare some child sex beasts jail, childrens’ charity CEO warns there’s no such thing as a ‘low risk’ paedo
Some estimate that there are 750,000 potential paedophiles in the UK
GABRIELLE SHAW
IT’S the numbers that hit you first.
Police receive an average of 112 child abuse complaints every day. There were 70,000 investigations into the offence last year.
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The UK's top cop in charge of child protection argued low-risk paedos should not go through the criminal justice systemCredit: PA:Press Association
Some estimate that there are 750,000 potential paedophiles in the UK. Surely it can’t be as bad as that?
Shockingly, I know that not only are these numbers correct, but they probably don’t even begin to cover the real scale of child abuse in our country.
It’s an epidemic we have been sleeping through for years — and we need to wake up fast.
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He argued police have reached 'saturation point' with the numbers of child abuse reports and that the system can no longer copeCredit: PA:Press Association
It covers everything from children being forced into “sexy” poses for photos and children and teens abusing each other online, right up to adults raping and abusing kids, often recorded on photos and videos to be shared globally.
I don’t want anyone to think for a second that looking at an indecent image of a child is a victimless crime.
Just because someone downloaded it, maybe paid for it, they might think it’s OK as they didn’t go and hurt a child physically? Except they have.
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However, it suggests that paedos who want to view indecent images of children now have the green lightCredit: Alamy
They have fed the demand for these images, which means more children will be robbed of their innocence in the worst way possible.
Those children have to grow up knowing these images will circulate for years — every time someone new views them they are being abused all over again. It never stops.
Research also shows there may be a link between viewing indecent images of children, then moving on to physical abuseCredit: Alamy
He points out that police have reached “saturation point” with the numbers of child abuse reports and that the system can no longer cope.
Mr Bailey suggests one way to manage is that paedophiles who view low-level indecent images of children should no longer go through the criminal justice system.
Every time someone new views them they are being abused all over again
Rather, they would be hived off for counselling and rehabilitation.
Firstly, it’s right that Mr Bailey sticks his neck out and makes these suggestions.
He’s the top cop in charge of child protection in the UK and also heads Operation Hydrant, the national police investigation into non-recent child sexual abuse.
I know him to be a very decent man and committed police officer. If anyone knows his stuff, he does, which is why we need to take what he says seriously.
But is this really the best way forward?
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In 1998, singer Gary Glitter was jailed for four months after child sex abuse images were found on a computerCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
There are obvious concerns with what is being proposed.
Does this mean that paedophiles who want to view indecent images of children now have the green light to do so?
What’s to stop them from searching out these images to satisfy their sick appetites?
If they think they won’t be thrown in jail, what’s to stop them from searching out these images to satisfy their sick appetites?
And what about the research that shows there may be a link between viewing indecent images of children, then going on to physically abuse a child.
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He was later jailed after being found guilty of committing obscene acts with two girls aged ten and 11Credit: PA:Press Association
Isn’t there a danger of feeding that? In 1998, singer Gary Glitter was jailed for four months after child sex abuse images were found on a computer he had taken to a shop to have repaired.
Eight years later he was jailed in Vietnam after being found guilty of committing obscene acts with two girls aged ten and 11.
But there aren’t enough prison spaces to lock up the estimated 750,000 paedophiles, so what should we do with them?
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We need a clearer conversation of where the police spend resourcesCredit: Alamy
That’s where the argument about resources comes in. Where should the money go?
At the charity I work for, we think there is a place for the criminal justice route, but also prevention of the abuse in the first place as well as rehabilitation. But where should the balance between these lie?
I would like a clearer conversation of where the police spend resources.
We know they spend a lot of time investigating and prosecuting minor offences — Twitter spats, for instance.
Surely that time and money would be better spent on protecting children?
Police priorities reflect society’s priorities. Where do you want police to spend their resources?
If you want child protection to be a priority, then let’s all say so. Join the debate.
This matters to me, you, to all the survivors of abuse and the children we can protect in the future.
Gabrielle Shaw is chief executive officer for The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC).
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