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[Vamps]

It's a sad situation that we are in today, being made to feel guilty when we have nothing to be guilty about.
It brings to mind something that happened a couple of years ago. I was alone at work when I heard a noise in the car park followed by a child crying. I went to investigate and found a little boy of about seven had fallen off his bike onto the gravel. he had skinned his hand and it was dirty and bleeding. Without a second thought I helped him up and took him into the wash room cleaned and dressed his wound, checked his bike over and told him to go straight home. It only occurred to me a couple of hours later the potential situation that could have been perceived by anybody witnessing my actions, I actually had feelings of guilt. Thats got to be wrong, but that is the mindset that society has people in nowadays.
A couple of days later the little boys mum came around to my workplace to thank me for helping her son, which made me feel a lot better.

I often wonder what I would do in a similar situation shout for the nearest woman? call the police and tell them what I am doing, tis all very sad really.
we have to blame the Media though for this, hyping everything up and out or proportion...

And that is no guarantee of safety, a lot of woman involved in child abuse of all types.

[Richie London]

the pisshead who lives below me has teddy bears hanging from his door, sits outside watching the kids play, my son see him sitting on the park bench watching kids on climbing frames, ive also been told hes always hanging about the school in the morning. hes been reported but nothing can be done as he hasnt commited an offence. i have heard rumours about him so ive told my kids to ignore him if he says hello to them. and i  asked him politely a while ago not to speak to them or approach them.

[Dave-C]

We took my stepson to Telford on the play park next to the ice rink, Jill was heavily pregnant with Bradley, we decided to take some piccy's of Warren so that we could show them to Brad when he was old enough, a bonding thing!!  (Not Bondage)  Anyway, there was a woman there with a little girl, it was cold by the way, so all of us were wrapped up warm, i.e. loads of clothing on! The said woman then decided that I was taking piccy's of her daughter, NOT the case, I was using a telephoto and quite close up too,  she then grabbed her daughter, called us perverts and as good as run off :-/

She'd simply read something in a news paper which had stuck in her mind, or maybe she'd had problems in her life herself...

We were astonished

DC

[sir moanalot]

it likes finding a kid in the high st crying cos they have lost their mum, do you take them somewhere and get accused of abduction or just leave them for your own protection? crazy country :-/

[HolyCount]

it likes finding a kid in the high st crying cos they have lost their mum, do you take them somewhere and get accused of abduction or just leave them for your own protection? crazy country :-/

That's the biggest dilemma -- we can't help a kid ( or anybody -- even adult, these days) in genuine distress for fear of becoming the target of whatever prejudices prevail.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Very sad really. My old dad told me that when he was a kid in the thirties there was an old chap who used to give all the kids in the street a gobstopper. It was all perfectly innocent and was seen as such by other adults.
Of course there are paedophiles out there ,just as there always has been.......but they are not EVERYWHERE....so we would do well to put the possible threat into some kind of perspective.

[Paulus]

Just brand them on the forehead when caught,then the rest of us can carry on as normal.
then lock them in a room full of mums.

This sounds like a great idea. If only...

[Timbuk]

Oh, Tut, tut, tut.......

Whatever next? I was watching the evening news and saw that Telford local council, has implemented a new stop and question for single people as to what they are doing in the park.

The reason they are doing it is to protect children, and I have nothing against that, whatsoever. But surely this will lead to innocent people feeling they cannot visit their local park, for fear of being stopped and questioned.

Surely we are pulling the heart out of society by such measures.

Now everyone is afraid to go anywhere where children might be. Mr Dusty once went for a walk, and spotted a child stuck up a tree. The little boy asked for his help, but Mr Dusty ignored his pleas and carried on. He felt he could not stop to help, incase people judged him wrongly. Instead he came home and asked me to come and help the young lad.

What is wrong with everybody, when we all have to watch our backs?

Another example was when Mr Dusty went to the swimming baths, went into the male changing rooms, but was told bluntly by 3 middle aged women that he could not come in until the (boys only) school party had left. Instead Mr Dusty left without having a swim, he was so upset.

Trouble is people see peodophiles everywhere as we know, yet statistics show that they are no more prevalent than they were 30, 50 or 100 years ago. And these are mostly, within the family anyway.

I assume were talking Telford Town Park here? Its a bloody big place with lots going on usually, Wonderland, lots of plays areas and sometimes the fair. My kids are in that park on a regular basis so i welcome the news, in any case why on earth would a single adult want to be there in the first place?

[JamesV6CDX]

in any case why on earth would a single adult want to be there in the first place?

Not sure if this counts as alone, but I often stroll around the park when I'm walking my dogs?

I also sometimes walk through a park as a shortcut..

I guess the question being asked, is, how far do these laws go...

[Timbuk]

in any case why on earth would a single adult want to be there in the first place?

Not sure if this counts as alone, but I often stroll around the park when I'm walking my dogs?

I also sometimes walk through a park as a shortcut..

I guess the question being asked, is, how far do these laws go...

No need to walk your dog anywhere near the play areas in that park, there are fields everywhere, i agree this is probably specific to this actual park as it is very big

[ians]

in any case why on earth would a single adult want to be there in the first place?

Not sure if this counts as alone, but I often stroll around the park when I'm walking my dogs?

I also sometimes walk through a park as a shortcut..

I guess the question being asked, is, how far do these laws go...

I'm with James - what is unusual about someone going for a walk on their own in the park?  (or is Telford park really a kids playground? - in that case I understand)

[Timbuk]

in any case why on earth would a single adult want to be there in the first place?

Not sure if this counts as alone, but I often stroll around the park when I'm walking my dogs?

I also sometimes walk through a park as a shortcut..

I guess the question being asked, is, how far do these laws go...

I'm with James - what is unusual about someone going for a walk on their own in the park?  (or is Telford park really a kids playground? - in that case I understand)

I totally agree, there is nothing wrong with taking your dog for a walk or even just strolling round a park, its not exactly against the law, but the play areas are in one specific place in that park and schools do run trips to Wonderland, as mentioned before there really isn't any need for a single adult to be in that particular place

[HolyCount]

in any case why on earth would a single adult want to be there in the first place?

Not sure if this counts as alone, but I often stroll around the park when I'm walking my dogs?

I also sometimes walk through a park as a shortcut..

I guess the question being asked, is, how far do these laws go...

I'm with James - what is unusual about someone going for a walk on their own in the park?  (or is Telford park really a kids playground? - in that case I understand)

I totally agree, there is nothing wrong with taking your dog for a walk or even just strolling round a park, its not exactly against the law, but the play areas are in one specific place in that park and schools do run trips to Wonderland, as mentioned before there really isn't any need for a single adult to be in that particular place

The point oft made in this thread, though, is that, due to media hype and false perceptions, people who have every right and reason to be where they are feel guilty, or are looked on with suspicion these days.

That all said, even if it is a bit of overkill, if it was to protect the kids wellbeing, I would have no objection being stopped and POLITELY asked to say why I was there -- after all, if I am doing no wrong I have nothing to worry about ( and I know that is an idealistic view, and a totally different debate !). But, bottom line, I am all for protecting the kiddies, but sensibly!

[Entwood]

Odd turn in the last few posts sic "Why would a single adult be there"  ... are single adults now some form of pariah ?? Am I only allowed to leave the house accompanied now ?? why do I have to prove a "need" to be somewhere, walk somewhere ??... This is PC taking yet another turn for the worse ...

Surely a single adult has the right to go wherever 2 adults .. or 2 adults and a child .. or any other combination ... has the right to go

 

[HolyCount]

Odd turn in the last few posts sic "Why would a single adult be there"  ... are single adults now some form of pariah ?? Am I only allowed to leave the house accompanied now ?? ... This is PC taking yet another turn for the worse ...

Surely a single adult has the right to go wherever 2 adults .. or 2 adults and a child .. or any other combination ... has the right to go

 

If we ALL remained in our houses from, say 6pm til 6am and anybody still outside without good reason between these hours is shot on site -- the world would be a much safer place  

BTW -- I am not seriously suggesting this as an option !!!!