disturbed

[pennyk]

I was told today that someone I know may be involved in dubious activities involving children in a SEA country and possibly also here as well.

I dont have any proof, but it does make sense in terms of some of their behaviours etc.

I have a reasonably good relationship with both the person who told me, and the person they were talking about. I dont think the person who told me had an axe to grind.. they were more asking questions about what I thought, and it sounded suspicious.

If it were in a work context, I would be obliged to report it. But it wasnt... so should I still report it? AFP have a child sex tourism reporting form, which can be made confidentially.

Obviously, I'm concerned that I dont have any proof, but at the same time if children are being damaged, is it worth taking that risk to protect them.

If nothing else, getting it off my chest here will help me to process it. Not pleasant to hear such things about someone you know....

 

[willair]

Just pass it on and let someone else deal with the problem..
http://www.interpol.int/Member-countries/Asia-South-Pacific/Australia

 

[wannaretire!]

Why won't the person who told you, report it?

 

[cu@thetop]

Speculation plus innuendo = happy ending

What wannaretire said.

 

[lizzie]

With many cases not being investigated because people are to scared, or blase, to report suspicious activity - and with children then either being sexually abused, beaten, killed or starved - I'd report it.

I have a close relative in the AFP - but different section to what you need - and I know that they will investigate quietly and discretely until they believe either to drop or persue further.

Pass on the info and let the professionals deal with it.

 

[Aaron Sice]

my neighbours were acting very suspicious. rentals, new to australia, strong smell of ammonia coming from the house.

i thought meth lab, right here in burns beach.

nope, none of the above. turns out the air con condenser had some goo spilt on it during construction, was getting hot and emitting a noxious fumey odour.

gotta be careful and investigate properly. you can do no good and a world of harm through good intentions.

 

[pennyk]

Why won't the person who told you, report it?

They are in a position where it could backfire on them.

you can do no good and a world of harm through good intentions.

thats my concern... balancing the risk to these children with the potential of causing this person considerable harm.

I'll have a think about it overnight and decide what to do on the weekend.

 

[SamSiam]

What Lizzi and Aaron say.

If you are wrong, you can ruin an innocent life.....if you are right, you can do a great deed.

Try to gauge some more specific and precise information if possible before proceeding.

As Lizzi says, it can be done very discretely and privately and professional and be sure to make sure your wishes are passed onto the investigation concerned.

Thing is, there must be some reason, something specific and exact for your friend to be sure.

I live in Thailand, I cannot say I see this a lot, but you hear about it and there is the 'hearsay' and wrongful assumption that if you travel here a lot or live here, then you must be into this kind of thing. It is important to do both things, protect the children that are to young to protect themselves, but also the person that may simply enjoying life without doing anything as perverted as suggested.

If you like, PM me and I can send you an email of an investigative journalist that could give you some further contacts and advice.

But as I said...get more specific information relevant to make a more informed decision, before just running off on hearsay.

You could also mention some of the specific details here which give the reason to think this of your friend...of course without actual personal details...but what reason your friend has to think such.....it would give us a better view of the information being relative or not....especially me perhaps as living here you hear thing.

 

[Shaneelastic]

I was told today that someone I know may be involved in dubious activities involving children in a SEA country and possibly also here as well.

I dont have any proof, but it does make sense in terms of some of their behaviours etc.

I have a reasonably good relationship with both the person who told me, and the person they were talking about. I dont think the person who told me had an axe to grind.. they were more asking questions about what I thought, and it sounded suspicious.

If it were in a work context, I would be obliged to report it. But it wasnt... so should I still report it? AFP have a child sex tourism reporting form, which can be made confidentially.

Obviously, I'm concerned that I dont have any proof, but at the same time if children are being damaged, is it worth taking that risk to protect them.

If nothing else, getting it off my chest here will help me to process it. Not pleasant to hear such things about someone you know....

Id read the red bits.

I would personally confront them, If your a female and their a male it would be hard though.

On another topic, the hotel i stayed in, in cambodia, gave me a list of do nots, inclduing dont bring under age girls back to the hotel,I was like WTF do you think I am!!! I then was given another pamphlet about all this, and i showed y girldfriend who was horrified what happens over in cambodia

 

[SamSiam]

Id read the red bits.

I would personally confront them, If your a female and their a male it would be hard though.

On another topic, the hotel i stayed in, in cambodia, gave me a list of do nots, inclduing dont bring under age girls back to the hotel,I was like WTF do you think I am!!! I then was given another pamphlet about all this, and i showed y girldfriend who was horrified what happens over in cambodia

It happens in Australia....checkout the 2 girls in Sydney recently doing there bit.

But yes, it happens a lot more over here...unfortunately.

 

[Macca]

Difficult position to be in, I think I would keep it to myself for now as an innocent life could be destroyed by acting in haste.

I would watch and consider the actions and comments of the person you know over a period of time. Should they act/talk in a way that I consider suspicious then I would report it for investigation.

I would be concerned that should I report an innocent person whose life is investigated poorly and false charges laid then I have ruined that persons life through my actions. The resultant damage to that person would lay heavily on my conscience.

We have all read about the damage done to people's lives defending themselves from false accusations, financial ruin and public disgrace heaped on a person because of vindictive people telling lies, I would not like to be responsible for that.

On the other hand if they were guilty I would feel pleased that children were protected from them.

I don't know what I would finally do, but I would hasten slowly through this minefield.

 

[SamSiam]

Agree.

You also need to think that what would you do if after the fact that you found out this information and you did not do anything, because you were not sure, did not find further info or just decided against causing waves...if a 10yo girl was abused ??

The key is trying to be as sure as possible prior to doing anything.....time to become a bit of a dick...a private one i mean.

 

[Aaron_C]

Being accused of being a paedophile is tantamount to being called an anti-Semite, wife-beater or serial killer. Please don't do anything in haste as you could easily destroy someone's (innocent) life.

 

[Terry_w]

reporting suspicions to police wn,t ruin anyne,s life. this will be treated as uncoroborated information only ans the police will do further checks. it is not a criminal record unless the person is charged and convicted.

 

[Aaron_C]

reporting suspicions to police wn,t ruin anyne,s life. this will be treated as uncoroborated information only ans the police will do further checks. it is not a criminal record unless the person is charged and convicted.

Terry that is not true. Simply being accused/investigated of something like this, regardless of whether it's police or a civilian, is enough to ruin someone's life. The whole 'innocent till proven guilty' is just a legal fantasy and has no bearing in reality.

 

[Terry_w]

Terry that is not true. Simply being accused/investigated of something like this, regardless of whether it's police or a civilian, is enough to ruin someone's life. The whole 'innocent till proven guilty' is just a legal fantasy and has no bearing in reality.

how will the public know?

i spent 6 years in afp

 

[cu@thetop]

how will the public know?

i spent 6 years in afp

Sorry to hear that

Tell me that it doesnt show up when people apply for public service sensitive positions?

Try getting a blue card (safe to work with kids) if the Minister chooses to exercise his/her discretion on the basis of a police report indicating unsubstantiated suspicions.

 

[Terry_w]

No annonymous report is going to be taken seriously unless the information is verified.

I say report it as it could lead somewhere and if the guy is in ocent the. It won't hurt him.

 

[SamSiam]

how will the public know?

i spent 6 years in afp

Which penitentiary is that one ??

 

[Sylvester]

In my experience in small towns, the police are the glue bonding the the town's gossip network. Police are very very human, often frustrated and disillusioned, who are more than willing to drop a clue within earshot of the town's biggest gossips and bigots.