A network of individuals, independent and alternative media activists and organisations, offering grassroots, non-corporate, non-commercial coverage of important social and political issues.

What does an anarchist do about child abuse?

Peter | 26.02.2002 16:07

Anyway my dilemma is should I report all this to the police (20 years after the event), even though I don't agree with the prison system, on principle?

When I was young (8-10 years old) I used to go on camping trips with my gymnastics coaches. I didn't really realise at the time, but he got us to do all sorts of sexual things. Fortunately, I wasn't his favourite, so I missed out on lots of his "games".

Anyway my dilemma is should I report all this to the police (20 years after the event), even though I don't agree with the prison system, on principle? On the one hand, I want vengeance for the way he exploited us. But on the other hand, I know that prisons fuck people up, and often make problems worse.

Your thoughts would be welcome.

Peter

Comments

Hide the following 7 comments

for anyone in this situation..

26.02.2002 17:21

..my best suggestion is not to feel you have to deal with these issues on your own. You could try the NSPCC, they can offer you advice, and support too:

internationalist
Homepage: http://www.nspcc.org.uk

Try this

26.02.2002 18:46

I'd suggest reposting this here:

http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/

Good luck

26.02.2002 20:25

I agree with both of the above comments. Have you been able to talk about this to someone independent? If not, maybe that's the next step in this. An independent counsellor can normally be accessed through your G.P. if you're persistant.

Someone mentioned U75, and there may well be friends / comrades there who can offer some help and advice.

Another site which may be of help is:

http://www.stopabuse.org

As a fellow anarchist I can't vouch for their politics, but they certainly have a lot of useful info, and links to independent abuse survivors groups, legal advice etc.

Don't try to deal with this on your own, and good luck!

Jay-B

26.02.2002 21:16

Understand what you're going through. The headmaster at my school did much the same to loads of us. Don't have your dilemma to deal with- the bastard blew his head off when I was about 15.

But I admire your principled stand; if it was me, I'd probably let anger get in the way of ethics. Whatever you decide to do, I hope you get the support you need.

Respect.

I sympathise

Don't touch officialdom

26.02.2002 22:47

Unless you know the perpetrator is still carrying on with his abuse, I would avoid the official channels. You're dealing with a personal hurt that can only be dealt with through healing in a personal way. Child abuse is endemic within our global society and also ill-defined.
The official line encourages personal guilt, vindictiveness and litigation while leaving aside healing for the individual. If you feel the man is still at it and/or deserves retribution, that's a matter for your individual conscience and no GP, counsellor or police officer can help you out. If it's personal healing you're after, then I suggest you seek alternative methods - the mainstream orthodox methods tend to fuck people up even more. I went to a grammar school that sought to imitate the public school system as it then was so I've an idea of what you're talking about. I enclose a link covering the complementary systems where you may find some real support.

Perverts in High Places

27.02.2002 01:42

What an anarchist should do about child abuse is get rid of the heirarchial political institutions which peddle paedeophilia.

Ba'al

Thanks

01.03.2002 13:03

Thanks for all the thoughts, above. I will also post it on the urban75 site.