[MLUG - DISCUSSION] false charges of sexual abuse

["Paul Slusarz" <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

Mike Miller wrote:

This is a thread on the MLUG members list gone astray, so I'm
moving it here. I can't believe nobody responded to that post.

>> Let me guess "Hamaty" is an Arabic or Persian name, right?
In some
>> nations, women will masturbate infant sons to sooth them.
This is
>> not consindered a sexual act.  It is harmless.

You bring up the fact that things are done differently in some
cultures, but if you take the act out of its cultural context
and you can no longer make the claim that it's a valid
behavior. As to whether some things other cultures do are
nevertheless objectively or subjectively harmful we needn't
argue about that (free speech supression and human sacrifice
come to mind as extreme examples).

>>  Most sexual abuse is
>> also fairly harmless, believe it or not.  There have been
good
>> studies of this, but the conclusion of harmlessness is
unpopular.

There have been good studies demonstrating that global warming
is a myth. At least our Administration thinks so. Now show me
the money (name the studies).

>> (But think about it - how severely damaged should people be
by some
>> fondling of their genitals?)

If your genitals were fondled by a hairy truck driver you may
revise your opinion.
There's all kinds of psychological damage that comes from
sexual abuse. There's all kinds of damage that comes from
premature sexual initiation. There's all kinds of damage that
comes from having a parent dominate a child's sex life. Because
a child is defenseless against these threats the law steers
parents clear of any sexual activity.

This is not to say that our system is working well. There are
way too many false accusations and questionable convictions.
Additionally, it's way too easy for the state to take children
away from parents for alleged or unrelated violations. There's
something wrong with the process, and there's probably no easy
way to fix it. But it seems to me you're questioning the crime
itself, not how it's being persecuted.

>> Conclusion:  We should be very cautious when approaching
cases of
>> sexual abuse in families.  The family should be broken up
only when
>> it is clear that such an intervention will cause more good
than harm.

You mean something like daily counseling and probation officer
visits? That might work, although I'm all for prison time for
offenders as well.

>> If people (average people as well as DAs and police) would
be
>> reasonable, we could easily do a much better job of
protecting
>> children from harm.

Since when were these two reasonable? The courts have ruled
these two can lie about facts, make false promises, and use
outside pressures to obtain conviction. In terms of domestic
abuse this means something like "you testify against your
husband or we'll take your kids away." We've given them these
powers, and so it's no surprise they use them to the fullest
extent, and ask for more at every occasion.

Paul



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