If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
You have been mistakenly identified from CCTV footage; a student has falsely accused you of molesting her; you have been charged with assault while defending yourself from a drunk; you need a lawyer to advise you, but can't afford one.
We have heard of the horrendous gang-rape in India. There have been several articles on how it is indicative of a patriarchal society. But this problem is not India's alone; and at least Indian citizens, both male and female, have been outraged enough to protest and demand change from their government - can we say the same?
It was taken as part and parcel of a girl growing up that she would get some "hassle" from "lads". Boys will be boys, and all that. It seemed like boys' "misdeeds" were all part of them growing up, whereas if a girl had "hassle" - well, there was a good chance she might have brought it on herself.
If we were all able to discuss our end of life wishes and make plans in a more confident and better-informed way it's likely we would see huge improvements in people's experiences at such an important time for them and those close to them and that we would be less scared of dying.
At the moment people who help a loved one to die are investigated afterwards & since DPP guidelines were issued to treat these cases with compassion in 2009, there have been no prosecutions of people assisting a loved one to die indirectly.
This week a beautiful little blonde and blue-eyed English girl was horrifically sexually mutilated - by her parents. She will be scarred for life both physically and mentally. She could have died in the attack. This was not a lone assault, however. Such ritualistic violence against children happen on average EVERY week among a particular cult in Britain.
Indeed today's cybercriminal gangs are so well organized that often they buy "off the shelf" rootkits and software which they use to carry out their activities. Often this software comes with manuals, 24/7 tech support and even in extreme cases advertising!
The Oxford grooming trial has been a grim reminder that even though we are living in the 21st Century there are still some people who have medieval attitudes towards young girls. The barbaric treatment of the victims in this case was depraved and must never be allowed to happen again.
The commentary that can now take place following the release of Vicky Pryce should include discussion about whether the dash of sexism in court might have undermined a potentially sensible modern defence for other husbands and wives.
It's no secret that the re-offending rate in this country remains far too high and that the public find it alarming. What's less publicised is what victims think about all this. Time and again victims tell me that, yes they want those who committed a crime to be punished, but also they want them to be rehabilitated.
Stuart Hazell, 37, was a man with a violent and scarred background which is nothing unusual in such crimes. But, tellingly, he also had an addiction to images of children being sexually abused. Police discovered hundreds of such pictures on his computer hard drive. He had also visited websites searching under 'illegal incest pics' and 'sex with young children'.
Everyday I speak to someone who feels hopelessly addicted - whether they are drunk or sober - and every time the word they use is the same: relapse. The fear of slipping backwards. Returning to where they started. And it can't happen. It's not real.
The allegations surrounding the hostage case in Cleveland, Ohio, remain truly astonishing; how can three women be kidnapped, raped and beaten for so long? One possible explanation derives from a psychiatric phenomenon which is supposed to develop in these extraordinary and intense predicaments, termed 'Stockholm Syndrome'.
Cybercrime has become a well-established feature of today's world. For the most part, this takes the form of random, speculative attacks designed to steal personal information from anyone unlucky enough to fall victim to the attack.
I'm not saying cats deserve to die. I'm just saying, worse things could happen. You could be walking down the street, spot your girlfriend/boyfriend kissing your brother/sister at a bus stop, distractedly step into the path of a speeding dustbin lorry. Killing a few cats, though not very nice, is not synonymous with the embodiment of all evil, as everyone seems to think.
Our aims are simple. We want to raise awareness of child sexual exploitation, via education and campaigning across all communities. We want to encourage reporting and promote services to help vulnerable young people. We want to produce training kits and background fact-sheets for faith and community leaders, so they can speak out with knowledge and confidence.
Most Popular Crime Stories
