6th March 2023 - Disgust and Disappointment
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Last Friday I received a phone call from a fellow Scout leader which
has spent my head spinning between disgust and disappointment. Turns
out that a Scout leader in the local area had appeared on a paedophile
hunter Facebook page. It appears he had been sending messages to a 15
year old boy about meeting up. This particular person was someone who
I have worked with professionaly and as a volunteer with. I looked up
to him and thought he was a sensible voice to get advice from. This
news has shocked me. I am surprised he could do or contemplate
something so disgusting and debased. My mind has been spinning ever
since. This has filled my mind and destroyed any spare thoughts. The
video from the paedophile hunters is a hard watch. It shows a group
confronting him on his doorstep. His wife comes out eventually and
doesn't appear shocked. She is also heavily involved in local Scouting
and another reason for the mind spinning. What if she knew and wasn't
reporting? How could someone do that? I occasionally hope it is
some sort of mix up. It probably isn't. The good news is that the
police have been presented with evidence and are investigating. I have
no idea if he has been arrested.
I feel disappointed that someone could do something so wrong and
disgusting. I feel disappointed that there is another occasion people
can point to so they can justify their belief that all Scout leaders
are paedos. We are not. We just believe that people need to learn
skills for life and want to help them realise who they are. There is
lots of wanting to scream into the void. This phlog post is one way to
do so I suppose.
Such horrific acts should not and cannot absorb our attention. Such
horrific acts should not and cannot cancel out the good work many
volunteers do. Such horrific acts should not happen but still do. We
need to protect as many as we can and give everyone the opportunity to
be their best. Fuck the disgusting abusive bastards for all of their
harm. Do what you can to make life better in some way for everyone you
can.
