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Half of Paedophiles "Need Medical Help" and Not Jail, Says Chief Constable

By David Barrett
Telegraph
December 5, 2014

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/11275577/Half-of-paedophiles-need-medical-help-and-not-jail-says-chief-constable.html

Simon Bailey Photo: Norfolk Police

Thousands of paedophiles who view child sex images online should be treated as patients rather than criminals, Britain's most senior child protection police chief has said.

At least half of people viewing indecent images of children - up to 25,000 people according to police estimates - do not pose a physical risk to children, said Simon Bailey, the child protection and abuse lead for the Association of Chief Police Officers' (Acpo).

Mr Bailey, the chief constable of Norfolk Police, told the Guardian his approach was based on "realism", but admitted it could be "a very unpalatable response from a senior police officer".

Paedophiles classed as "non-contact abusers" who view images but are unlikely ever to harm a child in the real world should face an "alternative solution" involving medical treatment rather than prosecution, he suggested.

The police officer's comments marked a significant departure from law enforcement agencies' conventional approach to users of child sex abuse images.

Most commentators, including victims' groups, insist that viewing the material creates a demand for child pornography and therefore encourages the creation of more material, with more children being sexually abused as a result.

Mr Bailey said: "What academic research would say is between 16 per cent and 50 per cent of those people who have viewed indecent images of children are then likely to be 'contact abusers'.

"That can be as high as 25,000 or as low as 8,000.

"We ... need to engage with service providers from mental health and the health service to work with us to say these people need help."

He added that those who were not considered a threat did not "need to come into the criminal justice system in terms of being put before a court".

"We have to think about an alternative solution," said the chief constable.

"It is based upon the fact there will be a significant number of those people who will simply not go on to contact abuse."

Children's charities reacted with concern to Mr Bailey's comments, and insisted that anyone who viewed child pornography should be considered a risk to children.

Peter Saunders, the chief executive of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, said: "People who pay others to rape and torture children are as guilty as the abusers.

"We have no issue with people who come forward saying they fear they will hurt a child getting support to prevent that happening - absolutely. That's important too."

The debate over how to treat apparently low-risk child sex offenders was reignited last week when a self-confessed paedophile outed himself on TV in a Channel 4 documentary, admitting he was attracted to young girls but denying he had committed an offence.

Named only as Eddie, he said he was seeking help in Europe, where countries such as Germany have dedicated treatment centres, while experts called for Britain to adopt a similar approach.

A paediatric doctor, Myles Bradbury, was jailed for 22 years this week for abusing 18 sick boys in his care, including possessing 16,000 indecent images.

Jon Brown, the NSPCC lead for tackling sexual abuse, was involved in the Channel 4 documentary.

He said today that abuse was a public health issue and anyone who thinks they have a problem should be helped to get treatment, as long as support for victims takes priority.

He added: "Anyone who views child abuse images should be considered a threat to children and must be evaluated and assessed on that basis.

"It may be that not everyone who views these images will go on to abuse a child but they must understand their urges are unacceptable.

"By viewing them they are part of a terrible trade which thrives on children - even babies - being sexually assaulted."

 

 

 

 

 




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