Trust and hope are not part of this Christmas.
The Catholic Archbishop of Sydney has ruled out considering any changes to the church practice of confession ..

I don't make many contributions to the Forum these days, but this Topic dealing with Child Abuse (paedophilia) is an odious subject for me and many other coppers who've been required to deal with these maggots.

Natural justice would see many of these offenders cured for all time, if it were allowed to progress naturally. First the 'jacks' would 'counsel' them; thereinafter their keepers (the 'screws') would ensure the job was completed. Today dear readers, all paedophiles are immediately placed onto close protection, the moment they enter gaol.

My question is, who've had carriage and/or responsibility for protecting their innocent victims? Children so young they often don't realise they've been sexually assaulted, by their Dad, Uncle, or a 'friendly' neighbour. Most coppers would do their part, and 99% of all screws, would gladly do theirs believe me...! Problem fixed.

Once they start handing out rough justice to one section of the criminal community, they would start it on all criminals, irrespective of their crimes. After that, who knows that anyone of us would be safe from manhandling and brutality by the police.

As for paedophiles being protected in jail, so they should be. Their punishment is laid down by the law; it does not included being bashed up by other prisoners who are also scumbags in their their own right.

Australia is on the downward run, but I hope that we never get down to the level suggested here. Anyone for a game of tossing homos of high buildings? If people have this much disrespect for the law, the legalising of fake marriage would certainly not protect such people.

I'm all for the rule of law but if I were honest
I would have to admit I don't know how "tolerant"
I would be if someone so much as touched a hair
on my children's or grandchildren's heads.

Hi FOXY...I think you'd agree, since you've known me, I've always supported the rule of law, sometimes to my own detriment herein.

However, paedophiles are whole different ball game believe me, whenever you're arresting them. Many know their rights thoroughly while in custody, some are of professional occupations; lawyers; accountants, etc. They use the law to their own advantage, quite unlike many of the crooks I've needed to deal with over time. Many are reasonably well educated, and are involved in their own cliques for added (legal) protection. Police Command ensure a watch is maintained over them particularly if they have some considerable notoriety about them, or the hideous nature their crimes.

Comments from TTBN though he's quite correct in every way, I simply put it down to ignorance, in terms he just doesn't understand or fully appreciate what these types are really like. Even when you're sitting down with them in the interview room, and taking their Statement, and preparing your own Statement of Facts, often this process can take some hours, can make your skin crawl just listening to them, whining and trying to justify their vile crime(s). I could write a veritable book on these individuals believe me FOXY, they're the lowest of the low.

And from a wholly 'unqualified' person; I don't believe these people can be actually cured of this abominable act. This theory is supported by several forensic psychiatrists, I've spoken with over recent years. One I know especially well who's near to retiring and going into private practice claims this offence will become much much worse before it'll ever get better. More frightening, his only solution, is a process that's widely used in US Correctional facilities called 'chemical neutering or castration'. Apparently there's no clinical treatment that's known, that'll fix these blokes up?

O sung wu - I too hardly ever post on this site - some comments are just too ignorant to bother with. First please accept gratitude for the job you do - it's a lot harder than many realise. Secondly, I agree there are no known treatments that will obliterate the desires of a paedophile. Third, i agree they are the lowest of the low - ruining the lives of their victims and causing immeasurable distress to the parent and families who blame themselves for not being there to stop the crime.

The institutional crimes are even more insidious. It is abhorrent that a global institution like the Catholic church while professing to love and protect children, not only allowed reported paedophiles within their ranks to continue, they assisted them by shifting them to new hunting grounds with fresh meat. The matter is not just about "a few rotten apples" as the excuse goes, but about a complete structure of silence and cover up. And it doesn't end there. The victims were routinely dismissed, shunned, blamed and threatened. Some killed themselves. Others are people you would encounter in your work - the homeless, the mentally ill, the alcohol and drug dependent - all of whom had the chance of a safe, productive life denied them by men who strutted about being holier than thou.

That many of the indoctrinated do not get this - or absolutely refuse to - tells us all we need to know about where the Church's "love and protection" lays: Only with themselves to the exclusion of all others. There needs to be arrests up and down the hierarchy. Religion is not exempt from the law.