You see a lost child in a shop. What would you do?

When the Sun Hits

Mina Teeny Barnyard wrote: »

A lot of people don't seem to be basing it on actual experience though, so much as an assumption that it's going to lead to accusations. The parents posting here all seem to be saying that they wouldn't have a problem with a man helping their lost child.

I've had "pedo" shouted at me while walking past a playground before. I wasn't even looking in when a girl/woman shouted it at me. I am in my early twenties, clean shaven and youthful in appearance - not even like the stereotype. I can imagine it would be worse for an older looking man.

It does not seem inconceivable to me that approaching a child in a shop could result in a very bad reaction from a hysterical parent, and we have seen the media ruin people's lives before when allegations relating to rape have been made against individuals. Cases where the person has proven to be innocent yet the experience and damage to their name stays forever.

Of course, this is a different situation, but surely you must see where some people's concerns are coming from? Unlikely as it is to occur, it definitely could happen. There is a very slight possibility a parent could accuse you of something awful, and if that did happen the consequences are completely life shattering. Something like that in a small community would be a huge embarrassment and source of shame for a family, regardless of the legitimacy of the claim.

Personally, the most I'd do is alert a member of staff. There's no way I'd talk to the kid or accompany him/her while looking for the parents. If that means I don't have "a shred of decency" as one poster put it, then fine.

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When the Sun Hits wrote: »

I've had "pedo" shouted at me while walking past a playground before. I wasn't even looking in when a girl/woman shouted it at me. I am in my early twenties, clean shaven and youthful in appearance - not even like the stereotype. I can imagine it would be worse for an older looking man.

It does not seem inconceivable to me that approaching a child in a shop could result in a very bad reaction from a hysterical parent, and we have seen the media ruin people's lives before when allegations relating to rape have been made against individuals. Cases where the person has proven to be innocent yet the experience and damage to their name stays forever.

Of course, this is a different situation, but surely you must see where some people's concerns are coming from? Unlikely as it is to occur, it definitely could happen. There is a very slight possibility a parent could accuse you of something awful, and if that did happen the consequences are completely life shattering. Something like that in a small community would be a huge embarrassment and source of shame for a family, regardless of the legitimacy of the claim.

Personally, the most I'd do is alert a member of staff. There's no way I'd talk to the kid or accompany him/her while looking for the parents. If that means I don't have "a shred of decency" as one poster put it, then fine.

Sure I've had "whore" shouted at me walking down the street, when I was wearing jeans and a coat. Doesn't mean it's anything to do with me, or that the person actually believed it, it was just some idiot showing off for their mates.

I can understand where people's concerns are coming from, and I think it's a horrible situation where any adult man who's fond of kids risks being viewed with suspicion. It just reads to me like it's getting into a kind of feedback loop of paranoia, where people are paranoid about men around kids, then men are paranoid about people being paranoid about it; and take other mens' paranoia about the same thing as justification. It's a bit like some people seeing rape culture or racism everywhere around them, you can often see what you're expecting to see.

the_syco

Cold War Kid wrote: »

It is? Talk about wallowing in victimhood some people are doing here.

I'm your typical metal loving 6 foot shaved head bearded male. It's annoying the way the helpdesks/tills of most shopping centres are near the exits. Kids generally look up in fear/awe at me if I say hi. And then they'll run away :pac: