Do you think the law should be changed about protecting a child's identity if they rape someone?

AMKC

So I just seen there on the news about the two brothers that raped a young girl in Wexford. The two boys were 14 and 17 at the time and the young girl 17. Absolutely disgracefull. I am sorry but if he knew how to have sex and do that to this poor young girl then he does not deserve to go unnamed and because he can not be named then his now 19 year old brother who was 17 at the time can not be either. A disgrace. When I was 14 I did not even know what sex was and still believed in Santa. What a sad state the world is in for young teenagers these days. I pity them there innocents taken so young.

G_R

Is it not to protect the identity of the victim?

EmmetSpiceland

I can see why the law is in place but I don’t understand why the media give out the name, age and address of the victim in any rape, or sexual assault, case where the victim has waived their right to anonymity.

If they report the name of the attacker are they then, legally, compelled to give out the details of the victim? Just seems so unnecessary.

Strumms

The child’s identity should not be protected. The law should prioritize the safety and wellbeing of the public, first and foremost ... therefore name them.

Jequ0n

At 14 you didn’t know what sex was?

“Innocents taken so young”?

Cut down on the drama, please…

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117917665#Comment_117917665

No drama it's the truth. The young grow up so quick these days. They barely have time to be a child. Yes it's true they do have so much more resources than my generation had at there age. Its still sad to think they are wanting to have sex so young. There was no Internet when I was 14 and computers were new in schools as well as very basic.

Potential-Monke

It's done to protect the victim, that is the only reason. If the victim was over 18 and waived the right to anonymity, I reckon they would have named them. Could be wrong on all that though, but I'm pretty sure that's the intent. And I'm unsure if an underage victim can waive a right to anonymity anyway. Open to correction though.

But I do think that the public should know who these animals are. How to do that without identifying the victim is another thing though.

Strumms

A child killer could also change their identity...

The killers of Jamie Bolger did....Robert Thompson and Jon Venables,

Both went on to commit other crimes, one raped a girl extremely violently.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117917625#Comment_117917625

This.

QED

dotsman

I'm sorry, but I'm still shocked about the fact that, at the age of 14, you didn't know what sex was...

...and...

... you still believed in Santa fcukin' Claus????

I'm sorry, but you lived some sheltered, prolonged, unnatural childhood. And no, before you go on about kids today or the internet, I didn't have the internet at age 10 yet I still knew about sex and Santa Claus. In fact, kids today are more sheltered than ever before. You do realise, for the vast majority of human existence, 14 year olds didn't just know about sex, but were having it, regularly in many cases?

As for your question. There are 2 reasons to not name them. 1) they were a child at the time, and still growing up. Child offenders are never named, regardless of the crime. Secondly, it is to protect the victim. Naming the rapist, pretty much identifies the victim in many/most cases.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117917810#Comment_117917810

Robert Thompson has been out of jail on license since the early 2000s and has not re-offended.

Venables on the other hand has and has a serious criminal history.

FintanMcluskey

A horrific case. Aren't all child criminal's and child victim identities protected by Children Act?

14 is the age of consent in many EU countries OP. Its a bit naive to think a 14 year old in Ireland could be that innocent

https://www.ageofconsent.net/continent/europe

Larbre34

I think the law should allow the options for whatever is best for the victim.

We've seen recently some extremely courageous women waive their own anonymity so that their convicted abusers and attackers can be publicly named.

Obviously the victim in this case is still very young, perhaps still a teenager, but in years to come if she makes a decision to want to expose the rapists, she should be able to easily do so with the assistance of the legal system.

In the meantime, if protection of the victim means the anonymity of the offender, so be it, but to be honest I'm far more concerned about the sentencing. It shouldn't be 5 or 6 years they are getting, it should be 15 to 20.

This could very easily have turned into another Anna Kriegel and it is clear to me that these teenagers know right from wrong plenty well enough to face the most severe consequences for their choice to commit rape and/or murder.

AllForIt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117917625#Comment_117917625

Two questions about this:

Why would the victim want their identity hidden?

And the second one is; how would revealing the identity of the perpetrators reveal the identity of the victim?

Akrasia

First of all, there is no such thing as anonymity when someone is a convicted rapist. People from that locality all know who those boys are

the prohibition is on the media publishing their names.

Children who commit serious offenses should be given a chance to redeem themselves. The state knows who they are, but what purpose would it serve to make it impossible for them to live a straight law abiding life after they serve their sentences?

wotzgoingon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117917890#Comment_117917890

Did Spain change the age. I remember looking at a list a decade or so ago and Spains age of consent was 13.

poisonated

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117917890#Comment_117917890

Please excuse my ignorance but does that mean a 60 year old person can legally have sex with a person who is 14 in Italy?

wotzgoingon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117917935#Comment_117917935

Yes if they agree to it but there is a fine line of agreeing to it at the time but later changing their mind and he/she would be prosecuted. Mostly he though as it's like that south park episode. NICE!

poisonated

that seems odd. I had a friend who was going out with this girl for a few years there was about a year and a half age difference. He turned 18 and she was 16 so that meant they could not have relations. I think they were actually breaking g the law before he turned 18 but let’s be honest, in Ireland at least, children are very rarely prosecuted for crimes. Any way, I suppose what I’m trying to say after all my rambling haha is that there is a big difference between a 60 year old with a 15 year old and a 18 year old with a 16 year old.

wotzgoingon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117917947#Comment_117917947

My cousin got pregnant at 15 with a guy aged 19 or 20. While age of consent is 17 in this country and that happens far more frequently than you would think and no prosecutions giving out.

Jequ0n

Of course identities have to be hidden. The vast majority of people lose their plot when it comes to specific crimes and seek revenge.

I am also tired of the “kids nowadays” debate. These things have always happened, but were less frequently reported on.

it’s impressive how many people forget the **** they got up to when they were young.

Hector Savage

Terrible case - really.

But wait, you believed in Santa when you were 14 ????

nah ....

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117917935#Comment_117917935

No, many jurisdictions operate a 'Romeo and Juliet' protocol. Teens can have sex with each other but beyond a minimal age gap there will be prosecutions.

Mr. CooL ICE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117917908#Comment_117917908

1) If I had been the victim of serious sexual assault, I'm not sure I'd want my name plastered in the newspaper. Would you?

2) Many sexual assault cases are caused by family members. Would be a bit pointless to say "John Smith raped his sister but his sister is remaining anonymous"

I would have thought these were completely obvious

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117917625#Comment_117917625

That would only be the case if identifying the perpetrator could also cause the victim to be identified indirectly.

That does not appear to be the case here. What appears to be the case is that the younger perpetrator cannot be named and is entitled to anonymity as he is legally a child. His brother, if no longer a child when committing the crime, could also not be named either because identifying him would result in the younger brother being indirectly identified.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117917935#Comment_117917935

Asking for a friend perchance?

Was there not a law brought in here a few years ago that that was one case where an Irish person could potentially be prosecuted for that category of crime even if committed in another jurisdiction? It was at least talked about. I think it may have been brought in

Dial Hard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117917969#Comment_117917969

I don't know what kind of "sh!t" you got up to when you were young, dude, but I wasn't having sex at 14 and I certainly wasn't a rapist.

Jequ0n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117918850#Comment_117918850

Commendable.

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117917866#Comment_117917866

Thompson has been and is involved in crime however he has not been convicted yet.

randd1

I leave near enough to the offenders.

This isn't anything surprising, shocking, or even new from them given what they've done to other girls around. This has been flagged for some time. this on top of regular scumbag behaviour from the age of around 4.

But then again, it's their culture boss...

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117919092#Comment_117919092

And you know this how ?