john68 wrote:john@staustell wrote:I believe that human behaviour has not changed over the centuries, sadly, and agree that it's only now 'society' is getting a grip.
However in my lifetime a nonce has always been a nonce and treated as such and I don't think there's as much 'blind eye turning' as is made out. Incredulity, non-belief, yes, over the years - but don't children often not dare to tell, in case they get in trouble? I think this is particulary true of the Catholic Church over the centuries. Until lately who would have believed a child against a respected churchman?
Furthermore one of the best dealing methods is to block an event out, put it in the past. And there is something to be said for that as the best way of dealing, But these people need to be dealt with, so well done to those with the courage to rake through their bad memories and put the monster belatedly where he belongs.
Those are excellent points John.
I grew up up in a time when we were told 'A CHILD SHOULD BE SEEN BUT NOT HEARD'.
We were taught to respect our elders and those in authority. But with that also came a fear of those in authority or a fear of authority. Our parents, teachers, the police, our doctors, never made mistakes, they were always right and this was often brutally enforced by corporal punishment.
That in turn created a societal infrastructure where a 'DON'T ANSWER BACK' culture made it extremely difficult for a young child, to question authority or challenge those in authority over them.
Add to that in a football environment where young children are 'sold the dream'. Two victims I havse heard both said quite clearly that they dreamt of being footballers, both felt that they could attain that dream and both feared that, that dream would be taken from them had they told the truth.
Yes Noolie, I do believe that this sort of abuse was far more widespread within society than we may, until quite recently, have thought. Coupled with its adult version of bullying, in the workplace, by teachers, politicians, priests, the police and sadly even family members, it is certainly a societal problem that needs to be resolved.
I also believe that this must have been more widespread within football and hopefully now that the Bennell case has been resolved, other victims, as happened within the Operation Yew Tree case, will come forward.