In the past week I have visited two projects that are directly tackling demand. The first is in Bangkok where a team are out on the streets in the red light districts developing relationships with male sex tourists in the red light districts and the second is working with pimps in a gym in an area in Phnom Penh that is notorious for the foreign pedophiles who come to have sex with young children.
Both are faith based organizations who believe that change is possible even for the worst pimp or perputator. This is an incredible thought. At the moment tactics to address demand are often to scare the perpetrators and pimps through law reform and implementation that jails offenders and campaigns such as the ‘Abuse a child in this country, go to jail in yours’ billboards but whilst important this may have limited effect. But this alternative approach challenges the fatalistic notion that rights people off and says that through relationships people can make choices that are better for their families, better for the girls and better for themselves.
Glenn Miles, Director of Asia Prevention
Glenn---Wow. Thank you for
Submitted by eachick (not verified) on Sun, 12/06/2009 - 9:24pm.
Glenn---Wow. Thank you for being brave enough to post this. As a survivor who has some insight into this area I applaud the idea of allowing the perpetrators to be looked at as human beings with deep seeded issues. The part that you left out puzzles me, though. Glenn, I would be curious to know what the percentage is of perpetrators who change their course. The reason is because after having been under wing of these types for an extended period in my life as a minor, I came to know the mind of these people. Most are on the path they are on due to problems that have caused them to believe that their way of life is "normal". I think your approach is going in the right direction, I just don't think that there are that many perpetrators out there that will muster up a TRUE change, and the root of problem, I believe, lies in the way that these peoples' psychological issues are dealt with (and more importantly NOT dealt with when they are at their most vulnerable point---in prison). The system, (inmates and the civilian employees) will hear of nothing but revenge, and some even have repressive issues themselves that hinder their acceptance of anything close to your ideal.
I wish you great success, Glenn. I know that love is the only way.
Keep following the light. Love will find a way. Bless you.
December 6, 2009 5:21 PM
Beautiful
Submitted by overflowinglove (not verified) on Tue, 12/08/2009 - 4:35pm.
Thank you for loving as Christ loves. Despite the deep anguish caused by people, we can know that He is big enough to love anyway. To destroy demand seems to be a fundamental piece in this fight. Thank you.
worth it.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 12/08/2009 - 8:13pm.
as a survivor of abuse learning the story of my abuser years later was a big point of healing and 'incredible hope.' i realized that I'm a part of something, a cycle, much larger than myself; and I can be a part of breaking that cycle. I really believe that empathy for those who abuse is worth the difficulty it takes to find. keep up the good work love146; I really believe in what you do.
Thanks for your response.
Submitted by Glenn Miles on Wed, 02/17/2010 - 10:42pm.
Thanks for your response. I have also read the stories of the johns in Melissa Farleys research and it seems difficult to imagine that they can ever change. But the guys doing this project tell me that some of the clients are changing and I believe them. The challenge is trying to follow up with people who by nature of what we are doing must remain confidential (they can contact the project afterwards but we can only know their details if they allow it). When we look at the victims we say every person counts and is worth the effort. I think we need to do that with the perputrator too. Although this approach may only reach those who were on the edge peering in, if it turns one around then it will have been worth it (consider how many girls or boys one perputrator can rape) and until we start touching the surface then we can never tackle the harder cases.
Post new comment