Sexual abuse on Pitcairn

[JoeP]

I'm reserving any judgement on this, because there are a lot of backing new articles that will shed some light on it, but this article (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3699286.stm) says that 7 men, or half the adult male population, are facing a range of sex abuse charges - and (some of) the women are saying the trials are a waste and defending the men.

Even apart from this, the whole concept of Pitcairn - inhabited by the descendants of the mutineers on The Bounty - is fascinating.

http://www.lareau.org/pitc.html - scroll down to the articles
http://www.lareau.org/sagaintro.htm - the saga of the HMS Bounty
http://www.government.pn/

[Farren]

Yeah I saw this over at Democratic Underground. What instantly springs to mind is that one can imagine an extremely isolated society where sex at 13 is normal and not psychologically scarring, even if most members of less isolated contemporary societies recoil at the thought.

I think it was Jean Aul or a similar writer that envisioned a primitive society where a kindly uncle would deflower a girl at puberty so that her first experience was with someone both trusted and experienced.

I hope these things are considered in considering the fate of these men.

It could, of course, be an altogether more unhealthy situation, with abusive behaviour and learned helplessness and submissiveness on the part of the women. The Beeb article doesn't go into a hell of a lot of detail.

[Godless Dave]

How are things over at DU? It's blocked at work now so I haven't visited in over a week. I miss the breaking news but not the whining.

[Farren]

How are things over at DU? It's blocked at work now so I haven't visited in over a week. I miss the breaking news but not the whining.

I only look at breaking news. They sure latch onto stuff quickly and its all stuff that's interesting to those in the left field, which is cool. I'll probably go there less when/if GW gets sent back to Crawford, because right now he's the main reason for my passionate interest in US politics :D

[Godless Dave]

[QUOTE=Godless Dave]I'll probably go there less when/if GW gets sent back to Crawford
Obviously you haven't been to DU enough! Anyone in the Crawford area will tell you that Dumbya is NOT from there, he bought his "ranch" there in 1999.

Of course I don't want to see him go to Texas, Connecticut, or Maine in 2005. I want to see him as a defendant in a federal courtroom or the ICC. Preferably both.

[livius drusus]

Another newstory (http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,10925212%255E663,00.html) on the Pitcairn case. My suspicions are growing:

There was a long-standing culture of young girls being initiated to sex at the age of 12 or 13, one island woman said yesterday.

"The adult men would say the young girls need to be broken in," she said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Between the passive voice "being initiated" and the charming "broken in" comment, I'm sensing exactly zero options for the girls here. That's a big no no in my book.

[Bella]

Yeah, and the whole "they only did it to girls who were equally 'hot for it'" comment really put me off, too :(.

[beyelzu]

How are things over at DU? It's blocked at work now so I haven't visited in over a week. I miss the breaking news but not the whining.

I only look at breaking news. They sure latch onto stuff quickly and its all stuff that's interesting to those in the left field, which is cool. I'll probably go there less when/if GW gets sent back to Crawford, because right now he's the main reason for my passionate interest in US politics :D
that's just because you dont want to get invaded.

word on the street is south africa has gots some serious wmd's


I apologize in advance if gw uses this post as evidence next year for the invasion of sa. :D

[beyelzu]

Another newstory (http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,10925212%255E663,00.html) on the Pitcairn case. My suspicions are growing:

There was a long-standing culture of young girls being initiated to sex at the age of 12 or 13, one island woman said yesterday.

"The adult men would say the young girls need to be broken in," she said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Between the passive voice "being initiated" and the charming "broken in" comment, I'm sensing exactly zero options for the girls here. That's a big no no in my book.
seems to me that sex between the most powerful man on the island and a 12 year old girl would have to be rape by definition.

much as it is imossible for a drill sargent to have consensual sex with a recruit.

Also, when you look at how long ago some of the rapes allegedly took place, it is obvious that some women have decided to step forward and that they believe that they were raped.

[Petra]

Hey, I'm calling in here while stuff cooks in my oven to feed the hungry kid - but I'm happy to have this brought up as it's news an' shit in NZ.

That said...I'll get back to you if I don't get too hammered tonight. I have opinions on this - for what they're worth.

I was gonna start a thread on the Pitcairn Islands thing in current affairs in the next day or two, so good on yer fer getting it started. Pitcairn Is. is somethin' else, y'all.

Wish me luck in not getting too wasted to discuss this later. (Although your chances are slim, at this stage).

Ahhh'll be bach.

[LadyXoc]

Yeah, and the whole "they only did it to girls who were equally 'hot for it'" comment really put me off, too :(.

Same here.