I heard a radio national broadcast three weeks back. I’m a bit of an addict to radio national’s commitment to broadcasting research based expertise, rather than locals calling in with their say. Open line freedom of speech has its place as a community forum but not all day, or everyday for me. I like knowledge as the catalyst for point of view.
An expert sociologist was speaking of his most recent contribution to policy formulation. His proposition is that the cost of keeping criminals in jail is too high. We are locking up the wrong people such as white collar criminals. There are other ways to make their lives difficult, better ways to remind them of the power of the law. The clincher – WE SHOULD ONLY BE LOCKING AWAY PEOPLE WE ARE TRULY AFRAID OF. And who might they be? Rapists, child molesters, pedophiles, the violent, murderers and the criminally insane.People who do us the most harm. People who harm our children, our women.
That program has stayed with me. I’ve been thinking about it a lot. It makes sense, particularly in the recent commnity landscape in Australia where we are in national meltdown over two unnecessary executions in Indonesia, but not shouting loud enough about the more than thirty women killed THIS YEAR in our own country from violent acts at the hands of partners, ex partners or random male attackers. Think of the children of these families, a mother killed in this way. Think of their trauma, their future, their prospects. The epidemic of violence is in our own back yard, not across the water to our north.
I’m in Bangkok, on my way to Greece for a long promised visit with a dear friend who now lives there. This layover en route is slow-down time and a chance to have another look at a sprawling city I haven’t seen for more than a decade. In the seventies, when I first visited, Bangkok was a poor and dirty city with a seedy, desperate feel to its mean streets. Ten years ago I could readily see progress. It had translated though, into too many vehicles. The smog and congestion was distressing.
Today Bangkok is clean, busy, and servicing its community better. I rode the Skytrain from one side ot the city to the other. There are now massive freeways, new schools, more hospitals, massive open air markets, parks and greenery, cleaned up canals – so much progress has been made, demonstrably and visibly. Yesterday was Sunday. I went to a local market. Young people and young couples with little ones did too, in their thousands. Happy citizens, (iphones in hand!) out for the day with friends and family.
How dismaying though, on an asian-english television network last night, to watch a program interviewing a senior police officer in Cambodia, his face heavy with sadness and frustration. He spoke of the prevalence of foreign predatory males in Cambodia operating local orphanages, abusing children. Children who are often not orphans but victims of ‘deals’ made with impoverished parents in return for money, to ‘educate’ and ‘care’ for youngsters. Two little boy, brothers were featured. They had been groomed and lured in this way. Heartbreaking. Often these are identified and convicted criminals from other countries, some Australian, who are allowed, somehow, to leave their own countries. They have set up base in Cambodia where they continue their abuse uninterrupted. The program noted that evidence is difficult to collect because these are smooth operators. The accusations were quite clear. The photos of perpetrators also clearly identified them. Because they’re not in our backyards anymore does not diminish our responsibility.
These are precious children. Precious children are everywhere.
My heart is heavy this morning. I will continue to try to help the recovery process from abuse. Of course I will. My spirit sags sometimes, when I come across evidence of how widespread childabsue and trafficking is. I know of two wonderful orphanages in Cambodia. Both are founded and run by women. I’ll focus there.
Virtual hugs are free. Have one from me.
Jen