The Town Whose Heart is Broken

[Tez3]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/machynlleth-the-town-whose-heart-is-broken-8200810.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-19860998

Like many people in the UK I was hoping against hope that April was going to be found safe and well, as the days went on that hope went. Today the whole town walked from her estate to church where a service was held. So very, very sad.

 

[arnisador]

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[Sukerkin]

It is indeed a most sad thing, my friend. I think all of us knew that when she hadn't been found in a day or so that the worst of outcomes was likely to be the truth .

Violence against a child is one of those things that makes all of us angry, angry that we were not there to help and angry because we cannot comprehend how anyone could do such a thing.

 

[Tames D]

I'm sorry, but this angers me. This little girl deserved to live her life. and that low life snuffed out her future. I'm sorry, but this angers me.

 

[Tez3]

There's plenty of anger here too. There's a lot to be angry about at the moment, it seems a well known personality here who died last year has for the past 40 years or so been abusing and raping underage girls. It seems too that it was an open secret, the BBC where he mainly worked knew about it, the media did too all covering up for various reasons. he was known for his charity fund raising and if a reporter came too close he would tell them the money would dry up if anything was said. Now there are people saying that it was a different era then, it was more acceptable (as if it ever was or could be). The women who are making the accusations are being asked why didn't they say anything before, some did and were punished or not believed, others were just scared or afraid they wouldn't be believed.
This comes in the wake of the report into the sex abuse ring where underage girls were abused. The social services didn't follow up on the girls being abused some of whom did complain and in some cases social workers told their families that they were prostitutes which is a 'lifestyle' choice and they wouldn't interfere.
At the same time as the search for April was going on a search for a 30 year old married teacher who had run away with his 15 year old pupil was also being run. They were caught in France and returned, he's also been charged with child abduction however in that case the father of the girl believes his daughter is partly to blame. perhaps but she was only 15 and the man who just up and left his wife really should have known better than run away with her.
There is something very, very wrong and I don't think anyone knows how to stop it.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9591317/Jimmy-Saviles-toxic-legacy.html

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereve...le-child-sex-ring-inquiry-blasts-care-workers

We've had a lot of criticisms about children who are stuck indoors so there's been a move to get children out playing again, however parents are now saying look what happens when our children go out to play, little April was out playing and now she's gone. You can't blame parents for feeling like this and it's a sad indictment of society because if it can happen is a little town where no one has to lock their doors and everyone knows everyone what can happen in the cities? The man who took April was known to her and her family, he was at the parents evening at the school with his kids the same as April and her parents were. The world seems a very dark place sometimes, the only light is the caring of this community which isn't an uncommon one here among the small towns and villages. It's struck a chord too it seems around the world as messages of sympathy and support have been coming into the town from all over the world, a church in America made a collection for them.
Sometimes it feels as we are trying to hold back the filth the world has in it and we are losing. I do despair at times.

 

[shesulsa]

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[aedrasteia]

There's plenty of anger here too. ....(snip) It's struck a chord too it seems around the world as messages of sympathy and support have been coming into the town from all over the world, a church in America made a collection for them.
Sometimes it feels as we are trying to hold back the filth the world has in it and we are losing. I do despair at times.

oh Tez. There will be a time in the next days when we can talk here @ MT about all the important issues you've
raised - and how we can act/think more effectively.

And we aren't losing. not at all. but it feels so awful. so sick at heart.

its happening here in my town also. A young girl has vanished, (she was 14) gone for 6 weeks.
Hope is all her mother-family, community, are holding on to. A family acquaintance has been arrested
for kidnaping but refuses to tell where she is. Those of us who work on this have little expectation
that she is alive but know the chances are so small.

bless you Tez. I think of you and your neighbors and send whatever can bring you comfort.
You are not alone in your grief.

with respect