Archives

MELBOURNE, Australia, Thursday (AFP)

Children as young as nine were showing paedophilic tendencies, grooming their victims so they would not inform on them, a federal parliamentary inquiry was told here Tuesday.

Pam O'Neill, of the Victorian Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA) told the inquiry that research conducted with the Children's Protection Society found 13-year-old sex offenders already had up to four victims.

"We believe they start their behaviour possibly by the age of nine," O'Neill told the inquiry.

"They groom their victims from the age of adolescence so they won't tell. It's about power and bullying is one part of it." O'Neill said anecdotal evidence showed offenders were often exposed to pornography and violence on television and in the home. The committee chairwoman Bronwyn Bishop described the evidence as "horrifying".

CASA manager Marg D'Arcy said the culture of sexual assault must be changed to send a message to offenders that it was a crime.

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager