What Kind Of People Are These Parents?

[sandyRoe]

They took their 12 year old daughter to a 'healer' who, it seems, promptly began to abuse her.
'Gullible' doesn't even begin to describe them.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-29448282

[FrogNog]

No more stupid than a parent who entrusts their child to a priest, or a homeopath.

[FrogNog]

Actually I feel for them. It must be a hard cross to bear knowing you put your child in harm's way.

[ummmm]

I don't think most people would assume a healer is a paedophile.

[sandyRoe]

You'd think if a child was ill the doctor would be the first port of call.

[kvalidir]

I imagine they had taken her to a regular Dr who had not got to the bottom of why she felt ill so being caring parents decided to try something more off centre in efforts to help their child. I'm sure they will never forgive themselves but I don't think all 'healers' can be earmarked as potential paedophiles.

[ummmm]

Maybe they took her to the doctors who couldn't find anything wrong.

[ummmm]

For some girls period pains can be debilitating.

[sherrardk]

They were just parents trying to help their daughter, even proper doctors can be a users - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2757166/Cancer-children-abused-doctor-800-families-warned-sick-children-sex-assault-victims.html

[sherrardk]

Abusers ^

[sandyRoe]

I think you're all being kinder to the parents than they deserve.

[kvalidir]

Why Sandy? You are normally so reasoned and consider all sides, why do you find them so culpable?

[FrogNog]

I am sorry to hear that from you Sandyroe.

[sandyRoe]

Even if there'd been no abuse, to take a child to a quack seems to be the height of irresponsibility.

[Prudie]

The name might also imply their was some cultural reason for going to this healer. I'm sure such alternative therapies are practised across the world. Gullible yes but no evidence of malice or bad parenting.

[kvalidir]

You could say the same about people who have hypnotherapy, accupuncture or Reiki, but I still wouldn't think they were bad people.

[FrogNog]

You think they were gullible Sandy.
I think people who take their children to church are gullible.
Horses for courses and who are we to judge?

[China Doll]

Gullible for taking a child to a 'healer' yes; but that's my personal opinion and I feel the same way abkut homeopathy. But taking your child for help in good faith and that person sadly turning out to be an abuser is just hideously unlucky and any parent would feel dreadful for putting their child in harms way. The person at fault in cases if abuse is the abuser.

[ummmm]

I'm surprised at your attitude Sandy. What can a GP do about period pains besides recommend pain killers? And believe me, they don't always work. Her parents sought alternative treatment. I would consider that caring. They weren't to know he was an abuser.

[boxtops]

I think it's extremely bad luck, not neglect - poor kid. We're not to know that this healer hadn't been consulted by other people they knew for other conditions, with allegedly good effect.

[sandyRoe]

On consideration, I see they were trying to do the best for their child. This seems to be a case where almost childlike innocence had the misfortune to encounter depravity.