Welcome to the Melbourne Community Daily Discussion Thread.
I was gonna unwind by finishing The Bear s2 but after a hectic day, between the shock of the cold at my place and, I suspect, drying clothes in my living room with the heater on which I think messed up the humidity (or maybe there’s something going on with the reverse cycle splitty), I’ve ended up with a sinus headache/cold feeling. Great.
Then I ill advisely chose to watch the SBS doco on the Argos taskforce in Qld (that recently made the news with that childcare worker arrested with thousands of child exploitation images). It’s called The Children In The Pictures. That was a heavy watch. Not graphic or sensational but just… even seeing the very edges of the surface of the forums these people have had to infiltrate. And the kinds of words used in the posts and stuff. I need brain bleach but alas I am catless.
seeing real evil changes people 😔
hugs , remember that victims were saved, past victims can be helped now , future victimisation prevented
It’s a difficult watch particularly because
details - no, no personal experience
a close family member - someone I’ve trusted a lot and the only person i could really talk to about mental health who understood depression, etc - is serving time for consuming such material. (I was never at risk as I didn’t grow up with him and he isn’t into girls anyway).
He would’ve used forums like these… and I just want to throw up visualising that side of him on the screen. Like seeing him actually do it. Juxtaposing that with all the good qualities I know about this person and how long I chose not to think too much about the offending. It’s a mind fuck.
On the one hand you’re absolutely right about the ongoing work to chip away at the abuse and that there are people working at it. On the other it is just so… The desire for people to seek more and more gratification seems unprecedented and partly a function of our modern lives, I feel. Leaves one feeling uneasy
hugs, I’m so sorry
It’s hard watching that stuff ugh - have a picture of my cat Mickey; I hope he helps 💜💜💜
