So long as we are telling you what not to do, we thought we may as well tell you this too – do not abuse children
I mean… what?
Spotted across Goa beaches and snapped at Palolem finally…
Snapped in more than one way. Picture this – group of drunk bare-chested, beer-bellied, white under-weared (yuck, don’t even let me get started on this one) Indian men playing leer-leer on the beach. Young white mom in swimsuit and very pretty little girl (not older than six) in pink swimwear playing on the sand, building castles, complete with pink pail and shovel. Men watch for over ten minutes, as they frolick like fat dolphins who have lost their way and landed on the shore, and found paradise there.
Little girl cannot bear the midday heat and takes off top while mom just just gone to fetch a bottle of water. And suddenly one of the men rush towards the girl with camera in hand. I start to scream, hey you cant do that – while mom returns and with a firm shake of her head, refuses to allow the budding photographer to click a picture of the kid.
And before you jump up and tell me how much I am over-reacting, please read this. And this. And many many other such discussions that I keep coming across. And also open your eyes and see the world around you carefully. It must be scary being a parent in today’s world…
I would not say that you are over-reacting. You never know the intentions of people in this world. I have read about similar stories from Sri Lanka as well. Moreover, such pics can easily find their way to the internet.
You are not overreacting.The mother is stupid in my opinion to leave the child alone. I’m sorry but in this day and age its dangerous to do so. I have seen and heard about extensive child pedophilia in Cambodia…my heart just went out. So sad…
One reason why I do not give children candy, money, anything…I might do it innocently but the other traveler might now. A innocent kid cannot differeniate…
ouch –
and did you read about those kids that are victims every day in india – brutallzed by their own families.
as madhu says, it is best not to lull kids into a false state of complecancy.
Gave me the heebijeebies.
When I’m out with a camera, photographing kids is a no-no. The only kids I photograph are the ones I know… at birthday parties, etc. But then I have another rule that I follow. Absolutely no posting of kids pictures online… even in password protected galleries!
On the other hand, despicable things like paedophilia aren’t new problems by any stretch of the imagination. What, however, has changed in recent years is the ability to exchange paedophilic material easily over the internet.