Oh I see, thanks for clarifying. I probably should have known that and I can see why they don’t govern them, but then I really think it’s negligence on possibly the trainer. They should have known better or had a better eye. Maybe they should be counseled on this. Idk…I just feel like there’s more here.
safe sport only applies if the barns are USEF participating and even then a role like this is somewhat challenging to make the adult /minor connection. A barn cannot screen every contractor or person who enters the property. On the other hand a barn knowingly leaving Susie who is 16, in charge when they are away at a show and she helps run the horses to him, might be an issue for the trainer. I think Safe Sport is a bit vague on secondary employees / contractors
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Thank you for sharing that, @Railbird. And I appreciate the discussion from others about the situation.
This was probably not the thread to discuss this as this thread is about Safe Sport, and this person clearly falls outside the auspices of that.
This person may be outside the SS auspices but my guess is that the trainers who used him as a farrier are probably USEF members. I don’t think it’s too off topic to discuss here.
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I mentiond this as well. I think equestrian is a unique situation in the sport world where you have so many outsiders providing services,; vets, farrier , saddle fitters ,feed delivery. The rules for monitoring these people particularly in an environment without a second adult present is really hard to gather. If you take SS training there are rules for staff, trainers, PT providers, but barns are a unique environment .
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I just want to say I read every post that gets added to these sorts of threads and it personally kills me a bit inside. As someone who has someone important in their life that would be apparently be crucified by the members of this forum I live life removed from the horse world in a way I don’t wish to be. I won’t join the organizations that require safe sport as I don’t know if my person just showing up to support me would result in someone that remembered the very public broadcasting of our life changing event and turn me in to the "authorities ". I literally live in fear of going to a horse event and being recognized. Then potentially be ostracized from my small circle that I have allowed to build up because someone decides to come whispering about the past. I’m not making excuses for those that are a threat but to paint everyone with a broad brush is something that happens too often. Someday it will catch up to me and that will probably be the end of many more things in my life. It is very hard to live this way but I guess that is what everyone wants. For those who have been marked with a scarlet letter and their families to just go off and die so they no are longer polluting the Earth with their very existence.
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There are plenty of people who stay out of the spotlight lately lest their former teenage students feel bold enough to speak their truth. You’re certainly not alone in that, but I don’t think you should expect much sympathy for the impacts it’s had on the perpetrator’s life. I don’t think anyone would suggest you’re polluting the earth with your existence but whining about the unfairness of it doesn’t really demonstrate that you have taken accountability and understanding of the impacts that kind of behavior has on others. I imagine if you took the time to be accountable and make changes, you’d be much less afraid of the truth coming out but that requires admitting you’re not the victim here…
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Be accountable? Make changes? I have done nothing wrong. The problem is if you do not cut people out of your life completely after something like this you become just as much as a pariah as the one who got into trouble with the law. That is the reality I live with every day. I am not playing the victim I am saying that there are two sides to every story and often it isn’t as black and white as it looks on the limited paper people see. No one was or is at risk in this situation literal zero risk to the community. But the blast that was put on them from the media was so public and long it ruined potential for coming back into normal life. The blast was 100% to fear monger and make an example which is the goal to keep the voters supporting the tough on crime approach and jail vs actual rehabilitation for situations that warrant it.
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Why do you want someone that harms people/children in your life? I 100% cut someone out of my life that did something horrible when I found out. They are dead to me.
You aren’t the victim even though you are trying to play the card. That person that committed the act(s) should have thought about the consequences of their actions and how impacts those they love.
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And if no harm was actually done? If the cut and dry lines of the law result in this situation that ruins someone’s life with prosecution with no harm and no risk to community what then? The issue is that the law is cut and dry and doesn’t allow for any deviation. That is where this situation sits. Because the law is written in stone and interpreted as X then full fledged action will be taken. That is the issue. And when you have mental health problems that in play into the situation as well that makes it all the harder. What I am saying is I literally don’t feel welcome enough based on these posts to have my relative who is my companion and helper come with me to events that have involvement with agencies that require safe sport. Because I cannot feel comfortable with the idea that someone who is as hateful as the crowd on this forum is wouldn’t try to make an issue of it. Despite being an individual rider with no authority over any minors. But by all means continue to judge when the story you know is never the whole story.
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Agreed, plus, @AlteredFaltered not cutting the perpetrator out of their life means that person now has access to others through their contact with AlteredFaltered.
That’s the whole issue: you cannot keep associating with that type of person if they are going to come out and support you b/c, if they should, they are then around children and people who don’t want to be exposed to the very real risk of repeat behaviour by that perpetrator. It’s very simple. And keeping those types of people out of the sport, even as spectators/supporters, is really important and right and good.
It’s not a crucifiction, it’s a safety measure to protect minors from exposure to and potential harm from known people like the person in your life. How can you not see this? It’s not personal. It’s not about you or this person in your life. It’s about the minors who need protection from him/her.
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Then I don’t know what you’re so worried about. Do you truly believe that everyone knows who you are and your connection to this notorious person? Most horse show competitors and attendees are too busy doing their own thing to identify any participants other than very high profile equestrians and Hollywood celebrities.
Beyond that, I can’t quite grasp why you’re defending this person to this extent. We have Safe Sport and sex offender registries for a reason. Quite frankly, we’ve looked the other way for far too long in the horse world. You’re not likely to find much sympathy here.
Of course you could always just ensure that your friend/significant other/family member just stays away from your horse shows. And everyone’s kids.
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Amen.
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You do realize recidivism rates for many of these crimes are very low after counseling and punitive jail time. That is the problem. The media and government agencies want to keep people afraid when the risks are small. The data is out there but they keep bringing new people to the front of the headlines to instill fear.
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I have read the opposite, actually. I will never forget reading about offenders who have done their time and were trying to cope on the outside and not re-offend. One said, ‘There is no cure for this. You’re cured when you die.’
It was very sad and chilling and honest, all at once.
If you have studies, I’m happy to look at them, though.
As Paint_Party states, we’ve looked the other way far far too long.
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This.
And recidivism rates are EXTREMELY high.
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How can you possibly judge the harm that was done to a victim of sexual abuse? How dare you. No sympathy from me.
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“No harm actually done” is the “victim-card” cry of those convicted of possession and distribution of CSA material. “I didn’t MAKE it!”. “There was no actual victim!”. Yes. Yes there was. A child was brutalised for someone’s viewing pleasure, and is rebrutalised every time that material is shared.
I don’t know what crime your “someone special” committed, but considering this is a SS thread - it wasn’t a bit of sticky fingers.
If showing is so important to you, tell your “companion” to stay home. And maybe take a good look at your life choices, if what your special peep has been convicted of was so outrageous that you can’t go out in public where children and/or animals are present for fear of being tarred and feathered.
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QFP this absolute piece of [edit]
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Be accountable? Make changes? I have done nothing wrong. The problem is if you do not cut people out of your life completely after something like this you become just as much as a pariah as the one who got into trouble with the law. That is the reality I live with every day. I am not playing the victim I am saying that there are two sides to every story and often it isn’t as black and white as it looks on the limited paper people see. No one was or is at risk in this situation literal zero risk to the community. But the blast that was put on them from the media was so public and long it ruined potential for coming back into normal life. The blast was 100% to fear monger and make an example which is the goal to keep the voters supporting the tough on crime approach and jail vs actual rehabilitation for situations that warrant it.
And if no harm was actually done? If the cut and dry lines of the law result in this situation that ruins someone’s life with prosecution with no harm and no risk to community what then? The issue is that the law is cut and dry and doesn’t allow for any deviation. That is where this situation sits. Because the law is written in stone and interpreted as X then full fledged action will be taken. That is the issue. And when you have mental health problems that in play into the situation as well that makes it all the harder. What I am saying is I literally don’t feel welcome enough based on these posts to have my relative who is my companion and helper come with me to events that have involvement with agencies that require safe sport. Because I cannot feel comfortable with the idea that someone who is as hateful as the crowd on this forum is wouldn’t try to make an issue of it. Despite being an individual rider with no authority over any minors. But by all means continue to judge when the story you know is never the whole story.
You do realize recidivism rates for many of these crimes are very low after counseling and punitive jail time. That is the problem. The media and government agencies want to keep people afraid when the risks are small. The data is out there but they keep bringing new people to the front of the headlines to instill fear.
QFP
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