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A few years ago, a woman was raped and murdered in Melbourne. I was horrified of course. But the Premier's response was wrong.
He said "Men need to change". The millions of men who were peaceful that night don't need to change.
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He said "Men need to change". The millions of men who were peaceful that night don't need to change.
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Those good men, the majority, don't need to change. It's the men who do bad things who need to change.
The good men and women should do what they can to prevent the bad ones committing crimes.
Sometimes the crimes could have been prevented.
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The good men and women should do what they can to prevent the bad ones committing crimes.
Sometimes the crimes could have been prevented.
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In the case I mentioned, a young man raped a woman who was walking through a sports ground at night.
Then he murdered her. Why? Maybe he felt guilty about what he'd done, so he killed the only witness.
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Then he murdered her. Why? Maybe he felt guilty about what he'd done, so he killed the only witness.
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I say maybe he felt guilty, because that young rapist and murderer turned himself in to the police a few days later.
Perhaps he thought he'd be caught anyway. Or maybe he knew that what he'd done was very wrong, and that he deserved punishment.
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Perhaps he thought he'd be caught anyway. Or maybe he knew that what he'd done was very wrong, and that he deserved punishment.
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Humans are moral beings. It's in our genes, because we are intelligent, social animals and morals are necessary for group survival.
Acknowledging the reality of desire and building on morality may be a way forward, rather than focusing on group guilt.
Acknowledging the reality of desire and building on morality may be a way forward, rather than focusing on group guilt.
The young rapist was full of desire that he couldn't control. He raped and murdered a woman but he knew that what he was doing was wrong.
Is there some way that this tragedy could have been prevented, made right, before it happened, saving two lives?
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Is there some way that this tragedy could have been prevented, made right, before it happened, saving two lives?
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Matchmaking sounds horrible, but that's only if it's compulsory.
What if older people helped youngsters to find partners for safe sex? And watched for bad actors, perhaps even trying to reform them?
Our society can be what we make it.
What if older people helped youngsters to find partners for safe sex? And watched for bad actors, perhaps even trying to reform them?
Our society can be what we make it.
Of course, that's only one possibility.
But now that we have the Internet, it should be possible for young people who have similar interests to meet online, and talk before they meet in real life.
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But now that we have the Internet, it should be possible for young people who have similar interests to meet online, and talk before they meet in real life.
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The Internet has been around for years.
So what is stopping people meeting their match there?
Are online match making sites sufficient? What about more specialised ones, that cater to specific interests?
Maybe that's what should be taught at school.
So what is stopping people meeting their match there?
Are online match making sites sufficient? What about more specialised ones, that cater to specific interests?
Maybe that's what should be taught at school.
Social problems should have social solutions.
If the ways that young people interact are sometimes bad, maybe we oldies with our experience can make them better?
If the ways that young people interact are sometimes bad, maybe we oldies with our experience can make them better?
This is where we stand.
Sex education quite rightly teaches the mechanics, teaches respect, and teaches consent.
But where it falls down is that it doesn't teach young people how to safely *get* sex.
Maybe we should work on that.
Sex education quite rightly teaches the mechanics, teaches respect, and teaches consent.
But where it falls down is that it doesn't teach young people how to safely *get* sex.
Maybe we should work on that.
I'm not a teacher. Being an old man at 60, I actively avoid schools so people don't get the wrong idea about me.
I don't have children of my own. My sister does, and they're adults now.
But sex education could perhaps include social education.
I don't have children of my own. My sister does, and they're adults now.
But sex education could perhaps include social education.
It didn't, back in the Stone Age when I was at school.
It should, now. Because sex and safety and consent all assume that coupling is already happening.
But how do you get there from here? How should lonely people meet others, and become un-lonely?
It should, now. Because sex and safety and consent all assume that coupling is already happening.
But how do you get there from here? How should lonely people meet others, and become un-lonely?
Social education should include education about how to do social things, like approaching a potential partner.
If young people were taught how to find, talk and meet as skills in school, there could be progress against isolation.
If young people were taught how to find, talk and meet as skills in school, there could be progress against isolation.
