Woman, 54, accused of defiling grandson, aged 9

@ Joseph Schembri -"I find that this cartoons series often comments on realities that many of us would prefer not to think about." very true. also children can be evil too and make up stories. not all children are as innocent as most people think them to be!!! lets wait for the verdict before making any conclusions!

Why do many people seem to think that this is a 'new phenomena'? Wake up. It has existed for a VERY LONG TIME, possibly always. Difference is in the past kids would simply not be believed or would be hit so they do not propagate such 'lies'. Now kids are taught to speak up about it at school, thus the apparent increase in incidents. It is often the luck of the draw on who experiences it and it can happen to people from all walks of life. Many child abusers have been abused themselves and while this in no way justifies their actions, education for both potential victims and perpetrators can help. Support is also necessary for both in many cases - As is punishment for the perpetrators - not just as a consequence of the crime but also as a deterrent to others.

U ZGUR li ghandu x'jaqsam. Hafna wkoll ghandu x'jaqsam. Id-dnub hu li niues bhalek jaghmlu mistoqsija bhal din! Naf li kien hemm qassisin pedofili. Imma kemm hemmohrajn li taw hajjithom ghal haddiehor? Jekk bniedem ma jemminx f'Alla x'izommu li jaghmel DAK KOLLU li joghgbu "to get a life" kif qed jghidu l-moderni? Jekk ma temminx f'Alla tkun ezatt bhal kull annimal iehor.

I am not saying that this is a case of a made up story, neither am I saying that it is not. I don't have any information about this case of course, but children are known to make up stories for the wackiest of reasons. For those of you who have a few minutes I suggest watching this South Park episode called "The Wacky Molestation Adventure": http://www.southparkstudios.com/guide/416/?

I find that this cartoons series often comments on realities that many of us would prefer not to think about.

@Pule' Carmel

It seems you are using the word 'normal' when you really mean to say 'ignorant.

I am sure that those who have already been in touch with teaching professionals in this country have heard about all this before. Paedophilia, incest, rape are extremely common in our families who have had to bear the yoke of sex supression. And then we've always been taught that our families were model families that had to teach the 'bad foreigners'. What a whole load of crap!

In this country we should stop being in denial and do something about out infinite number of problems!

About 40 years ago My mother pulled me aside and told me that as she was the President of the Chatolic Action in Cottonera many mothers were asking her to explain some new words and awkward behaviour that were creaping into Maltese society and famillies and becoming so public. I was a little concerned and I told my mother to teach the other normal mothers what Malta will soon face in the future due to " development". Many NORMAL mothers and fathers around the Cottonera district did not know of the abnormalities that human behavour can reach. When I explained to my mother and other mothers words as Homosexual and Lesbian ( which the local children were then asking about )and the unnormal relations that could exist between different people of all diverse ages, I remember a few bewildered faces in my audience and one normal mother who had only normal relations with her husband and children, said only one word, "YAQ !". Such a pity that so many normal families in Malta had to introduce such teaching to their members! and I feel somewhat guilty that I was instrumental to break theirInnocence andtell them about what was to come.

Why no mention of the boy's uncle in all the comments? I am not excusing the grandmother, but it appears that an uncle was also involved......
Poor child and this happening in a 'civilized' country!

@ franco farrugia - I said 'our' children - meaning children in general. This woman could be a supervisor on a school van, she could be a school facilitator, or a cleaner at a school- at present she has no record. I believe they should be named on arraignment!

Adrian Agius. And if it was your mother, daughter, wife or sister who was THE accused ? Remember, they would still all be innocent until proven guilty. How would you feel?

Giov DeMartino. X'ghandhom x'jaqsmu l-atejizmu u l-Knisja f'dal kas? Mela qatt ma' smajt b'qassisin pedofali?

@ Mario Genovese
"I may sometimes understand how someone can arrive to defile a 16 year old good looking girl or a well build young guy......."
I hope that you are not including family members in that. That is incest and completely taboo.
Sexual feelings, temptations and urges are some of the most powerful that God's creatures experience. Human beings should have the moral upbringing and strength to fight these. That's what places us above animals.

@ Adrian Agius
Ever heard of obscene phone calls and caller ID? Do you still need an explanation why telephone numbers are essential in the ‘name and shame ‘list?

Teaching our children the difference between right and wrong helps but we definitely need much more to protect our children. What good would respectable nurturing does to very young children and rape victims when confronted by adult sex maniacs? Moreover how can one teach an infant and tell them what right and wrong is.

@ Adrian Agius

You "urge the government to start organising a list of monsters with names, telephone numbers and locality for everyone to see."

I am curious to know, why on earth would you require the telephone number of a monster? What useful purpose could it possibly serve?

Ikolli nirrepeti: Qeghdin nahsdu dak li s-socjeta qeghda kontinwament tizra. Illum haw nies, hawn, jiftahru publikament li huma atei, jifirhu u jiftahru kemm il-Knisja qeghda titlef l-influwenza taghha, niftahru kemm ahna moderni li niddefendu l-pornografija - f'isem il-liberta - niftahru li l-arti titlob li l-Kurcifiss idahhlu fl-urina, li l-Kurcifiss MHUX POST f'postijiet publici...Illum sirna bravi u moderni. M'ghadniex fi zmien il-medju evu..........U ghada, ZGUR , aghar m,il-lum.

@ Mario Genovese

This accusation is to gross to be understood. Paedophile crimes worldwide, including incest, are, unfortunately not as rare as we’d like them to be, however sexual abuse by a mother to her offspring and grand children are extremely remote and when it happens it’s often the result of severe mental instability.

Personally I am very reluctant to make any comment at all about this case but at this juncture I prefer to suspect that the alleged perpetrator needs a great deal of spiritual and medical help. On the other hand it could be a case where her innocent intimacy with the alleged victim were misjudged or misinterpreted. It happened before. How many times do parents playfully touch the intimate parts of their young children while giving them a bath? Bearing in mind our 360 degrees awareness that could also be falsely interpreted as sexual abuse by inexperienced on lookers.

Even if this woman is completely innocent she needs a lot of prayers, however if the accusations are founded she should be locked up in an insane asylum or prison and the key chucked away.

@ Adrian Agius, D Sullivan and like-minded ilk: If you only have in mind your own offspring to 'protect', then, the state, and the Law, has the well-being of all, INCLUDING THAT OF THE VICTIM! There will be no name-and-shame because by so doing, the victim - who has already gone through a lot - will be further punished by society, his own peers, who could well be, huh!, your own children, bullying him and taunting him. This is no people's court. Whether you like it or not, the Court is the entity that will decide. Thank God we don't live in a country where the will of the ... common populace like you reigns supreme!
If you want to 'protect' your children, teach them, and tell them what right and wrong is.

Yes lgalea, it all has to do with "morals going down"... because pedophilia, incest, and rape were practically unheard of in the past right?

These things have always been happening. "Incest' was a bit common among brothers and sisters and other members of the family when they used to live in compact dwellings. The difference now is child awareness and legal actions. Much thanks goes to the teachers, police and agencies which rise such children's awareness.

Dr.Sammut...

You can reflect as much as you want but if it was your son who got defiled i'm sure you wouldn't reflect do you????

Another thing that worries me is that the person being accused of this crime could have easily been a teacher or child carer taking care of our kids. Very frightening.

I urge the government to start organising a list of monsters with names, telephone numbers and locality for everyone to see.

qabel niggudikaw irridu naraw l-istorja kollha. illum bil-pornografija li hawn mhux lin-nanniet jaghlmu u jwaqqu t-tfal zghar imma anki l-buznanniet. nikkundanna bl-ahrax zgur meta nisma li t-tfal gew fizikalment insawta biex jaghmlu s-sess. hekk le. mhux bhal ma qieghed jigri f'xi kazijiet imorru ghal flus minhabba l-istil konsumista li hawn. il-genituri bil-problemi finanzjarji ta' sitt snin diga' jghatuhom il-mobiles bir-renta li jgib mieghu. jekk qed ikun hawn hafna kazijiet bhal dawn naraw minn fejn huwa gej dan il-fenominu. ghalkemm xorta jibqgha hazin.

MIchael Muscat
I think they're clamping down on this kind of crime.....child abuse..and soon violence at home...this news shows that not just the men are sexual predators. Some days ago I was watching a pro female sedqa speakers...trying to hint that women take drugs becuase they are abused by men as kids..and because their partner (again male) gives them...come on give us a break sedqa..they take becuase they want (not becuase of abuse of forced to take) and find a partner (usually a drug dealer) who will provide them for free everyday. That is the truth most of the times ..so please..enough with the pro female campaigns..we should be equal now.

Janet Bayes
It is abhorrent but it happens everywhere. Morals have been going down and down and we are really scraping the barrel when we have such incidents all over what are supposed to be civilized advanced countries.

Are other bloggers sure they want the names published at THIS stage? Are we forgetting that everybody is innocent until proven guilty? What if the accused is found innocent? How to repair the damage done to his/her reputation?

Then again, even if the alleged perpetrator is eventually found guilty, is it in the interest of the CHILD that the abuser's name be published?

Wouldn't it be a second trauma for the child? Not only would the child have gone through such a terrible experience, involving the invasion of the child's body and psychology, but the child would then experience the community's invasion of his "persona"... everybody would know that that child was abused... is that in the child's interest?

Just a few points for reflection.

@I galea - - - not just something that happens in Malta as your point I guess?? Hence
http://www.canee.net/poland/echr_judgement_sexual_abuse_case_in_poland

I completely agree with Mr. Adrian Agius - such people should be named and furthermore and their photo should be splashed all over the newspapers and internet sites so that we know who these people just like D Sullivan said. I think that is the greatest punishment these so called human beings can get.

is it just me or have these cases become extremely common over the past few months? We need a proper list of sex offenders in this country, these crimes should not be dealt with lightly.

What is even more worrying to me is that there seems to be a trend towards women abusers these days. So much for woman being the nurturing sex.

maybe it is time to have an Offenders Register in each locality. At least one would know if his /her area / locality is safe from such evil people (albeit other perils might still exist).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/8368457.stm
Child abuse charge woman in court

I may sometimes understand how someone can arrive to defile a 16 year old good looking girl or a well build young guy.......but how can anybody explain what entices someone to defile a nine year old kid??????? Disgusting is too soft a word.

Oh my... always a new story... uncle and niece, father and daughter, grandfather and granddaughter and now.... grandmother and grandson... f'hiex wasalna!!

Simply shocking!!! How do these people who commit such acts live with themselves????

Name and shame if guilty please. How can we protect our children if we don't know who these people are. They could be friends, neighbours, acquaintances, relatives, van supervisors etc

And yet another case like this...but this to me is more disgusting than the others. A 54 year old woman allegedly with a 9 year old grandson?!? I'm speechless...

It's digusting even thinking about it!!

poor kid.

what a disgusting person. people like this should be named and locked in prison !!!