A UK media network has prompted outrage after a documentary report appeared to normalize pedophilia.
The UK’s Channel 5 My5 network (owned by Viacom) is accused of promoting pedophilia under the guise of “age-gap love” with an episode regarding a relationship between a 47-year-old man and a 19-year-old girl, which began when the man was 44 and she was 16.
"16-44… It's a big gap." But this didn't stop Andy and Beth from giving #AgeGapLove a go. pic.twitter.com/3pAgLVRgPE
— Channel 5 (@channel5_tv) May 26, 2019
“Originally a friend of her Mum and over the years became close to her children too,” the program describes the relationship origins between Beth and Andy.
While the age of consent in the UK is 16, commenters expressed their discontent with the program highlighting what is essentially considered pedophilia in many places.
You know what, the cutesy, bubbly music and happy VO actually manages to make it creepier than it already was.
— Ruth O'Hare (@firebird2110) May 27, 2019
This show is disgusting and is very triggering. Do not glorify this.
— RakayaBaree (@RakayaB) May 27, 2019
what in the name of pedophilia is this?…
— Kamil.M.Poet (@KamilMPoet) May 27, 2019
What actions do I need to take to see this show deleted and cancelled completely
— emily groves (@emilygrooves) May 26, 2019
“Age Gap Love” is a weird way to describe pedophilia https://t.co/XOprVnT1Bc
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) May 29, 2019
— Lauren Chen (@TheLaurenChen) May 29, 2019
— Sam 🍋 (@What_Sam_Said) May 29, 2019
— DSG (@thedsggroup) May 26, 2019
Many on Twitter also accused the man in the report of child abuse for sexually grooming the girl at a young age in order to cultivate the relationship.
This is appalling @channel5_tv. This a unhealthy relationship between an adult and a child. It's grooming, not a cute hashtag.
— Tana Joseph (@TanaDJoseph) May 27, 2019
"When Andy realised Beth was serious." Or in other words, when his sustained and methodical grooming practices reached their goal.
— La Castillo (@hellshousewife) May 27, 2019
Grooming…& I have a sudden realisation about my own situation.
— 🎂Lulu 🍰🍸🍹🍨 (@Mmelulu) May 27, 2019
The woman is 19 in the video. If they’d met for the first time when she was 19, it would be weird but not criminal or evil. But he knew her since a child and they started “dating” when she was 16. That’s called grooming and abuse. Dude is a pedophile. This is horrific.
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) May 29, 2019
He literally groomed her. This is grim.
— chiller ★ (@chiller) May 27, 2019
Channel 5 Normalising grooming 😬
— Danny De la Montaña (@Yorky2860) May 27, 2019
This man was around her as a child. Do the producers of this show not realise how dangerous it is to try to paint the grooming of underage kids in a positive light? Also making it out to be all her idea… No words.
— Louise Hudson ⚯͛ (@louisehdsn) May 27, 2019
You've misspelled child abuse there
— Kathryn 🐱 (@purple_kathryn) May 27, 2019
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