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Quote: Originally posted by Arian on 19/8/2007

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There was a reported case of attempted rape on a 14 yr old on a campsite in ullswater last year. If i can dig out the link ill repost it.
I think from memory it was said to of took place in a caravan awning with parents and grandparents sleeping in the van. The grandmother awoke and saw the guy leaning over her grandaughter with his trowsers down so she screamed and banged on the walls and he ran off. Police called and tracker dogs used. Not sure of the outcome, i dont think anything actually happened thank goodness.
Now this happened in August in peak season, in an awning attached to a caravan with people inside.

A pup tent several feet away ? No chance.

I have two girls and there is no way on this planet i would ever put them in a pup tent. After reading this im also now worried about them sleeping in a seperate pod several feet away from us in a large tent.
There have also been cases of people being burgled in their tents at night, cutting the canvass and near walking over people to get to valuables. So im afraid a pup tent for my girls now is out of the question.

Ill go find the link it may take some time.

Please read this from last year, i know.

www.c.aravan-s.itefinder.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1940

Copy and paste to browser without the full stops.


Mods sorry but childrens safety is above and beyond the call of anything commercial.

Post last edited on 20/08/2007

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Quote: Originally posted by PaulBerg on 17/8/2007

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I like camping, my partner doesn't. She has two main objections, lack of comfort, and safety of the children .... So firstly, does anyone know of any statistics that compare crime rates on camp sites against crime rates in the rest of society .... Secondly, at what age should children be allowed to sleep in tents on their own (next to their parents) ?

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This is all imo - take it or leave it .

I think you are trying to convince your partner to come camping when they don't really want to. The objection on the grounds of safety is more likely to be a cover-up of the real reason - namely, lack of comfort. Otherwise, given events this year, your partner would also strenuously object to going on holiday to an an apartment, no ?

Getting stats to back your argument up is unlikely to work as it isn't attacking the root of the problem. Believe it or not, some people aren't campers !  You have 2 choices - either let it be, take your own kids and stop trying to persuade your partner, or else try to convince them it isn't really that bad. How about they visit you on site some time for a day to see how it all is ? Pick a nice quiet site in the country with lots of happy children running around .

As for pup tents, there is no age you can point to at which to let children sleep on their own. I consider letting children camp in the garden much more dangerous anyway, and lots of people do that - because you're in a town environment and parents are likely to be in the house behind double glazing and out of earshot. I first camped in a youth camp in a old ridge tent with 5 or 6 others kids per tent at the age of 11. If you were to press me for an age though, in this day and age, I'd say about 14 tbh.