Pedobear
Pedobear origins are Japanize and he came into popularity on the image trading site imageboard 4chan. Pedobear was used point out when someone posted the picture of a girl/woman considered too young, not prepubescent, just "too young" for that site. Apparently, the participants there incorrectly believed that men who posted pictures of 16 or 17 year old girls and young looking women were pedophiles. However, it may have simply been a joke used to mock those who found younger women desirable.
The image gained popularity across the internet in the early 2000’s as a stereotypic representation of all pedosexuals. Most commonly, it was as a joke or in a humorous manner however controversy arose when it was mistakenly believed to be a pedosexual icon or mascot.
Mythology
Hysteria
The hysterical beliefs continue as demonstrated by this recent addition to Wikipedia:[1]” In September 2010 cosplay participants dressed as the character were accused of being pedophiles, [2] after the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department issued a warning that Pedobear was a sign of the presence of pedophiles and other people with inappropriate sexual behavior, and suggested that Pedobear was a kind of mascot among pedophiles. Law enforcement officials in San Diego later sent a warning to local media, warning parents that the image can indicate the presence of pedophiles. It also issued a bulletin:
|
"Since the Comic Con, law enforcement in San Diego... has come across PedoBear's image in situations during which they were contacting those that exploit and/or abuse children. (...) The intention of this bulletin is (...) [to] alert citizens that PedoBear's presence may be an indicator of the presence of individuals who have a predilection to sexually inappropiate, or even, assaultive behaviour. While not an absolute, the image of PedoBear should be a sign that you should use caution with whatever situation you are in or the individuals involved." Public Safety Bulletin. A Seemingly Innocent Menace. An introduction to "PEDO BEAR"(Page 2)[3] |
