Did you know that if you are on the Registered Sex Offender list, at least in some states, you can still have children living in your home. I assumed, wrongly, that if you were on this list then that meant no children could live in the home. To my dismay and horror, it doesn't mean that at all. A court order must be in effect saying that the sex offender cannot have children in the home with the sex offender. Again, the legal system isn't adequately protecting our children.
I know of an incident years ago where a judge ruled that because there was a woman living in the house that the man would not sexually abuse his daughters. Sometimes you just want to strangle someone for being so stupid. Ask any woman who was sexually abused by her father when she was a child if having their mother living in the house made a bit of difference. It doesn't.
This wasn't a planned article. I am ranting because I am furious with our legal system that seems to err in the favor of the abuser rather than on the side of the defenseless children in our nation.
Patricia
11 comments:
Colleen, I didn't know this either until the lady told me today. I am so disappointed in our legal system. It works for everyone but the victim.
Our legal system does this in so many places, where the victim loses not only once in the original offense, but in getting compensated.
And of course they always seem to forget that sex offenders abuse people of the same sex, e.g. male sex offenders who abuse their sons too.
Awareness and speaking out are the things that will bring change, even though it is a very slow process.
Patricia, may I contact you via e-mail off-blog? I want to ask you about something I've been thinking about lately. If that's okay, please let me know how we can exchange e-mails.
(BTW I like the new look on your blog and have been enjoying your recent posts.)
Actually, if you think about all of the things that can get you listed as a sex offender, it makes sense. We are quick to assume that if you're on that list it's because you were convicted of either rape or child molestation, but there are a great many people charged with things like indecent exposure, or kids who do something stupid in their teens like sexting, who are also on the list. The problem isn't that there are some people listed who are allowed to live with children, because they might not actually be any threat to children. (After all, if you're only 16 and forced to register as a sex offender because you took a suggestive photo and shared it with your boyfriend, how can you live in a house with no minors?) The problem is the list itself, and the assumption that somehow having this list is going to provide any level of safety. It doesn't.
Instead of trying to somehow monitor everyone, we need to focus on finding better ways to keep those who are truly dangerous in jail. But that's just my opinion. ;-)
Alene, yes, I will contact you. Thank you for your comment. This has been my experience with the legal system as well.
Mike, I agree with your opinion. We definitely need to do more to keep them in jail.
I'm with Pat . Registered Sex Offenders can't go or live near schools but can live with children in home . This is not right . Mike is also right . Go to the Registered Sex Offenders Site in your area . It will also tell you what the Offender is guilty of . Check it out . You might be surprized . You might see people you know on there that you didn't know was on there .
JoAnn, thank you for leaving your comment. The person that I checked out on the list did not tell me why he was on the list.
Hmmmm, Pat I did not know that. Thanks for this info. Good work.
JBR, I would bet that a lot of people don't know it. I didn't.
Also, Thank you for the comment on my post "March 2009: The Healing Begins". That post was about one of the most pivotal moments in my recovery, and I just went back to reread it myself.
I've come a long way.
Shen, you certainly have come a long way since you wrote those words. I am very glad.
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