To the editor,
A recent high-risk sex offender notification implemented in our community provides us knowledge of one individual and offers us the opportunity to take necessary safeguards for ourselves and our children but should by no means lead us to believe that if a particular registered sex offender is not residing here, our children would be safe from those who commit sex crimes against them. In fact, the U.S. Justice Department estimates that there are over four million child molesters residing in the United States but there are only approximately 265,000 registered sex offenders across the entire country.
Most childhood sexual abuse, 85 percent, occurs between a child and someone that child has an established relationship with, often someone in a position of authority. Further, most of those children will not report the abuse because of the dynamics of the relationship that they have with the abuser or person in a position of authority. The FBI estimates that only one to 10 percent of abuse is ever reported.
Pedophiles use a process known as "grooming" to establish relationships with our children for the primary purpose of sexually abusing them. Incarcerated pedophiles tell us to be suspicious if someone seems more interested in our children than we are. There are many "red flags" you can teach your children to keep them safer.
There are currently over 9,400 registered sex offenders in New York. Since May of 1998 over 7,000 have been protected from community notification because of a court injunction. Beginning in January, because of an amendment to Megan's Law, those who were protected will no longer be, and we should expect to see a significant increase in the number of notifications implemented over the next year. Keep in mind that sex offender notifications are not required by law but are discretionary.
If we demand that our government vigorously implement sex offender notifications so must we demand of each other that we use the information responsibly. The success of Megan's Law in our community and in New York State is predicated upon the vigorous implementation and responsible use of sex offender notifications. As we vigorously disseminate notifications we must keep in mind that responsible use means that members of our community not harass, discriminate or commit a crime against any registered offender.
Our first sex offender notification presents a number of challenges that communities across the country have been faced with since the enactment of Megan's Law in 1996. We may be concerned but we must recognize that sex offenders have been living amongst us for generations and Megan's Law notifications provide us the opportunity to be made aware only of the presence of those who have been caught. We must use this notification as an opportunity to educate ourselves and our children about sexual abuse. We must use this information responsibly because if we don't it will without question jeopardize future notifications for all of us in our community and in New York State.
Laura A. Ahearn, C.S.W.
Executive Director
Parents For Megan's Law
631-689-2672