About Us - National and Local Programs and Services

Parents For Megan's Law, Inc. (PFML) is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 community and victim's rights organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of sexual abuse through the provision of education, advocacy, counseling, victim services, policy and legislative support services. We staff the Local and National Megan's Law Help lines.  We are a New York State Certified Rape Crisis Center and provide a 24 Hour Local Hotline. PFML has recently expanded its mission to include the new Crime Victims Center, a program designed to link all victims of violent crime with crime victim compensation and multi-agency referrals for support and assistance.  

1 (888) ASK-PFML
 

National Programs and Services

 
 
NATI ONAL MEGAN’S LAW HELPLINE to assist and provide advocacy to communities in accessing information about registered sex offenders, to assist in effectively and responsibly managing Megan's Law notifications and to educate about sexual assault prevention. Provides crime victim referrals for victim services and law enforcement referrals. Sex Offender Registration Tips (SORT) is a program available to community members who want to report sex offender registration violations. Call the Helpline toll free (888) ASK-PFML.
 
NATIONAL MEGAN’S LAW SURVEYS Evaluating the registration and notification components of Megan's Law in all 50 states. In 2001 Parents for Megan’s Law conducted the first of many national surveys to evaluate the implementation of sex offender registration and notification laws in all 50 States, DC and the US Territories.   Surveys revealed that where you lived, would determine how well you could protect yourself or your children from known convicted sex offenders. PFML surveys indicated that all 50 states had enacted registration and notification laws but the laws completely lacked uniformity. Further, a 2003 registration survey conducted by Parents for Megan’s Law found that nearly 25% of the nations’ registered sex offenders were not complying with state registration requirements. This meant, that over 100,000 sex offenders were “missing” from registries across the country. When citing this statistic, refer to parentsformeganslaw.org.
 
CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND CHILD SEX TOURISM REPORTING for the community to anonymously report child pornography and child sex tourism websites which get forwarded to law enforcement for investigation. 
 
LITERATURE to educate the children and adults regarding prevention and to inform adults about sex offender registration and notification laws.
 
POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES to close loopholes which make communities vulnerable to registered offenders and to increase victim’s rights.  Laura Ahearn, Executive Director of Parents for Megan’s Law, presented PFML national survey results and community level implementation loopholes to the United States Justice Department which were used to help craft the newest registration and notification amendments to Megan’s Law, more commonly known as the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.   For her national registration and notification implementation surveys, community level support contributions and lobbying efforts, Ms. Ahearn was invited to the White House on July 27, 2006 when the Child Protection Act was signed into law by President Bush.  

Local Programs and Services

 

1 (888) ASK-PFML
 

24 HOUR HOTLINE to support and assist victims of sexual assault and other violent crimes.

 

VICTIM ADVOCACY for victims of child sexual abuse and non-offending family members, adult victims of sexual assault (including courtroom and medical appointment accompaniment) and referral services for all victims of violent crime including;  homicide, kidnapping, DWI, robbery, assault, confrontational burglary, stalking, human trafficking, arson and terrorism. 

 

CRIME VICTIM CENTER SERVICES for all innocent victims of violent crime including; homicide, kidnapping, DWI, robbery, assault, confrontational burglary, stalking, human trafficking, arson and terrorism. Our advocates assist with recovering expenses related to the crime including personal property losses for minors, elderly and disabled victims.    

 

COUNSELING for child and adult victims of sexual assault and victims of other violent crimes. Referrals based on specialty and geographical location. 

 

MEGAN’S LAW HELPLINE AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROGRAM to assist and provide advocacy to communities in accessing information about registered sex offenders, to assist in effectively and responsibly managing Megan's Law notifications and to educate about sexual abuse prevention. Sex Offender Registration Tips (SORT) is a program available to community members who want to report sex offender registration violation. Call the Helpline toll free (888) ASK-PFML

 

EMAIL ALERT WITH MAPPING to inform parents and community members via email alert of the presence of registered offenders.  

 

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AT YOUR SITE:

Child and Teen Sexual Abuse and Rape Prevention -  PFML staff comes to your school or organization to present the following child  and teen programs:
 
Children K-3 rd Grade:                     I Am The Boss of My Body – Sexual Abuse/Abduction Prevention

Children 3 rd – 6 th Grade:               When Should You Tell – Sexual Abuse/Abduction Prevention

Tweens 6 th - 9 th Grade:                  Katie’s Secret 1 – Sexual Abuse/Abduction Prevention

Teens 10 th – 12 th Grade:                Katie’s Secret 2 – Rape/Abduction Prevention


Adult Sexual Abuse Prevention Education Programs - PFML staff comes to your school, organization or business to present the following programs:

Apple 1 – Megan’s Law and Sexual Abuse and Rape Prevention for parents and community members.

Apple 2 - Megan’s Law and Sexual Abuse and Rape Prevention for professionals working with children and teens.

Internet Safety forum  parents, caregivers and community members.

For Government Agencies - PFML comes to you:

How To Use Sex Offender Registries

On Site Programs:

New York State Mandated Reporter Training for Licensed professionals.

 

POLICY and LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT to close loopholes which make communities vulnerable to registered offenders and to increase victim’s rights.

LITERATURE to educate the children and adults regarding prevention and to inform adults about sex offender registration and notification laws.