Sex Offenders
Recently, I found out that there was a sex offender living in the same apartment building as me (on the floor below me). Since I learned this through word of mouth, I decided to do a search on the internet. I was shocked to learn that there were over five of them living within a one-block radius. My intial reactions and thoughts were negative ones. I felt a surge of different feelings: anger, fear, and lack of safety, to name a few. Why are these people allowed back into society, where they are free to lurk around kids, schools, playgrounds, etc? Why are they allowed to live so close to schools?
I was angry at first, but then I realised that these people have paid their debt to society (by being incarcerated for a certain amount of time), and they were probably trying to become better individuals. Furthermore, some of them may very well be innocent. And what about the other sexual predators who are not listed in the sex offenders registry? We probably walk around them and speak to them every day without knowing what scumbags they are.
I’m not saying that once a sex offender has done his time in jail, that he automatically becomes a better person. For all we know, he might commit sexual crimes again, similar to what John Couey did in famous the Jessica Lunsford case. Having sexual predators in our neighborhood and surroundings is unavoidable, but we can take the necessary precautions to keep ourselves safe and informed. I came up with a list of links with information and advice on dealing with such situations. If you have any other relevant links which were not mentioned here, feel free to add them in the comments section.
That’s some really good information. I’m going to check out all those links later today. I know there are sex offenders even in my little community but I never could figure out what I should be doing to protect my family.
Unfortunately, a lot of sexual predators become addicted and treat it as a “sport.” They resume once let out on the street. There are a few here and there that at least try to change for the better, but according to what I could find, this is rare.
“And what about the other sexual predators who are not listed in the sex offenders registry? We probably walk around them and speak to them every day without knowing what scumbags they are.”
So true. I can’t remember where I read it, but many predators will commit the vile act several times before getting caught if they get caught at all. The main reason for this is the victim’s feeling of shame and/or fear of their attacker.
After reading this post, I remembered a “program” I guess you could term it, called . This website offers a free video that teaches teen girls how to defend themselves against sexual predators. The moves are designed for the average person- they are easy to learn and remember and one does not have to be a martial arts expert to use these moves.
This is really a great video for anyone who wants to has some weapons in the arsenal just in case an attack happens.
One word of warning: due to the sensitive subject this video focuses on, parental discretion is recommended. I think 13+ at least should see this. Its never to early to learn how defend one’s self against attackers who want you know what.
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I forget the closing tag for that link. Sorry about that! :S
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