Well, I'm going in a totally different direction with this post, but I just have to get this off my chest. I've been watching Nancy Grace regularly lately and she most often does stories on murdered children. Many of those children are killed by sexual predators with previous convictions for child molestation, rape, and other terrible crimes against children and young men and women. I personally had a hand in putting two such low-lifes away for a very long time after they had befriended my youngest daughter when she was only 14 yrs. old. Believe it or not, this was a boyfriend and girlfriend living together in our neighborhood, both convicted of sexual crimes against children. They met after their crimes and convictions. Because they had been in the company of my daughter and other young kids in the neighborhood, they went back to prison due to parole violations. I do not know the details of the boyfriend's crimes, but I do know the details of the girlfriend's crimes. I will not even mention it here because it is truly sickening. However, she was only 19 years old. My purpose here is not to shock you but to inform you of what I know to be true.
You cannot rehabilitate a pedophile or rapist. They can no more change their urges as they can change the color of their eyes, their sex, or sexual orientation. You are who you are. Yet, time and time again, these deviants get prison time, sometimes a ridiculously short sentence, and then they're back out into OUR world where they are expected to suddenly become good citizens. Prison does not deter these people. Their lives revolve around their compulsions and urges and prison cannot erase that. Why then, are we allowing these people back into society, only to hear over and over again that they have re-offended? Whether it's a child predator or a serial rapist who preys on woman, even men, they are not likely to straighten up once released from prison and keep their needs in check.
Unfortunately, these predators often go back to preying on their victims of choice and the longer they get away with it, the better the chance that they will escalate to more violence up to and including murder. There are too many families across the United States who have lost loved ones to repeat offenders who should never have been out on the streets in the first place.
Something has to be done, and it has to be done now. Anyone who has molested a child should never get a second chance. They made a conscious choice to harm a child in the worst way, therefore they have forfeited, in my mind, their future. They should never be allowed to see freedom again to the end of their days. Someone who rapes anyone of any age should also never know freedom again. I'm talking about a very specific group of criminals. I'm talking about predators, those who seek out victims. This particular group is what we all need to be aware of every moment of every day. We cannot go through life paranoid and frightened, but we can be more vigilant about our surroundings and cautious about those who gravitate toward our own children. Make no mistake, some of these people can be within your own family or a trusted neighbor. Sexual predators are not exclusively male, either.
As I stated in the beginning, I have first-hand experience with this issue. My daughter was "befriended" by a male and female sexual predator who ignored the conditions of their parole by hanging around kids 14 and under. I'm convinced it was only a matter of time before they would have claimed a new victim, or several. Who knows what they would have done then. Thankfully, they went away to prison before they could bring any harm to my daughter or another person's child.
We've got to stop kidding ourselves. Sexual predators cannot be "cured" of their obsessions and urges. Given the chance, if opportunity presents itself, they will re-offend. It's not a matter of IF, it's a matter of WHEN. Will it be you next? Or your best friend? Or your mother? Or your child?
ARE YOU WILLING TO TAKE THAT CHANCE? I'M NOT.
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This is so true. Thanks for writing this blog, as it is a good reminder for all of us to be wary and constantly vigilant. These predators are, as you say, everywhere.
ReplyDeleteMost people only realise this when it affects them directly. I'm glad you had a chance to help your daughter before anything serious happened!
Thanks so much. I know sexual predators are literally all around us, and they can look as normal as you and me. I was shocked when I found out the 19 yr. old girl hanging around my daughter was a child molester, too. You worry about your kids getting into drugs and other risky behavior but sometimes forget the other dangers they can find themselves in. We need to put these people away the FIRST time they offend. If there's a first time you can be sure there will be a second. There are no excuses for anyone to offend again. Our children's safety is far more important than the rights of a convicted sex offender or other sexual predator.
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