Monday, September 19, 2005

Sex Offenders: Problems Our Parents Wouldn't Speak Of



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January, 2000 –– At a conference of Orthodox mental health professionals, Rabbi David Cohen, urged all communities to publicize the danger, as one is not permitted to endanger an entire community for the sake of an individual. Even monitoring of the molester has proven ineffective, not only according to mental health research, but according to Rabbi Cohen, as stated in the Talmudic admonition "Ain Apotropos L'arayot" (there is no monitoring of one guilty of sexual offenses.) 
Another speaker at the conference quoted the late eminent authority "Chafetz Chaim" that with regard to the possibility of mental harm, not only is one permitted, but mandated to apprise the community as this does not constitute Lashon Hara (evil talk). So telling becomes a protective community measure. --Vivian Skolnick, Chicago Jewish News
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 The Following Stats are from the US Dept. of Justice:


Sex offenders
  • On a given day in 1994 there were approximately 234,000 offenders convicted of rape or sexual assault under the care, custody, or control of corrections agencies; nearly 60% of these sex offenders are under conditional supervision in the community.
  • The median age of the victims of imprisoned sexual assaulters was less than 13 years old; the median age of rape victims was about 22 years.
  • An estimated 24% of those serving time for rape and 19% of those serving time for sexual assault had been on probation or parole at the time of the offense for which they were in State prison in 1991.

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Child victimizers
  • Offenders who had victimized a child were on average 5 years older than the violent offenders who had committed their crimes against adults. Nearly 25% of child victimizers were age 40 or older, but about 10% of the inmates with adult victims fell in that age range.

Women offenders
  • In 1998 there were an estimated 3.2 million arrests of women, accounting for 22% of all arrests that year.
  • Based on self-reports of victims of violence, women account for 14% of violent offenders, an annual average of about 2.1 million violent female offenders.
  • Women accounted for about 16% of all felons convicted in State courts in 1996: 8% of convicted violent felons, 23% of property felons, and 17% of drug felons.
  • In 1998 more than 950,000 women were under correctional supervision, about 1% of the U.S. female population.

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The Punishment
  • 61% of sexual assaults are not reported to the police.

  • 84% of all rapes in the United States are Date (Acquaintance) Rapes

  • A woman is 5 times more likely to be raped by someone she knows.

  • 57% of all sexual assaults take place on dates or in the context of relationships

  • If the rape is reported to police, there is a 50.8% chance that an arrest will be made.

  • If an arrest is made, there is an 80% chance of prosecution.

  • If there is a prosecution, there is a 58% chance of a felony conviction.

  • If there is a felony conviction, there is a 69% chance the convict will spend time in jail.

  • So, even in the 39% of attacks that are reported to police, there is only a 16.3% chance the rapist will end up in prison.

  • Factoring in unreported rapes, about 6% of rapists—1 out of 16— will ever spend a day in jail. 15 out of 16 will walk free. According to the US Department of Justice.

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[Probability statistics compiled by NCPA from US Department of Justice statistics]

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 Disclaimer: Inclusion in this website does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement. Individuals must decide for themselves if the resources meet their own personal needs.

Table of Contents:  
  1. Jewish Resources

  2. Secular Resources

    3.
Also see:  
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 Juvenile Sex Offenders
Books   
  1. A Guide for Parents of Young Sex Offenders by Eliana Gil, Phd.  Launch Press, P.O. Box 5629, Rockville, MD  20855  (800) 321-9167.  This booklet was created to be useful to parents of young sex offenders. The first reaction of most parents who learn that their child has molested is disbelief. It is simply too hard to even consider that a child of yours could have done such a thing. You may find yourself saying to the person who brings you the news that they are mistaken, or they have the wrong child, and anyway your child couldn't have done. . . whatever they say sh/he did. The fact that your child molested another child is a shock. you will find yourself repeating the phrase "...it couldn't be. . ."  You may find yourself immediately defending your child with other possible explanations. Many parents wonder if their child was misunderstood, or someone is exaggerating what actually happened. And yet as you hear more information, the reality may begin to set in: it's possible your child is in real trouble, and has done something terribly wrong.  As parents, you are anxious to get to the bottom of things, understand what may have happened, and begin solving the problem. The first step of course, is to talk to your child to see what explanation is offered.  But unfortunately explanations may not flow easily. often children are so afraid, and so ashamed, that they may deny the whole event, further confusing you. You may let out a sigh of relief when the child denies, and stand by the child, boldly stating that if the child says it did not occur, then it didn't. This is indeed a difficult time.

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  2. Families that Abuse: Diagnosis and Therapy (1992)  by Stefano Cirillo and Paola Diblasio.  The Sobering problem of family violence directed at children demands a response from society mandated with the protection of children; the predicament of children and their families experiencing this pain requires a family-based clinical approach to their treatment. This book argues for the absolute necessity for both protection and treatment of abused children and their families and makes a powerful case for harnessing these two functions together. It is a pragmatic and scholarly review, informed by the commitment of clinicians working with abusive families who reveal their work through their practical approaches to numerous family predicaments, and it is refreshingly honest about the dilemmas encountered in this work. Often, the work of family therapy is situated in the real world of conflicting mandates, with pressures from the courts, agencies, schools and professional bodies, all of which may constrain our therapeutic choices. In this book, Stefano Cirillo and Paola DiBlasio tackle such workaday problems head on.
  3. Female Adolescent Sexual Abusers By Marcia T. Turner & Tracey N. Turner Safer Society Press (802) 247-3132.  An exploratory study of mother-daughter dynamics with implications for treatment.
  4. Treating Child Sex Offenders and Victims   By Anna C. Salter SAGE Publications  (805) 499-9774
  5. When Children Molest Children  (1991), By Carolyn Cunningham, PhD and Kee MacFarlane, MSW.  Brimming with therapeutic exercises specifically for young sexual abusers, this manual is an excellent companion to Steps to Healthy Touching. Build anger management, empathy and problem-solving skills in children who molest. The authors of Steps to Healthy Touching provide an array of highly structured exercises to help clinicians address post-traumatic stress, the sexual abuse cycle, self-esteem and healthy sexuality issues. For use with children ages five through twelve.
  6. When Children Abuse  (1996). By Carolyn Cunningham, PhD and Kee MacFarlane, MSW.   This book is for and about sex offenders - but not the ones in trench coats who loiter around playgrounds. It's for those on the playground, the young ones, the preadolescents who sexually abuse other children - using force, intimidation, and secrecy. The authors address the range of emotions and practical issues that must be considered if these deeply troubled children are to become healthy. They offer highly structured exercises and activities that engage both children and their families in the treatment process these exercises apply to a variety of impulse control problems, including abuse, fire setting, and animal torture.

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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."  –– Margaret Mead
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