The Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta was the host site of this year’s annual National Conference of State Legislatures and our organization’s first visit to both the center and the Summit.
The exhibit might have been contained to a 10 x 10 space, but our message representing well over 3,000,000 family members affected by what many legislators see as necessary, the public sex offender registry, was delivered. Vicki Henry, Director, T. Jackson, W.A.R. Board member, Reform Sex Offender Laws (RSOL) Admin member and Larry Neely RSOL Admin member ( see picture) were the three very powerful advocates present at this summit. The message to legislators, their staff and fellow exhibitors concerned the collateral damages experienced on a daily basis by the families of those who have been adjudicated, paid a debt to society and now on a public sexual offender registry, many for the rest of their lives.
Ms. Henry said, “There was a light-bulb moment for legislators as the discussion progressed about children of registrants being beaten up or suffering depression because their mother or father are on a public registry.”
Mr. Neely of RSOL actively engaged legislators in discussions about the recent murders perpetrated by vigilantes and heard comments like; “I didn’t know that happens” or “Oh my gosh, they looked up the sex offender’s name and address on the public registry, murdered him and his wife.” All were shocked to learn that two of the vigilantes also expressed an intent to continue their murderous rampage utilizing the sex offender website when they were arrested.
A suggestion by another exhibitor, who is also a sexual abuse victim, was “A dialog needs to begin with the amount of unreported sexual abuse within families, healing for both the victim and the offender and the need for safety training” which was part of an exchange shared with Mrs. Jackson.
The message, delivered by advocates challenging the public registry, will be reverberating in the halls of many legislative offices and committees in the coming months.
Sharing the recent tragedy out of Texas, where a 10-year old girl was being charged with the rape of a four-year old boy left many speechless. The portrayal of this story to summit attendees was a signal that the pendulum needs to swing back in the other direction. It was made apparent to conference attendees that counseling would be a better alternative rather than incarcerating and destroying our youth.
Fellow advocates USA Fair and Florida Action Committee were also in attendance and advocating for reform. Source: W.A.R. Press Release
Contact: Vicki Henry, Director
Women Against Registry
202.630.0345
