TN- Put resources into treatment

2-4-2009 Tennessee:

Adding adolescents (14 and older) to the adult (18 years and older) sex-offender registry is a legislative issue currently being debated in our state.

At first glance, this may appear an easy decision, but with better understanding it becomes a more challenging issue.

Many adolescents who would potentially be included in this registry have been victimized themselves. In response to the abuse they suffered, as many as one-third of sexually abused children will demonstrate some sort of sexual-behavior problem. At the Sexual Assault Center, we believe these youth need treatment, as opposed to being labeled "sex offenders" for life.

Implementing this law could decrease the involvement of our juvenile-justice system in maintaining confidentiality and focusing on the rehabilitation of these youth. Research shows that adolescents who sexually offend or have sexual-behavior problems are less likely to re-offend if they receive appropriate intervention and treatment.

Family members at risk
They also do not pose the same threat to public safety as do adults. However, if these youth do not receive the proper help, the likelihood of re-offending into adulthood will increase dramatically. Therefore, we are against listing all adolescent offenders on a state sexual-offender registry.

Not only does this act label the adolescent for a lifetime, it also stigmatizes the parents and other siblings in the home. In most cases, the address and telephone number for the registered youth will be the family's; the vehicle information will be the parent's; and the school could be the same for other family members. This public listing of information can make children and their families vulnerable to harassment, threats and assaults, and will make parents less likely to report or seek help for their children's sexual-behavior problems.

While the Sexual Assault Center's primary interest is in the safety and treatment of victims and survivors of sexual assault and the appropriate response to offenders, we believe our community's efforts and resources should be targeted at finding the treatment needed for these youth and their families.

Consider all implications
We must continue to put great emphasis on the healing and treatment of the victims — we must reassure victims of sexual abuse that it was not their fault and they are not to blame. We strongly urge our community and legislators to consider both the pros and the cons of the implications of this registry and what we can all do to help children in our community heal.

The Sexual Assault Center's mission is to end sexual violence and to provide healing to children, adults and families affected by sexual assault through counseling and education. We work with as many as 700 victims and their families each year, and half of these are children.

Our prevention education programs reach more than 120,000 students in Middle Tennessee schools, and a 24-hour crisis line is available to anyone in need (1-800-879-1999). ..News Source.. by