FL- Why are sexual-related incidents up at Orlando's water parks?

None of these offenses are by former offenders!

7-22-2009 Florida:

With the most recent report of a sexual-related incident at a local water park, theme park officials, tourism experts and law enforcement are stumped by a troubling trend for theme-park-friendly Central Florida.

No one can explain why there's an increase in the number of reported incidents, but mental-health professionals have speculated about the effects of economic problems as well as the freedom both offenders and their victims have in theme parks.

Deputies said the latest incident happened Thursday at Walt Disney World's Typhoon Lagoon.

Although investigators are charging Amazon.com employee David Eugene Thomas with molesting a 13-year-old boy, they think Thomas victimized more than six children.

An Orange County judge denied Thomas bond on Friday. He is being held at the Orange County Jail.

His arrest marks the sixth sexual-related incident at an Orlando-area water park since March.

Psychologists stress that people who commit sexual offenses against children are largely behaving irrationally because of a mental illness.

"The great majority of people who are exposing themselves or touching kids, they know that it's wrong," said William Samek, a psychologist and director of the Florida Sexual Abuse Treatment Program who works with both offenders and victims.

Water parks present a particular temptation to the offenders because children often are fairly free of close parental supervision while wearing little clothing, Samek added.

The economy could be a factor, too.

"It does occur to me that with 10 percent unemployment, a lot of adults have unstructured free time," said Alan Grieco, a psychologist with Psychological Affiliates in Winter Park who also has worked with both offenders and victims. "With losing your job comes consequences to self esteem, and that stress could lead people [with the condition] to act out."

Nick Gollattscheck of Aquatica said Orange County sheriff's deputies spent Tuesday and Wednesday at the water park reviewing security procedures.

Joshua Fuentes, of Kissimmee, faces charges of battery and lewd and lascivious molestation after three girls, ages, 12, 13 and 14, accused him of touching them at Aquatica on June 27.

Theme parks are working in cooperation with authorities to prevent these crimes and quickly arrest the perpetrators, deputies said.

"The parks have been 100 percent behind law enforcement," said Sgt. Rich Mankewich of the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

Spokeswomen for Wild Waters near Ocala and Adventure Island in Tampa said those parks have not had any sexual-related incidents.

The Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau also has yet to receive any calls about the issues, said Brian Martin, a bureau spokesman. ..Source.. by Anika Myers Palm and Walter Pacheco Sentinel Staff Writer