MO - Victims oppose changing MO sex offender registry
For immediate release: August 26, 2013
Statement by Barbara Dorris, Outreach Director, 314-862-7688 [email protected]
Missouri lawmakers want to suddenly remove hundreds of names of convicted criminals from the state sex offender registry. We oppose this move.
When pondering changes to the sex offender registry, there should be only one criterion: will the proposed change protect more children? And in this case, it’s just too early to tell. So we in SNAP favor keeping the registry unchanged until independent scientific research clearly shows a need to change it.
Remember: Studies suggest that between 8% and 12% of kids will be sexually assaulted. (According to Darkness to Light, “there will be 400,000 babies born in the US this year that will be sexually abused before they turn 18 if we do not prevent it.”) We must put the well-being of thousands of children ahead of the inconvenience of dozens of offenders.
Decision-makers are adults. Most of them were never molested. So they naturally and instinctively sympathize with other adults. That sympathy leads some lawmakers to give some who have hurt kids a break.
But sympathies alone don’t make good public policy. We must examine both our feelings and the facts. And the facts tell us we should err on the side of safeguarding children.
It’s very sad when someone who has committed a crime is excessively punished. It’s even sadder, however, when someone who is innocent is victimized needlessly. Taking offenders’ names off the registry could easily lead to more assaults against children. We should think long and hard before making that kind of change.
Who’s on the sex offender registry should be based on likelihood of re-offense, not on some arbitrary age.
Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, [email protected])
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director
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