It can be hard work making sure your children are protected. Every day we have to make decisions that will determine the safety of our children. One of the hardest things to protect your children from is sex offenders.
Sex offenders are everywhere, and the number seems to be increasing all the time. I live in a suburban middle class area and I can tell you that there are nine sex offenders in my area right now. I know, because I’m diligent about making sure I’m aware of any new offenders that move in.
I can tell you the name, address, aliases, and even a description of every sex offender in my area. I have photos of each offender and distribute them to the neighbors so that we can all be vigilant about the protection of our children.
There was a time, not too long ago, when I didn’t take the threat of sexual offenders to my children as seriously as I should. My attitude took a quick turn when the thought of sex offenders being in my neighborhood made me stand up and take notice.
We live in a nice neighborhood where all the children play outside and have fun together. My daughter made friends with a girl down the street. The girls played together and were inseparable for seven years. Her mother was active in the PTO and her father was a firefighter for our town. It put my mind at ease knowing that we lived so close to someone who would have our children’s best interests at heart.
Then, the day came when I was forced to wake up and realize that things are not always what they seem, and as parents we must never let our guard down. Early one morning, our firefighter neighbor was arrested. He later he was convicted of rape. He had raped his own son numerous times over several years and had also raped two children who were not his. My daughter wasn’t one of his victims, but she could have been.
This neighbor is now in prison for many years and is not a threat to my children. I know that in my quiet neighborhood there are nine other sex offenders in my area who are a threat.
I urge you to take the time to educate yourself. Don’t just ask yourself, “Are there sex offenders in my area?” Make sure you know the answer at all times. Knowledge is power.
There is a National Registry of Alerts [http://sexoffenderswatch.info] which is a national database of nearly 500,000 registered sex offender records. can be searched instantly. Search results provide information about criminals in your area, including Namesalias, Photos, private homesand details of the crime. The National Alert Registry system provides detailed maps of all registered offenders in your area. When new sex offenders move into your area, you will receive a red alert in your email address immediately.
Please take the time to be informed of any threats to your children. It’s an easy and responsible step to make sure you’re doing everything you can to stay informed about sex offenders who may be living in your area.
