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This week's article is about a new website in the UK. Chris Wittwer is determined to inform the public about child sex offenders. Learn about the internet database he's compiling to help prevent child abuse.

Naming and Shaming in the UK

Mr. Wittwer wants something similar to the US National Sex Offender Registry that is searchable by the general public in the UK. What do you think? Do you think some people are right to fear vigilante justice? Or do you see this as a good thing for the UK?


Trish Deneen
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Awesome piece, Trish! Thank you! I've sent Chris a link. I'm sure this will uplift his spirit a bit, after reading the negative articles. ~DF

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I'm in a strange position on this. I have three children and for that I agree with it. I want to know that someone lives nearby that could hurt my babies. Yet, I have a friend who is on that registry because twenty years ago he just turned 18 and slept with a 16 year old. He cannot go anywhere without being branded and cannot even date without permission. Standing in the grocery, he has to leave if a child enters. He wouldn't hurt a child or anyone for any reason.

I think the laws and such need to be revised before we open the door to such actions.

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Originally Posted By: Rebecca G.
I'm in a strange position on this. I have three children and for that I agree with it. I want to know that someone lives nearby that could hurt my babies. Yet, I have a friend who is on that registry because twenty years ago he just turned 18 and slept with a 16 year old. He cannot go anywhere without being branded and cannot even date without permission. Standing in the grocery, he has to leave if a child enters. He wouldn't hurt a child or anyone for any reason.

I think the laws and such need to be revised before we open the door to such actions.


Which laws do you think should be revised? The statutory rape laws? I have to disagree. Your statement that "he slept with a 16 year old" makes it sound innocuous and implies that it was okay for your friend to break the law because the girl was 16 or that she possibly consented.

You don't say much about what happened as far as if he knew he was breaking the law, so I'm trying not to read too much into it (though ignorance of a law isn't a defense). But from my initial reading of your post, it's extremely difficult for me to feel sorry for the guy.


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He didn't realize that it was against the law. They were kids that knew each other well and he had just turned 18. The girl was one that got around and announced even in writing that she was going to be his first and was very successful in becoming it. He didn't realize that teenagers having sex though very very foolish was illegal. Now, he cannot even date twenty years later because of that act.

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You first stated that he couldn't date without permission. Now you state that he can't date. Which is it? If he's trying to date a woman with minor children, then it's perfectly reasonable that he abide by the terms of the registry he was put on and stay away from dating women with minor kids.

If as you say he can't date at all, please provide proof of this as it makes no sense. I'm not asking for your friend's name but at least let us know what state this is so I can look up the laws so it can be confirmed.

Blaming the victim is a common tactic among sex offenders. The portrait you're painting of this person is even less sympathetic than before. If you knew both parties involved and you heard what this girl said (not just hearsay from the offender), then please say so. Otherwise, he sounds like a typical offender who blames others for the circumstances in his life, and I have no sympathy for him.

Originally Posted By: Rebecca G.
He didn't realize that it was against the law. They were kids that knew each other well and he had just turned 18. The girl was one that got around and announced even in writing that she was going to be his first and was very successful in becoming it. He didn't realize that teenagers having sex though very very foolish was illegal. Now, he cannot even date twenty years later because of that act.


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My apologies.

I just wanted to point out that not all on the list should be treated the same. I know this man very well, talk to his Wisconsin PO regularly, and the girl is pretty well known in this small town. She never pressed charges and still says it was consensually - her father pressed charged months later. This man is not a threat to any child or any person. He is one of the most gentle people I know. There has never been any other problems with him and children/women and the courts admit that that is why they are not cracking down harder.

When it comes to the dating, the PO has admitted to us that he can change the rules whenever he wants. I have verified with a friend who is a PO in a larger city that they do have that right.

Once again, my apologies.

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No apologies needed. Thank you for clarifying. I'm just not as forgiving of the "I didn't know it was against the law" defense and her father had every right to press charges. A lot of the things you say about this man still set off my skeptic bells. I hope it works out for all parties involved if his story is true.

Last edited by Trish-ChildAbuse; 11/24/10 09:40 AM.

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Sorry, I am as horrified by child abuse as anybody, I also have a child. But I am also horrified that a teenager can ruin his life by having sex with another teenager. If the age difference had been bigger, you could of course talk about child abuse, but in this case, both were almost the same age for God's sake!

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I want to remind everyone who posts in this thread to please remember to read the Child Abuse forum guidelines. This is not a place to defend convicted sex offenders. The law is the law. If you disagree, call your law-making officials. Do not defend convicted offenders in this forum. Sorry, as the moderator of the child abuse forum, I'm not rolling over on this one.

I think I've been pretty tolerant so far, but this thread is straddling the line of unacceptable.

Rebecca, I checked the website for the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry and it states:

"The Registry only contains information on offenders who, on or after 12/25/93,were:sentenced; in an institutional setting; discharged; or on field supervision."

You stated this incident was 20 years ago. That makes it 1990. You also make statements similar to what enablers commonly do. You can see why I'm skeptical.



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