Victims deserve better protection

Cornwall Standard Freeholder

12 March 2008

A Cornwall mother can't understand how the man convicted of sexually abusing her son has been able to move into her neighbourhood within days of being released from prison.

She's not alone.

How an abuser can be allowed to move within eyesight of a victim is nothing short of mindboggling.

It demonstrates how the system too often turns its back on victims.

True, there are conditions the abuser must abide by now that he is out of the slammer.

He must stay away from places where children congregate, such as parks, swimming areas and school grounds. He can't use a computer to communicate with children under the age of 14 (apparently it is okay to use a computer to communicate with a 15 year old) and can't be employed in a job that puts him in a position of authority of youths.

These conditions are small comfort for the victim and his family.

Cornwall Community Police Service says it will give special attention to the sexual abuser. But they can't monitor him 24/7.

Of concern is the fact in a city of 45,000, the man managed to find a place to live a few blocks from his victim.

One would think the convicted molester would not want to live near his victim, and if it was a coincidence would quickly move to another part of the city, or preferably to another part of the province.

Perhaps it is time we stopped worrying about the rights of convicted sexual abusers and more about the welfare of their victims.

To heck with what the civil libertarians say. Let's start telling such people where they can or can't live when they get out of the slammer.