In Nevada, looking at child pornography is a Class B Felony, punishable by one to six years in prison and a five thousand dollar fine. Many experts say a child pornographer will never see a day behind bars, just a mere probation sentence. After that, they’re off “free and clear,” usually with no lifetime supervision.

Child pornography is a three billion dollar industry, that’s according to the Internet Filter Review. Some experts are saying that the sentencing for people who look at child pornography is much too lax.

Child pornography is much more pervasive than people might think. And it’s often seen as a victimless crime. But one detective says that couldn’t be further from the truth…it can involve children as young as three years old being raped. And often, he says, those who look at child pornography move on to actually touching children.

We met with a man who has seen how child pornography and molesting a child overlap.
Ted says his world was shattered three years ago when Richard Raymer took his son’s innocence.

“I wanted to kill him I had so much anger.”

Washoe County Sheriffs Detective Dennis Carry handled Raymer’s case.

Carry says, “Richard Raymer was a two time sex offender he had convictions in Oklahoma and Florida. He moved to this area in 2005.”

That’s when detectives found out that Raymer’s addiction went beyond child pornography.
He’s now serving a life sentence. But Detective Carry says if Raymer had received a stronger punishment initially, he may have not had the chance to molest a 10-year-old boy.

“A large percentage of people that get arrested on child pornography cases are receiving probation when its a first offense child pornography charge,” according to Carry.

Probation–instead of jail time. Hard for Ted to understand. “I’m really worried because I don’t ever want this to happen again.”

Former D.A. Dave Clifton says it’s difficult for child sex offenders to change. “These type of criminal offenders are not likely to be rehabilitated, they’re not likely to be safe back in society.”

Many child pornographers say their affinity toward child porn is an addiction, an uncontrollable urge.

Raymer was in a sex offender treatment program in prison…yet while he was there he still fantasized about young boys. In his prison diary, he wrote about a young boy that was “ten luscious years old” and how once he gets out, he wants to hook up with a boy named “Ricky.”

“Some have said they want to get rid of it they want to stop and just couldn’t they would delete it and then go back for more,” says Carry.

Detective Carry says nearly all of those he has arrested first looked at pictures and video.
“We’re talking children 5 years old, 6 years old, 7 years old being raped.”

And then, like a drug, they need that next fix.

“They want something harder and harder. Research shows the next fix at some point down the road is touching a child.”

He says studies show that more than 85 percent of those who look at child porn move on to molest a child.

In Nevada, looking at child pornography is a Class B Felony, punishable by one to six years in prison and a five thousand dollar fine. Many experts say a child pornographer will never see a day behind bars, just a mere probation sentence. After that, they’re off “free and clear,” usually with no lifetime supervision.

Clifton says the likelihood of a child pornographer re-offending or moving on to molest a child hasn’t been enough to change the law. “So do we want them running around in our streets? No. But because constitution doesn’t allow us to put them in prison for the rest of their life for a crime they may commit…”

Detective Dennis Carry handled the investigation of William McCaffrey, who had one million pornographic images of children on his computer. When detectives asked him if he would ever touch a child he responded–“I really can’t predict the future.”

We may not be able to predict a person’s future behavior, but maybe the future is closer than we think. According to the Butner study, two psychologists studied 155 child pornographers. When these offenders faced the court, they admitted to molesting a total of 75 victims. But after sentencing, these men were treated for their addiction and took polygraph tests, and the number of victims went from 75 to an astounding 1,777 victims (The Butner Study Redux).

And that disparity is why experts like Detective Carry say stronger sentencing is imperative. The current court system has offenders take a psycho-analysis test to determine whether they’re a high risk to society. An exam both Clifton and Carry say is not reliable

“The psychosexual exam, I have to admit, most people pass because they’re only considered a moderate risk, and the expert would say this person’s eligible for probation,” asserts Clifton.

Although, they must register as sex offenders.

“That allows government to monitor people and where they’re living for the rest of their life.”

However, since most child pornographers are considered low risk by the courts, Tier 0 or 1, they won’t be listed on sex offender location web sites. Only Tier 2 and Tier 3 sex offenders are listed.

And even Clifton says programs like lifetime supervision and sex offender registration aren’t fool proof. Phillip Garrido was a registered sex offender and on lifetime supervision when he allegedly abducted Jaycee Dugard.

So if all signs point to the fact that child pornographers are likely to re-offend, should state law change to give these offenders stronger sentences?

Clifton: “It may be the legislature increases sentences for these crimes some day, we’ll see…I don’t know if the public outcry is going to be enough to make that happen.”

If that day comes, it will come too late for Ted and his family.

Ted remembers the fear in his son’s eyes when he was molested. “He come out crying to me and said ‘dad, I’m scared.’ I said what are you scared about?

He said, ‘I’m scared he might get me.’”

What, if anything, would you think should be done when it comes to child pornographers?

You can post your comments below.

US Has Highest Rate Of Child Death By Abuse Worldwide By Far

A new report shows that child abuse and neglect kill more children in the United States than in any other industrialized nation — five every day.

Every Child Matters Education Fund President Michael Petit wrote that the report should be a wake-up call.”This is a report sure to sadden — and perhaps to anger. How could it be otherwise when we look at the innocent faces of children whose lives were cut short by abuse or neglect?” wrote Petit.The report, We Can Do Better: Child Abuse and Neglect Deaths in America, was released by the Every Child Matters Education Fund. It found that at least 10,440 American children died from abuse or neglect between 2001 and 2007. The report noted that the number of children killed could top 15,660, but poor record keeping could have missed many deaths.The report was the first survey of its kind to examine the issue state-by-state and noted the states with the highest rate of deaths due to abuse and neglect.In 2007, Kentucky took the grim No. 1 spot with 41 deaths, a rate of just over 4 in 100,000 children. Other states near the top were South Dakota, Florida, Nebraska and Missouri.States with the lowest rate of child death in 2007 — the latest year for which data is available — were Delaware, Rhode Island, Idaho, Maine and Montana.Of the 721, 646 children confirmed abused and neglected nationwide in 2007:

60 percent did not receive proper food, clothing, shelter, hygiene, education, medical care or protection.

13 percent suffered from multiple maltreatments.

11 percent were physically abused.

8 percent were sexually abused.

4 percent suffered from emotional abuse.

1 percent suffered from medical neglect.

4 percent suffered from other mistreatment such as abandonment, threats, and congenital drug addiction.

50 percent or more of child abuse and neglect cases are associated with alcohol or drug abuse by parents.

Every Child Matters Education Fund

Compared with other rich countries, the United States child death rate is off the scale. The U.S. rate is three times higher than Canada’s and 11 times higher than Italy’s. The closest to the U.S. rate is France with 1.4 children out of 100,000 dying due to abuse or neglect — 2.4 out of 100,000 die in America.Petit said states with high rates of child death should take note and take action.”Much can be done to reduce these child abuse and neglect deaths. There exists a vast body of knowledge about healthy child growth and development, including how to prevent abuse in the first place,” wrote Petit. His preface to the report went on to say that “…despite the best efforts of the many who work daily to address this problem, we continue to fall far short in applying our knowledge.”The report said that there are many, many reasons the United States has such a high rate of child deaths compared to the rest of the world including overworked child protection workers and a lack of public awareness.The Every Child Maters Education Fund called on lawmakers to strengthen federal standards, increase funding and create more public awareness across the board.

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It was about 150 marchers that took to the streets of downtown Port Huron (Michigan) Monday afternoon in a demonstration against child abuse.  The event was part of a larger one yesterday, across the country, according to local organizer Sierra Kearns. After the march there was a large public event held with…

Don’t be alarmed when you see the throng of marchers in downtown Port Huron on Monday. The marchers are concerned people taking part in the Port Huron Million March Against Child Abuse.

If you’re not OUTRAGED, you’re not paying ATTENTION!

Sandra Potter displays two of her books on domestic violence and child abuse. An epidemic is killing our children and it is more deadly and more prevalent than polio, whooping cough or swine flu combined. It is child abuse. And one Peck resident has made finding its cure her life’s work. “Education and knowledge are the keys to prevention,” said Sandra Potter, CEO and founder of Dreamcatchers for Abused Children, a worldwide nonprofit organization based in Michigan.

“If people are properly educated on the signs and symptoms, it may put an end to this bitter and deadly disease.” Potter has co-authored a series of books about domestic violence and child abuse. Two of the books will all be available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Walmart, Target and other independent bookstores this month; another will be out by Christmas, Potter said. In Sanilac County, they will be available at Walmart in Sandusky, she said.

Potter founded her organization after her own daughter was traumatized by child sexual abuse. “If I had known back then what I know now, I think I would have spotted the signs and symptoms,” she said. “I wanted to do something to help families going through what I went through.”

Dreamcatchers is a legal, nonprofit 501-C3 organization with 12 different websites and almost 30,000 active members worldwide, dedicated to promoting awareness by educating the public on the signs/symptoms of child abuse, statistics, intervention, reporting, prevention, and assistance to survivors.

Consider these statistics:

*One in every three girls will be sexually molested before the age of 18.

* One in every six boys will be sexually molested before the age of 18.

* Every 10 seconds a child is abused, raped or killed in the United States.

* Today up to five children will die from abuse or neglect.

* In 10 seconds, another child will be abused in the United States. There were 2.9 million child abuse reports made in 1992. Only 28 percent of the children identified as harmed by abuse are investigated.

* Since 1980, physical abuse has increased 84 percent; sexual abuse 350 percent; emotional abuse 333 percent; and neglect 320 percent.

*85 percent of the 1.2-1.5 million runaways are fleeing abuse at home.

*Child abuse victims are 2.5 times more likely to become involved in crime, drug and alcohol abuse.

*Abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, across all ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at all educational levels

*It is estimated that 3-6 percent of the clergy population has abused a child.

*The typical child sex offender molests an average of 117 children, most of whom do not report the offense.

*One-third of abuse and neglect victims will go on to abuse or neglect their own children.

*Statistics indicate that abuse is symptomatic of an overall breakdown of the nuclear family. Abuse cases are significantly higher in broken, blended or cohabitating families.

Potter gathered these statistics after hours of research, using many online sources including www.childhelp.org and www.childabuse.org. But statistics aren’t what spurred her into action – it was the release of her daughter’s abuser after more than 14 years in prison. “I don’t feel that child sex offenders can be rehabilitated. It’s a very uneasy feeling to know he’s out and about,” Potter said. “He could move next door to me, if he wanted to. To me, that’s very offensive. I wanted to vent those feelings into something positive.”

Potter works indirectly with Peck Police Chief Paul Rich to review the National Sex Offender Registry to ensure child abusers do not move into the area. “There actually was a case where a man from out of state, who’d just been released from prison, moved into Peck. He was living with his brother and their three children. Between us, we got him to move out of our area,” she said. Rich remembers the case.

“They were actually in violation of the provisions set forth in the Michigan statute for convicted sex offenders, having to live an excess of one thousand feet from a school zone,” Rich said. “When we brought that to their attention, they moved out of state. That was due to (Potter’s) efforts.” Rich said Potter has contacted him at other times, too. “And that’s good. It’s nice to have somebody who will alert you to them,” Rich said. “Any time someone gets out and into the area, she’s right on top of that.”

Along with being vigilant, Potter believes the best way to break the abuse cycle is to educate parents, caregivers and the public and, most important, to arm the victims themselves with information. First of all there are many different types of abuse: Physical, sexual, emotional and neglect. “You want to look for any type of unexplained bruising and continuous injuries – bruising, bite marks, bald spots, burns, welts, as well as obvious fractures,” she said. Emotionally, abused children may be nervous or aggressive. Sexual abuse signs include difficulty walking, elimination problems, bacterial infections, itching, precocious knowledge of sexual activity, blood in underwear, and regressions such as sucking the thumb and bedwetting. Other emotional signs include depression or fear of a specific person.

Education is what Potter’s books attempt to do:

The first book in the series, “One Step Ahead of Fate,” covers domestic violence, the story of a woman’s experience. The first half is the actual story. “In the back is the self-help section for whoever wants it,” Potter said. The book was published by the national publishing firm Publish America and will be out around Christmastime.

“The Child Abuse Survivor Project” is a collection of abuse stories from around the world. “It happens more than we know. I think more of these cases are being heard today,” Potter said.

“Unnecessary Roughness…Til Death Do Us Part,” is the fictional account of a woman who marries her sweetheart – a professional football player – who kills her in the end. While the book is fiction, it’s based on many factual statistics. “I think it will hit home with a lot of battered women,” Potter said.

The latter two books are self-published and are available now.

Many more statistics detailing the methods, signs, symptoms and affects of child abuse may be found at Potter’s websites. While it is legally mandatory for all U.S. citizens to report suspected cases of child abuse, the fact that more than 60 percent go uninvestigated can be daunting.

“My mission is to try and make difference,” she said. She would like to become a public speaker, doing informative seminars with children, parents, teachers and caregivers. “You would be surprised how many parents don’t know how to use the National Sex Offender Registry and the Family Watchdog. It will show any sex offenders living in your area and what they were convicted of,” she said. Parents also might want to access www.mipsor.state.mi.us, the Michigan version of the national registry, she said.

Written By Margaret Whitmer — Reporter

Publish America is proud to announce the release of “One Step Ahead of Fate” by Dreamcatchers best-selling authors.

This is an shocking story of domestic violence. Every woman dreams of meeting the perfect man, but no woman dreams of being physically and sexually abused, tortured or held hostage in their own home.

This powerful story will take our reader through the vicious cycle of abuse, shattered dreams, broken promises and the brutal reality of having to fight just to stay alive. After surviving being hit, kicked, punched, slapped, raped, stalked and beaten daily for over five years she finally manages to escape.

Her road to recovery would be a long, emotional battle, but new beginnings would soon follow as she desperately struggles to regain back her life and her dignity. This must-read shocking story will also provide domestic violence education, advice, tips, escape plans, hotline numbers and resources.

Recently the writing duo recently released “The Child Abuse Survivor Project” and “Unnecessary Roughness: Til death do us part.”  Each educational book released surrounds a heartfelt story of an abusive situation, as well as an educational self-help section assisting victims in seeking the help they so desperately need.

The writing duo was recently invited by director and producer Benford Standley to attend the Paso Digital Film Festival, and will appear on a guest spot on Mary Aguilar’s radio talk show, Victims Speak Out, to promote their upcoming release. Aguilar is best known for her role on HBO’s the Sopranos.

Books are available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other fine online book stores.

Dreamcatchers for Abused Children Announces Keith Dudley to Be a New Sponsor

October 7, 2009

Michigan, USA

Just Announced! Hundreds of dedicated volunteers from Dreamcatchers for Abused Children are pleased to announce a partnership with County Music Star, Keith Dudley.

Keith Dudley is a singer/songwriter based in Nashville, TN and Fort Mill, SC. Keith began his 25 year music career at the age of 13 when he wrote and performed his first song. From an early age his mother had a major impact on his love of music and helped shape his soulful roots.

With a diverse love of music culminated in his life long career as a singer/songwriter, Keith has traveled extensively throughout the United States and other countries as a performing artist. Formerly a gospel artist with The Benson Music Group, Keith charted two top five singles from his album “Talk About It”. He had two number one songs for the group 4Him. In 2000, Keith was nominated for a Dove Award for his song “The Hand of God”. He has toured with such groups as the Imperials, Point of Grace, 4Him, Truth and Phil Driscoll.

Keith is also an accomplished public speaker, performing at corporate events, high schools, colleges and universities throughout the US and other countries. For seven years Keith was involved in the cable television industry. He served as executive vice president in charge of Creative Development for an upstart cable network and three years as CEO and chairman of IMT (International Music Television).

His current project, “China Grove”, showcases Keith’s philosophy, “We are created as creatures of passion – passion for love and a passion for life. We also have experienced pain and loss, therefore we can only hope that our passion for life overcomes this pain, and helps us pick up the pieces and live.” “Love’s Been Good” has already reached #7 on the Power Source Charts in only a few months. The title song “China Grove” is slated to be released in 2009.

When asked why he agreed to join the force of Dreamcatchers, his response…

The site looks amazing. I am proud to be associated.

Love being a part of what you are doing.

Blessings,

KD

You can visit Keith’s at:

WEBSITE: http://www.keithdudleymusic.com/KeithDudley/Home.html

Dreamcatchers for Abused Children is a worldwide non Profit 501(3) child abuse organization dedicated to educating the public on child abuse awareness, intervention & prevention. www.dreamcatchersforabusedchildren.com

United States Child Abuse Reporting Numbers

If you suspect abuse DO NOT WAIT until you can “prove” child abuse — make a report whenever your worries about the safety of a child turn into suspicions that the child is being abused or neglected.

If the abuse is happening right now, call now.

YOUR CALL COULD SAVE A CHILD’S LIFE!!! Read the rest of this entry »

Child Safety Tips

One in 42 children will become lost, missing, kidnapped or run away this year.  While stranger abduction is relatively rare, it still happens.  Most abductions are perpetrated by someone the child knows.

Child abduction is a tragedy….It devastates the parents, families, and touches all of us.

Please read the following carefully about ways to keep your children safe.

Things You Should Do

• * Pay attention to where your children are at all times; don’t lose sight of your child in public places.
• * Never leave children alone in cars.
• * Establish strict procedures for picking your children up at school, at a friend’s, a movie, etc. Tell your children not to accept rides from people with whom you have not made previous arrangements – even if they say they are a police officer, teacher, or friend of the family.
• * Establish a family code word. Tell your children never to go with someone who does not know the code word.
• * Teach your children their full names, your full name, address, and telephone number. Teach them how to reach either you or a trusted adult, and how to call for police assistance.
• * Make sure they know how to make local and long distance telephone calls. Even a small child can be taught to dial 911 or 0 for “Operator” for help.
• * Tell your children about the abduction problem in a calm and simple way as if you were teaching any other important coping skill.
• * Listen attentively if your children talk about anyone they encounter in your absence.
• * Have photographs of your children taken four times a year (especially for pre-schoolers). Make a note of birthmarks and other distinguishing features.
• * Have fingerprints taken of your children.
• * Remember that child predators look like regular folks.
• * Keep an open dialog about safety; give situational quizzes about all safety issues.

Teach Your Children

• * Never to leave the yard without permission. Very small children should play only in the backyard or in a supervised play area.
• * Not to wander off, to avoid lonely places, and not to take shortcuts through alleys or deserted areas.
• * They are safer walking or playing with friends.
• * Always to come straight home from school unless you have made other arrangements.
• * Never to enter anyone’s home without your prior approval.
• * To scream, run away, and tell you or a trusted adult if anyone attempts to touch or grab them.
• * Not to give out any information on the telephone, particularly their name and address, or that they are alone.
• * Never to go anywhere with anyone who does not know the family code word.
• * To keep all doors locked and only admit authorized people into the house. No one else should be permitted to enter.
• * To memorize their full names and address, including city and state.
• * To memorize their telephone number, including zip code.
• * How to use the telephone to make emergency, local, and long distance calls.
• * Never to go into your home if a door is open or a window is broken.
• * How to work door and window locks.
• * How to answer the doorbell and telephone when they are home alone.
• * To run to the nearest public place, neighbor, or safe house if they feel they are being followed.
• * To tell you if someone asks them to keep a secret, offers them gifts or money, or asks to take their picture.
• * To always tell you if something happened while they were away from you that made them feel uncomfortable.

Help Is Always Around. Read the rest of this entry »

Child Safety Links

www.amberchildsafety.com

National Sex Offender Registry
True Tracker Pro
Child Protection Community
Tad Camp Investigations
Warriors Of Innocence
Parent Internet Education and Safety

Information on Child Abuse

Following is a list of Web sites containing useful information on child abuse as well as effective parenting. Many of the organizations who sponsor the sites use offer additional resources such as consultation, training, research, advocacy, or dissemination of information on child abuse.

American Humane – Devoted to preventing cruelty, abuse, neglect, and exploitation of children and animals.
Center for Effective Parenting – Provides helpful parenting information.

Child Care Aware – Committed to helping parents find the best information on locating quality child care and child care resources in their community.
Child Welfare League of America – Child Welfare League of America National Data Analysis System CWLA, in cooperation with the nation’s state child welfare agencies, provides a comprehensive, interactive child welfare database. Internet users can create customized tables and graphs, as well as access to information on child abuse.
Child Welfare Information Gateway – Child Welfare Information Gateway connects professionals and concerned citizens to timely, essential information and resources targeted to the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families.
Child Welfare League of America National Data Analysis System – CWLA, in cooperation with the nation’s state child welfare agencies, provides information on child abuse in a comprehensive, interactive child welfare database.
Child Trends Data Bank – Source for the latest national trends and research on over 100 key indicators of child and youth well-being.
Children’s Action Alliance – Helps promote the well-being of children and their families through research, policy development, media campaigns and advocacy.
Children’s Defense Fund – Mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life.

Children Now – Information on child abuse and on making children the top public policy priority.

Circle of Parents – Network of parent-led self-help groups where parents and caregivers can share ideas, celebrate successes, and address the challenges surrounding parenting.
Family and Marriage Counseling Directory – Articles, resources, and databases for finding family and marriage counselors.
Focus Adolescent Services – Resources on Teen and Family Issues. Topics include anger and violence; self injury such as carving, branding and marking; and abuse.

G.W. Medical Publishing – G.W. Medical Publishing is a leading clinical and forensic publisher serving the medical, legal, social service, and law enforcement communities with the resources they need to combat child abuse, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, domestic violence, child trafficking, and other maltreatment.

KIDS COUNT Data Book – Project by the Annie E. Casey Foundation to track status of children in the United States.
Life Prints Child Protection Technology – Life-Prints’ mission is to provide the most advanced technology to the Child/Infant ID market, by developing and supporting proprietary, user-friendly software that interfaces with state-of-art equipment, with levels of customer support unattainable elsewhere.
MEDLINEplus – A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.
National Data Archive on Child Abuse – Exchange among researched in child maltreatment field.

NetSmartz – Interactive, educational safety resource that teaches kids and teens how to stay safer on the Internet.
New Parents Network – Articles and information on child abuse and other topics for new parents.
Parents Anonymous – The nation’s oldest for information on child abuse prevention.
Prevent Child Abuse America – Dedicated to providing information on child abuse and inspiring hope to everyone involved in the effort to prevent the abuse and neglect of children.

Search Engine for Children – This site contains over 20,000 child-safe sites, and over 4,000 categories including the arts, computers, directories, entertainment, games, health, news, people, pre-school, school time, sports, hobbies, and family.
Stand for Children – Advocate for improvements to and funding for programs that give every child a fair chance in life.
State Sex Offender Registries – Registered sex offenders, listed by state.
The Stephanie Zimbalist Caring for Kids Fund – Judith Moose, Publicist and PR Friend to Childhelp is donating $2-3/book sold, including her up coming book, “The Greatest Cowboy of Them All,” a reflective story about Johnny Cash that will be distributed through WalMart.
TeensHealth – Created by The Nemours Foundation’s Center for Children’s Health Media, TeensHealth provides teens and families with up-to-date, jargon-free advice about health, relationships, and growing up. Topics include issues such as depression and self-cutting, abuse in the family, and safety basics such as internet safety.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau – Government site featuring information on child abuse, statistics, and resources related to child welfare.