For this edition, Lyra Walsh Fuchs spoke to Judith Levine and Erica R. Meiners, the authors of The Feminist and the Sex Offender: Confronting Sexual Harm, Ending State Violence (Verso).
There are nearly a million people on the sex offender registry, a number that has increased alongside rising rates of incarceration in the United States—even as reported rates of sexual violence have been falling since 1993. Children as young as nine years old are on the registry. Depending on the state, registrants are held on the list for as long as ten years to life; while they are on the registry, they are restricted in where they can live, work, and walk. Legally, they are in a category all of their own. Florida’s 2018 Amendment 4, for example, which enfranchised those with felony convictions (before it was neutralized by a Republican-led law declaring that their hefty court debts must be paid off first) excluded those with sex offense and murder convictions from the start. And at least 5,000 people convicted of sex offenses are imprisoned indefinitely in mental health facilities through “civil commitment,” even after they have completed their criminal sentences.
Brandon:
Don’t be discouraged. Everyone’s opinion is important in this conversation, especially if that person has had an experience being on the registry and shares that experience. Sometimes it simply allows someone to blow off steam. Other times it makes it into court and makes a difference. You may have something productive to add to the conversation, but we will never know if you discontinue posting comments.
Meanwhile, Visa and Mastercard are investigating their card members for subscribing to Pornhub because the website has been allegedly showing underage sex performances. It won’t be long before a massive scale bust by the feds occurs.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2020/12/07/business/visa-mastercard-pornhub.amp.html
Jacob
I was just asking if these are the next crimes to considered violent because of victims like Lauren. I wasn’t comparing the authors to her, but I won’t be responding to anything here ever again.
I had no idea these things are violent:
Peeing outside
Playing doctor
Changing a diaper/giving an infant a bath
Teens having consensual sex
Couples having consensual sex
Taking a shower
Not telling the government I’m engaged in sex
Asking someone on a date
Taking/ looking at pictures
Yup all these sound violent; don’t ya know!! Society norms change; human behavior doesn’t. Stop calling things violent. Here’s an idea, try having meaningful conversations about issues and stop with the victim cards. The world doesn’t need more Lauren Books.
I saw nothing in the interview characterizing any of these activities as violence. How anyone could compare the author to Lauren Book is beyond me.
Is anybody here reading the interview?
Has anyone here besides OnceFallen and FAC bothered to read the article? Or is our issue mainly just with the title of the article, as selected by the the publication’s editors?
Recommend reading beyond the top line.
Jacob,
Unfortunately, in this social media world, far too many people only read the headline and maybe the subtitle directly under some headlines.
Misinformation is trending. People don’t care. Example; A headline can say “Trump Legal Team Loses 39 Court Cases, Says MSM”, and they run with that. Not bothering to read the article where is says that the legal team hasn’t even filed 39 cases. In a VIDEO in front of a LEGISLATURE, Trump attorney Jenna Ellis made it very clear that they only filed 3 lawsuits. The others were filed by other INDIVIDUALS. But what do the people run with? They run with “Trump had 39 lawsuits thrown out!”
People do not read. They do not listen. We are truly dealing with a lot of ignorance on both sides.
And I’m sad to say that I don’t see anything ever being done to stop the madness of the sex offender registry. Even though it’s a form of doxxing and doxxing is or should be illegal. Period.
I’m in agreement with Robert and Motown on this one. Ending sexual violence is a fantasy, much like ending poverty or any of a litany of ills that plague mankind.
What we can do is end the hysteria when we hear the fallacy that being sexually assaulted is “a fate worse than death.” This is why we are punished worse than murderers in many cases.
We can also follow the constitution so the punishment will fit the crime, not serve as a biased, vindictive punishment meted out by emotionally unstable judges at the behest of mindless mobs. The “reasonable person” litmus test, by which many laws are created and enforced, is out the window when it comes to sexual offences. No punishment or “regulation” is too bizarre or too extreme.
Some say we still have constitutional rights. I strongly disagree, unless you have an unlimited war chest to go to court to fight for your rights. I don’t foresee anything changing for the better for our population, especially in Floriduh.
The term “sexual violence” is a problem. Society at large has been brainwashed with the idea that anything sexually “illegal” is somehow “violent”. This is the same society that thinks words are violent so keep in mind what we’re dealing with. Long gone are the days of the “sticks and stones” mantra.
We’re in a time where you can say “F*ck” a sitting President but you can’t say that a man or woman cannot literally change their gender. That hurts feelings. That’s “violence”.
Everything regarding the topic of sexual offenses ALWAYS circles back around to “sexual violence”. Pardon me but ummm…. the relationship between 24 yr old Elvis Presley and 14 yr old Priscilla was NOT VIOLENT. My offense, of a similar nature was NOT VIOLENT. I’m deeply concerned about this term “sexual violence”. Now, those of us with an ounce of common sense can determine when a topic is about blatant rape of an unwilling victim or the molestation of a pre-pubescent teenager, but the majority unfortunately cannot make that distinction. So, a guy who gets caught masturbating on a Zoom call will fall into the “sexual violence” sex offender category. This needs to stop. No, seriously, it needs to stop.
I sent an email to obe of thre book’s authors because I want to know more about their take on this “movement” of ours to reform the registry.
Who exactly are they speaking of whern they reger to the “registrants’ rights movement?
Some of the statements made made me scratch my head.
First you have to define “sexual violence”.
The only way to get rid of sexual violence between humans is to get rid of the human race but you will be left with animal upon animal sexual violence.
Getting to the topic of violence in general. If you get rid of humans, violence will continue among all of the other animals. A lion or shark will continue to be violent every time they feed until they learn the health benefits of going vegan.
“Ending sexual violence” is a phrase used by feminists to raise money and drum up support.
I’m going to go off on a limb, but I’m willing to be the sacrificial lamb. What about stopping the cycle of abuse in families? If someone grew up in a dysfunctional family and abuse is all they know, why not give them options to better themselves? I know violence will continue because you can’t legislate people to change their hearts or actions. Right now I know society wants to make lifetime victims and abusers while Turing a blind eye to the causes.
I missed the Dr. Phil’s show. Is there any way you can send me a copy of it? I would appreciate it very much. Thank You.
It airs this coming Monday
There is no such thing as ending sexual offenses or any other crime. Why? Because the heart is desperately wicked above all things upon the earth. Every person would have to die. People is got to want to do right.
So how about discussing the issue of the case in the Tampa Bay Area where the judge said that if the fine wasn’t paid yet, you don’t go on the registry until you “complete your sentence” Would you be barred from arguing the same if you try to get removed now?