Activist to name paedophiles
(CNS): Owing to what she sees as a failure by legislators to act, former talk show host and local activist Sandra Catron (left) says she intends to create a private sex offenders’ register on a website that will be open to all, and if necessary she will host and upload it in the United States to avoid running foul of the local Information Communication and Technology Authority (ICTA) or privacy laws.
Following the public outcry over the recent conviction of a child sex offender and what has been perceived as a lenient sentence, Catron said it was time for the community to do something.
An unnamed man in his 20s was sentenced last week to two years imprisonment after pleading guilty to a single act of indecent assault on a boy age five, and as a result there was a groundswell of response from the community. In letters to the media and calls to radio talk shows, the public at large have made it clear that they want more done to address the child predators in our community and Catron says she is willing to do it.
“We have all talked about this subject for so many years but nothing has ever been done. If there isn’t the political will out there then there is nothing to say we can’t get off our butts and do something ourselves. We need a sex offenders register so lets do it. I asked myself last week after news of this conviction, why am I waiting on politicians when I can do things myself,” said Catron.
Reaching out for volunteers and supporters she says that within the week she hopes to have a domain name and begin uploading the names of convicted offenders over 18 currently resident in Cayman. With no resources but plenty of commitment Catron says that the fundraising can come later. In the first instance it’s just a matter of giving up her time, and given the failure of government to act she sees the website as the only way to protect the community from sex offenders and a way of knowing where they are in our community.
“In the United States and across Europe paedophiles and sex offenders are usually registered so that communities can be on guard and protect their children,” Catron added. She said the idea of not even naming the perpetrators after conviction in a court of law in order to protect the victims is a misnomer and she said it merely protects the predator, which was made worse by the fact that these types of offenders were highly likely to commit the crime again, so not knowing who they were was far worse then in the case of other criminals.
“Sex offenders have exceptionally high rates of recidivism. In fact 90 percent of convicted sex offenders in the United States go on to re-offend,” Catron said
Describing her concept for the website, she said aside from listing the full details of convicted offenders and their photographs, Catron said it would include educational material, links to related websites and information to help victims and their families. She said the community needed to be more open about dealing with this issue head on and for the law to stop protecting child sex offenders and start protecting children. Catron said she was hoping to meet with the police to discuss her register but she said she was determined to go ahead and since making her decisions public only last Friday she said she received overwhelming support.
Category: Local News
Thank you Sandra.
Please do this to educate the general public who the sex offenders are. The Law is apparently protecting the pertetrators instead of the innocent children who needs the protection.
For too long these issues are only a slap on the hand. Again another 5 year old child has been raped, by exposing their names and faces the public will know who they are when they move into their neighbourhood after their vacation at "The Retreat" (Northward Prison).
Let’s protect our harmless children.
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20081013/lead/lead1.html
As a resident of the USA and knowing first- hand what it’s like to think "outside the box" let me just say first and foremost this should be a "no brainer"! The fact someone wants to implement a system geared towards the protection of innocent children is worthy of reward NOT SCRUTINY!
Having a sex offender register publically is not just a luxury in the USA it’s the LAW (and for good reason!). Convicted sex offenders are less likely to strike again knowing they are basically under a public microscope. Further to that; a registry is also a tool which assists law enforcement to narrow down suspects and ultimately make a capture.
For me personally a public registry system works since I am unable to keep my eyes on my children 24/7 as they do attend school. Knowing your surroundings is the first step to having peace of mind when your child walks out the door they will be safe!
In general we have to also bear in mind that there are times when sex offenders don’t just target children! I hope the Cayman public opens up to Ms. Catron’s proposal and realize it’s in the best interest of public safety!
Dear Ms. Catron,
Thank you and I completely agree with you. I will be the first to state my name. I am not affraid of standing up for what I believe. When I first read the article, I was angry and in shock. I hope law makers will review this punishment and impose harsher punishments for these paedophiles. If we cannot depend on the law to protect our kids then we must do what ever we can to protect them. Law makers are not protecting the innocent they are protect the convicted and this is a shame. The judge that sentenced this paedophile allong with law makers boldly stated to the whole community that if we confess for sexually abusing or raping a child we will get a slap on the wrist. This is RIDICULOUS. Sandra I commend and support you for taking a stand for what is right.
Sharmaine Anderson
We’re all anonymous on here? Ms. Sandra i know you notice that without the shadow of a doubt, that you put your neck on the chopping block so to speak but yet all of us on here are hiding behind the name anonymous for fear of backlash and persecution in this communistic country that we live in called the Cayman Islands.
Jesus has no anger against sinners, he just feels sorry for them and wishes they could all see the Light and the Hope and repent of their evil ways and turn to Him for salvation. But against the hypocrites, his face burns red with anger in Mathew 23 as he lashes out unto the snakes, the brood of vipers as he refers that to the hypocrites! Those who have a self-righteous spirit are the Hypocrites! Like the some of the Powers that Be in this communistic island that we live in.
If we were to look carefully at statistics, which we should probably take time to look that up and post it, or just get if from the Counselling Center or Women’s Resource center, and i think we’ll see something like 1 out of every 3 girls are molested in childhood, (not sure the statistics on the boys?. Alot of times it causes children to grow up and give alot of trouble to society just because they were abused in childhood. i think they say that most prostitutes are all victims of childhood sexual molestation. Alot of criminals and murderers and abusers and molesters started out as abused children. We better believe the impact and outcome of being abused as a child creates horrible self destruction and destroying others.
A professional counsellor would be able to break that down in a much more proper thorough way. i would love for a professional counsellor to jump on board right now and make a comment on this whole issue.
For us to back Ms. Sandra, we will have to give out our names one way or the other. We can’t expect her to be the only transparent one, especially when we are opposing the issue of hiding the names of pediophiles.
Ms. Sandra, if need be, i will give out my name at some point, you can rest assured of that. It takes Martyrs to make progressive changes in this world. Without Martyrs there can be no change.
Just make sure that every step you take you consult the Law, so that you don’t break it. But if it means breaking it to help so many who have been or will be molested as a child, then it’s worth being a Martyr for!
Jesus was the Greatest Martyr of all.
Jesus says, no greater love than one lay down their life for their friend or brother.
God Bless and Protect You, in Jesus Name
I will refer to myself as River for now. You can address me as River. Til such time need be i will put my name out there.
River
I agree that we should now move ourselves to the forefront with these types of crimes and yes a database that can be accessed publicly to confirm the identities of persons should be established in this country. I don’t have children of my own but I am probably more passionate about this for the families who do have children and who has been subjected to this than most.
When i was younger I was molested by a member of my Church. Knowing what I know today about this type of personality I would have exposed them, but I would have probably been society’s reject from back then because I would have infringed on the ‘good character’ of a member of the Churches elite personnel whose reputation back then was considered by the community as spotless. Well, be fooled and I can assure you this person is still fooling the members of his Church. Yes, this man is a Pastor now.
Anyway, I have grown up and I have been blessed to have been healed from this bad experience as a child. To those in the Judiciary who feel that they MUST continue to give these predators a break, well, just for minute think about how many of us out here in our society today that have been victims of this type of assault? How many more must suffer because you as a Judge are just too afraid to make the law work? How coward a Judge are you that you would come into my country and make such a ruling when the law gives you more leverage with the term of the sentence.
I say to the Judiciary of the Cayman Islands, please stop playing the fool with the laws of the land and when it comes to these types of crimes if you set the precedents now that you can do what you want to a child and we will only give you the minimum sentence – then as the Judge handing down the sentence then you are just as guilty of committing the offence as the defendant who actually committed it. Children MUST be protected in our society, if they are not, what’s the point of any of us having them and rearing children in such a ‘lawless society’.
Yes, I am a victim and my comments are strong, but believe me when I say that these people who are predators cannot be cured. The victims will always be victims as we are the ones with the life sentence.
I support this 110%. I have a young daughter myself and if anything like that were to happen to her, I highly doubt the offender would live to go before a judge to receive 2 years imprisonment. Call it what you want, but my child is my life and I promised myself to protect her from any sort of harm as long as I breathe!
All of the murderers, thieves, drug offenders etc. were exposed all over the papers when they were convicted. Why should this maniac have anonymous preference?
Thank you for agreeing with me!
I think this could be a dangerous tool. What if there is a person that everybody is convinced did something wrong but didn’t get convincted in court – would his name go up regardless because the crowd majority felt he was guilty? What if a name goes on this website of somebody who is innocent? That innocent person’s life and that of his family will forever be ruined. There is a reason why it works in the USA and the UK, it’s because it is run by the Government and goes through correct channels. If you try and do this privately, no matter how good the intension is, there will always be a chance that you will ruin an innocent person’s life.
Let the Government do this.
Dear I think this could be dangerous,
Have you not been paying attention? Only people convicted in a court of law will go up on the database!! It’s a start and I say I supoprt it 150%. Do what we must to protect our children!!!
Why a confidential sex offendors register? I don’t understand the purpose behind keeping it confidential. From what I understand the objective of any register to allow the PUBLIC to know who these offenders are so tthey can protect their children from them. It’s not about job hiring and HR departments. It’s about the next 5 year old child in Dog City who needs to be protected.
Sadly, the abusers go after children who are already disadvantaged in life and this is particularly sad. Children who are less like to tell others and they hide the dirt of the offenders. What also sickens me is the fact that people here in Cayman help the sick bastards hide and they are allowed to continue to abuse. Someone here mentioned about the Caribbean mentality. Well, the Cayman mentality dictates that we keep our mouths shuts. I hear victims being able to talk about how they have forgiven the abuser. Not only forgiven them but they want nothing to happen to them. Do victims not realize that they reality has been wharped by their experience? They shame and guilt and everything else that comes with it makes them incapable of being objective towards abusers. I think there’s an actual syndrome out there where if someone kidnaps you and abuses you; you someone get a connection with that person. The mind can be all messed up.
Ms Catron, I think your approach to get on and do things rather than wait for politicians is excellent and I wholeheartedly agree that this is an issue that the community can do something about as it is, after all, a community issue.
I think everything done around this area should have the well-being and protection of our young people, and also consideration of older survivors, as its primary focus, to avoid the routes of revenge and vigilantism. Whynot have a confidential sex offendors register which personnel departments hmust use when employing staff who have access to children as part of their jobs (school staff, HSA staff, pre-school staff, sports coaches etc)?
Considering the prevalence of child abuse in Cayman, there seems to be a lack of support available for survivors. I wonder what proportion of women, in particular, in the Cayman Islands are survivors of abuse? I wonder how many could reach their full potential with some professional counselling and group support? It would be ironic if more energy were invested in identifying perpetrators than supporting survivors.
Either way, as a community, let’s do something – stopping turning a blind eye or putting it down to ‘Caribbean Culture" would be a good start – but we need to ensure that any sex offendors list results in positive outcomes for children who are being/have been abused. Maybe channelling our frustration and anger at the ridiculously short sentences that are given (although at least it got to court at all!) into positive support for survivors of all ages might be more useful long-term?
Lets keep the ball rolling ….
When I first read of the article in the paper, I was floored. Being a victim of molestation myself, I felt the trauma the little boy must have felt that day and will for the rest of his life. It’s a disgrace that he would be sentenced to a mere 2 years… with good behavior he will likely be out in 16-18 months. Yes, we have all heard about the "torture" they get in prison: My response? You signed yourself up for it. You knew the consequences before you committed the act and yet you did it anyway. You should be tortured; You should have to experience what your victim did; You should be stripped of your dignity and feel the shame and sense ofdirtiness that your victim did.
I fully believe that these people have a "sickness" and they cannot help themselves. An urge, a desire. It is the urge and desire that makes it sick! How can you find a 5 year old boy attractive? Because it’s an urge and desire is why we need to know who you are, so we can prevent our children from being around you.
So what if we’re "following" what the US and UK did? Rather, consider the fact that it not only educates the public on who’s doing it but also acts as a tool for victims and their families to recover from the experience.
Molestation and rape are more common within our islands than many think or like to admit – and many times from older family members. It’s here and too many people have had it done to them to just let it continue to go unpunished. Perhaps the website will act as a deterrent to many abusers who do not want to suffer the shame and embarrasment they will no-doubtedly experience. Why shouldn’t we know who they are? We know who all the other criminals are, from those who drive recklessly to murderers to those committing white collar crimes. Being annonymous should not be an option. And for those who can’t quite understand why I’m so passionate about it, you’ve either never been a victim or don’t have children. I have 2 little girls and do everything in my power to avoid it happening to them too.
Thank goodness someone stepped up and recognized the need for public awareness. You are fully supported from this end Sandra.
I’ve followed this story and I still don’t know the name of the man convicted. If that information is not generally released to the public, where will Sandra get her list of names to post on the Internet? If she is not getting this information from official sources, is she making up the names or getting them from the general public (via email or word of mouth, etc)? It seems that a private citizen "taking the law into their own hands" (no matter how well intended) obviously raises the possibility that she will stick somebody’s name up there who is NOT a sex offender. What happens then?
In response to "God do we have to follow the US"
You are deceived my dear. You have been deceived greatly into believing that it is ok to not admit when we do something wrong and to have a reduced sentence of punishment because "we think we are more special than others". Because in fact, NO, we do NOT all know who this man is that raped this 5 year old baby boy? And whatever happens to him in prison, which is probably they will sodomize him in prison (they do that anyhow sometimes of the free will of all involved to live out their sexual urges), then that is a day by day step he will have to take and pray to God to forgive him for what he did and to protect him from harm.
That is a deception to think he should not get an appropriate sentence of about 10 years for committing such a heinous crime on a baby, "because he may get sodomized in prison", "and his name should be kept secret to protect him", that is error to think that way, he is proven guilty of a heinous crime that he committed against a baby. To think just because this is a small place that he should be treated special of committing a heinous crime against a baby is deception.
I am sad for what you went through, but please don’t be deceived that just because you were molested 3 times, that gives the right for a unfair reduced sentence for the Offender. You are greatly decieved. The Bible says to keep the Law of the Land. When we break the Law, and get convicted, (because God knows many never get reported, charged or convicted for their heinous crimes they commit), there is a punishment by Law. In this case, the Law is in grave error, they have given the child Predator a tiny little sentence and allowed him to keep his name secret! That is abominable!!
Are you 100% truly healed in your emotions about being molested3 times? And if you are 100% truly healed in your emotions, how long did it take for you to get to 100% true healing?
I look forward to your reply.
God Bless and Keep You and May You not be Deceived, and May you See the Light!
Sandra, you have a good idea but make sure you follow through the right channels. This government may try to make you alot worse than they do the criminals that they convict just because you go against their thinking.
Cayman is suppose to be a free world, yet so many here feel prisoned. We are more communist than Cuba in many respects.
Child molesters are found everywhere in the world and in other parts they keep these criminals in check by having registries and their notifications when a molester moves into a community. I think Cayman is no different and with the large amount of expats coming to this island with families, it will give them better peace of mind in knowing that they can be safe from predators here with information like this made available. Good Job hun!!!
I support Sandra 100% and I pray to God that she gets this website up and running. Our children need to be protected! I have a young child of my own and if that child ever had to suffer the way I suffered as I was growing up, I have no idea what I would do…but I’m certain I would SNAP!! I’ve lived with this torment all of my lifeand NO! It doesn’t go away! Those memories NEVER go away! And you lose so much throughout the course of your life, when so much is taken from you at such a tender age! My heart goes out to that little boy because I’ve been there and you NEVER really ever recover from that type of trama without alot of care and counselling. So if we can prevent another child from being ruined in this way! LET’S DO IT!!! There is no reason for God’s precious gifts, our children, to be DESTROYED by these INHUMANE creatures that call themselves humans!
Great idea!! Can’t wait to see it get off the ground. Just make sure you dot your I’s and cross your T’s so that you won’t have to worry about those "lawsuits" that could potentially follow. This UGLY, SICK and DISGUSTING situation needs to be dealt with…because too much goes on in these islands and too much is just swept under the rug or covered up!! And our children deserve so much better than this! They deserve to be protected at all costs!! Maybe if something like this is finally put in place around here…some of these SICKOS may actually think before they act!!!!! That is if they have enough common sense and decency about them to think past their LOINS!!!!
God do we have to follow everything that the USA etc do? Cayman is small enough and people know who is doing this stuff and believe me these people are being punished in prison ask any one who has been to prison for these crimes and they will confirm this I have been a victim of this by 3 different people and have have got over it and know a lot of people who have been victims of these crimes.
Iam firm believer that forgiveness is the first step in ones recovery and from your comments it sounds like that is the route you took ;enabling you to move on. Hats off to you for doing so.
But please don’t be fooled to believe that everyone has the strength to do as you did,and for heaven sake don’t be fooled in to believeing that prison is a reformer of sexaul abusers.
Sandra, I am supporting your effort to do this feat. I believe Cayman is at a stage where this has to be dealt with. Aside that it is a small community and everyone knows everyone and every other person are is related, of course there will be outcry against it…until it happens to "your own". But at the end of the day – who’s best interest is at stake here????
Finally someone who is concerned about the well being of Children has taking a stance against these Molesters. I believe that our elected officials need to care more about the safety of Cayman and quit arguing about party politics. Sandra, I think that we need to address social issues and also try to understand more of why these people commit these crimes. I trust that the Chief Justice will act on this and create a new law to protect children. I heard that this person was given 2 years imprisonment due to this being a one time offence. So I guess it’s right to rob a child of it’s innocence and rights.
We have to take a stance and hopefully the Churches will be more involved on speking out about child abuse, sexual abuse and teenage pregnacy.
"Remember we are the change we want to see in this world" Sandra you’re making an effort.
Excellent Idea! And I support you 100%!
I was gut wrenched to see the slap on the wrist that this fellow received from the courts. And all this talk on his behalf about him being mentally unstable is hog wash! We will no longer tolerate such acts, therefore have got to start fighting for what we believe in, this could have been my child, a relative’s child, or the child next door for that matter. Recently I read in the paper where someone just this week was sentenced to 10 years for a drug office…..can you imagine??? Yeah drugs is a bad thing and I’m not saying the crime should go unscathed, but I think 10 years would have been more fitting to the crime of child molestation…..the law has obviously got their math figures wrong when these bills/laws were passed!
I have also heard and been privy to cases where young girls were molestated and the perpetrators got off, for one stupid reason or the other……….these children are no longer the same, I can tell you that much.
LETS FIGHT BACK CAYMAN!
Finally! Thank you Sandra. I do not want somebody like that moving in next to me. Good work and good luck.
Good for you Sandra. I am sure that everyone on the island appreciates you..
THANKS SANDRA. Keep up the good work. I have kids and know that I would like to be kept informed as to what creatures are lurking outside my door, or that I feel safe to send my kids walking to school.
good idea, bad implementation.
I can just imagine the lawsuits that will follow…..
Amen! Hats off to you Ms. Sandra! What is Cayman? A Communist Country? Why is it a problem to have freedom of speech in this country, because that is what it boils down to, a lack of TRUE freedom to speak out and stand up for TRUTH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS! You are setting a precedent and my congratulations to YOU! You are exactly right that by not giving out the predator name does not infact protect the victim, but it puts the victim in more danger to harms way as other predators will feel that the punishment is easy so they can just go about molesting and raping babies and children! It does absolutely PROTECT the Predator as you say by not giving the name!! Let it be KNOWN TO ALL WHO THIS DANGEROUS CRIMINAL IS!!!! This a worse Crime than Bank Robbery or Government Fraud! But of course here in Cayman, it’s treated like a small tiny little slap on the wrist crime that has no need for the PUBLIC to KNOW WHO THIS CRIMINAL IS!!! He should have gotten at least a 10 year sentence, who on earth is the JUDGE that passed the sentencing??? Maybe that Judge needs to be removed for a while until they can get it through their head that this is a worse crime than ROBBING A BANK OR COMMITTING GOVERNMENT FRAUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LORD HELP US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!