Sex-abuser branding praised

By ANDREW YOUNG

New Zealand is one of a handful of countries publicly branding dangerous sex offenders in a controversial move to protect communities.

An American abuse worker, Dr Lucy Berliner, says Governments had an obligation to protect innocent lives by exposing repeat offenders through flyers, community meetings and the media.

She told the International Congress of Child Abuse and Neglect in Auckland that sex offenders would always be part of society. Officials were justified in identifying them so people knew to be vigilant.

Original concerns that the laws would raise irrational community fears, vigilantism and reoffending by abusers were unfounded, she said.

New Zealand has embraced the right to expose sex abusers, often shining the spotlight on those considered a danger to our neighbourhoods.

Groups around the country have unrepentantly raised the alarm on convicted paedophiles in their patches.

Last month the Taupo police warned local schools but also told other regions that a convicted abuser might be headed their way when the man moved on.

Also last month, a former Hamilton sex-abuse squad detective, Peter Haynes, launched a graphic book on child abuse. He hoped it would stir as much controversy as Deborah Coddington's paedophile index.

Dr Berliner said the American state of Washington was the world leader in setting up notification laws, which had been adopted in New Zealand, Britain and Australia.

A Washington study had shown that community notification had not led to a drop in reoffending, but the abusers seemed to be caught earlier.

Dr Berliner, who works for a Seattle sexual assault and trauma centre, said it was important to expose only serious offenders, such as those with two or more convictions.

In Washington, 11 per cent of all sex offenders were deemed dangerous enough to warrant notification. Less than 4 per cent of that group had been harassed, although most of it was minor.

Many communities held public meetings to discuss dangerous offenders, as well as using flyers and the media.

Dr Berliner said it was important that only selected information was released about offenders, including their name and where they lived.

In one American case, the police had revealed an offender's sex abuse fantasies, leading to his house being burned down.

If repeat offenders felt harassed, they were less likely to redeem themselves, she warned. The goal was to be cautious of them but allow them to prove that they could fall in line.

"These laws are a real opportunity for child protection workers. Sex offenders live among us, always have and always will, but knowledge is power."


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