Sex Offenders

Daughter called me after lunch today. She was crying because of conversations that had taken place during lunch. It seems that one of her friends (a former boyfriend, though not one I've talked about on the blog) is in trouble with the law. He was sexting-- to a very young teen. Her friends were talking about how he would be going to jail. When I hear these stories, I'm very grateful that I blocked all messages on Daughter's cell phone. I had them blocked after she began subscribing to premium texting services.

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I'm sad for the young man involved. He is in supported living, and doesn't have a relationship with either of his parents. He had surgery over a year ago and neither one of them visited him. We need to do a better job of providing guidance and supervision for these young men-- they have all the hormones and urges, but not the understanding or maturity to rein it in.

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I'm concerned for the young girl who has been exposed to things she should never have seen. I hope she is being properly cared for and supported.

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I find myself pondering the fact that the majority of the men Daughter has dated are now (or will be) registered sex offenders. She went to proms with two different boys. They are both on the registry now. A guy she saw for a while several summers ago is on the registry. Now, it sound like this young man may end up on the registry.

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In two cases I blame the system-- these were young men who were developmentally handicapped. At age 18, they were considered adults and thrown out into the world to make it on their own. Neither one was equipped for this, and it was inevitable that they would end up in trouble.

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I also find myself pondering the fact that Daughter, who was a victim, is now attracted to offenders. I keep telling myself that part of the issue is the fact that she has so few options. Part of the issue is that we live in a county with a very high rate of sexual abuse. However, there is no denying that part of the issue is that she is drawn to what she knows. For now, I work very hard at keeping her safe. The day will come, though, when she will be living away from me. I find myself wondering who will keep her safe then....