Tim
Posted by invisiblepeople | Filed under face and voice of homelessness, road trip
Last winter shelter season my eyes and heart opened up to the horrible plight of sex offenders living on the streets. Our street outreach team was called to find shelter for a man. He was a registered sex offender, so he wasn’t allowed to stay at the winter shelter. He had done everything right, reported to the police and the shelter workers. But there was no shelter that would allow him to stay.
No matter what you think of the crimes this man committed, he had served his debt to society and was adhering to the terms of his punishment. Still, finding housing – even emergency shelter – proved nearly impossible.
Up until that time, I had rather a hard stance on this subject. I thought sex offenders were dangerous, a threat to society. Who cares if they have to continue paying for their crime once their jail time is up? But one look into this man’s eyes gave me different point of view; he was so filled with hopelessness, so beaten down from trying to survive. It’s a difficult memory.
I met Tim in Cleveland, Ohio. He’s trying to make something of his life. But as a sex offender, it’s nearly impossible for him to find the help he needs.
I don’t know what Tim did to become a registered sex offender. But I believe an equally heinous crime might be our own society allowing people like him to suffer on the streets, sex offender or not.
November 18th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
Join us as we fight against these expanded and unconstitutional sex offender laws (Adam Walsh Act, SORNA). These draconian laws are having a devastating affect on over 600,000 Americans and their families.
http://www.constitutionalfights.org
November 19th, 2009 at 5:55 am
Thanks for sheading light on this person and his struggle. I never looked at it from that pespective.
December 1st, 2009 at 9:02 am
Im torn on this subject, I believe that this person has paid their debt to society but has he paid his debt to the child he violated who's life is forever altered? So, he offends again then what?
December 1st, 2009 at 2:27 pm
it depends what he did. If he offended a child, I have no mercy. Sorry.
December 1st, 2009 at 2:27 pm
It depends what he did. If he offended a child I have no mercy.
December 1st, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Did he ever think about the fact that he has permenantly scarred someone's life? Why should he be free to go and live his life while someone has to deal with the results of his actions for the rest of their life?
December 1st, 2009 at 9:49 pm
Wish one of his wishes was he could take back what he did….
December 3rd, 2009 at 10:40 am
If you do the crime, you have to do the time. Sexual abuse stays with the victim for their entire life, and I see no reason it shouldn't stay with the offender for his/her entire life, too.
No sympathy here. If you don't want to be shunned from society, don't commit sexual crimes.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:14 pm
I was just about to say the same…
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:40 pm
If you do the crime, you have to do the time. Sexual abuse stays with the victim for their entire life, and I see no reason it shouldn't stay with the offender for his/her entire life, too.
No sympathy here. If you don't want to be shunned from society, don't commit sexual crimes.
December 3rd, 2009 at 9:14 pm
I was just about to say the same…