Do They Deserve A 2nd Chance?

Along with my full time job I also work a part-time job as a child/family advocate. So I often see children who have been sexually abused. One of my classmates made a comment that molesters are “scum bags” and my teacher responding by asking if I thought the same thing since I worked within that population. She also asked if I thought they could be rehabilitated. Honestly I work with the victims, not the molesters so my opinion is probably going to lean more towards the welfare of the child.

I don’t think all molesters are scum bags. In fact, there are several perps who are children themselves and I think there is definitely a chance for rehabilitation with them. They are just children even though they are hurting children. But I also struggle with what age should they be considered an adult? For instance, if a 15 yr old rapes an 11 yr old time and time again over a 4 year period.. should they suffer the consequences an adult would? There are many questions that arise when dealing with child sexual, emotional, and physical abuse. Most of the time they are hard to prosecute so clouser or “justice” is harder to get in turn making it harder on the victim. Also in my state the victim has to testify in court. We can no longer use transcripts or videos.

The adult offenders… my opinion… scum bags. I am not talking about the 18 yr old that had sex with a 15 yr old and is now a registered offender. The person made a stupid choice and now must live with it. I am talking about a man or woman who knowingly molests a child. A man who rapes an 18 month old and then kills him, a father who attempts to sodomize his 4 yr old son, an uncle who feels up on his niece, a grandfather who rapes his granddaughter… these people are scum. They should not get the chance for rehabilitation. I do not think they deserve it. I think they deserve to be locked away and endure the pain they caused their victims. But I am not the judge… They will have to face the judge of all one day and face the real consequences.