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Protecting
minors in public places
By Melissa Martin
“A 14-year-old boy has been identified as the person police believe
sexually assaulted two teen girls inside a Kroger in Portsmouth on
Saturday afternoon,” according to the WSAZ news website concerning the
July 2018 incident. It was alleged the juvenile grabbed clothed female
buttocks; one victim was in the bathroom and the other victim was in
the cosmetics aisle. www.wsaz.com/.
I watched the footage from the store’s security video camera on the TV
news station. The juvenile stood outside the public bathroom.
What is the alleged crime? Ohio Revised Code: 2907.01 to 2907.38, Sex
offenses general definitions; sexual activity, sexual contact, sexual
conduct.
According to updated WSAZ news, “The case is being presented to the
Scioto County Prosecutor's Office and Scioto County Juvenile Court for
charges to be filed.”
If convicted, how and when are minors classified in the Ohio Revised
Code Juvenile Sex Offender Registration and Notification? See Ohio
Revised Code 2152.82. And if so, how does this affect their future?
Further police investigation is usually conducted to examine computers
and cell phones for any child pornography. The family of suspects may
be advised to talk to minor siblings, cousins, and kids in the
neighborhood to identity whether there are more victims. Guardians and
other adults may be advised to chaperone the whereabouts of alleged
sexual offenders during the court process.
Counseling for Sexual Perpetrators
A sex offender risk assessment is conducted to evaluate risk and
appropriateness for therapy. Recommendations will be provided.
According to a 2014 article in Counseling Today, “Working with
individuals with sex offense convictions is a specialized area of
counseling… Research supports the best practice of sex offender therapy
being conducted in groups whenever possible. The peer support, which
includes challenging denial and other thinking errors, is invaluable in
treatment and also lends itself to generally better outcomes. Part of
the reason for this is that so many sex offenses are based in secrecy.
Bringing offenses out into the open is generally conducive to
discussion and to the cognitive elements that are so important to
reducing recidivism.” www.ct.counseling.org/.
In Ohio, juvenile sex offender treatment programs can be located
through the Ohio Department of Youth Services (ODYS). www.dys.ohio.gov/.
The Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice: Prevention,
Rehabilitation, and Community Protection can be viewed at
www.djj.ky.gov/.
Resources
The Center for Sex Offender Management (CSOM) is a national
clearinghouse center that supports state and local jurisdictions in the
effective management of sex offenders. www.csom.org/.
How to Keep Minors Safe in Public Bathrooms
Parents need to go into public bathrooms with children and teens. Or
stand outside the door if it’s a family bathroom (a single-room that
locks and has one toilet and one sink). However inconvenience for
adults, safety is a priority.
What does a mother do when her child is a male? What does a father do
when his child is a female? Be proactive and have a plan. Go before you
leave home.
What can stores do differently? Put up signs that assert minors are not
allowed in bathrooms without a parent or adult. But, who will enforce
this bathroom rule?
Bathrooms are located in the front of the store in some national
chains. Should this be a future trend for public places?
Or should current and future stores be mandated to provide family
bathrooms—no more communal restrooms? Ah, privacy to do your bodily
functions.
While we want children to be safe, we also want to teach independence.
It’s a dilemma, but the bottom line is that adults are responsible for
the safety of minors.
Melissa Martin, PhD, is an author, columnist, educator, and therapist.
She lives in Southern Ohio. www.melissamartinchildrensauthor.com.
Contact her at melissamcolumnist@gmail.com.
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