Home
About MAKO
Services
Contact
Prevention
MAKO/Files
Community Notification
Report
Referral
Profile's
Facts/ Stats
Online Dangers
Child Safety
MAKO Petitions
Research/ Resources
Books
DNA Info
Safety For Women
News/ Articles
Your Comments
Australian Politicians/ Contacts
Join
Sponsors
Donations
Links
|
AN organisation which pushes for zero tolerance of pedophiles and sex offenders is working to Increase its profile in Tasmania. The Movement Against Kindred Offenders (MAKO), which started in Victoria in 1998 and is now South Australian-based, has recently appointed a Tasmanian woman to promote the group in Tasmania. Janine Buckley of Hobart, is keen to increase the numbers of members in the group. The group was started jointly by Kylie Newman, a victim of sexual abuse as a child, and Peter Morell who continue to drive the organisation. MAKO says it aims to raise public and political awareness for a zero tolerance policy for child sex offenders and sex offenders in Australia to prevent further victims and deter further offenders. It maintains a free online list of convicted Australian pedophiles and sex offenders, and provides referral to victims and those close to victims to help people locate a service which can help them. As well, MAKO members have notified more than 60 Australian communities of convicted pedophiles-sex offenders living secretly among them. This has not yet happened in Tasmania but could in the future, according to Ms Newman. The online list of almost 1000 people convicted of pedophilia-sex offences, which MAKO admits is not complete details the existing ages of offenders and the state or territory of the offender at the time of the offences. MAKO also aims to lobby governments for mandatory lengthy jail sentences, to establish a national publicly accessible register of convicted pedophiles-sex offenders, and community notification when a convicted sex offender moves into a neighbourhood. Mrs Buckley said she was prompted to become an active member of MAKO from disgust at the meagre sentences pedophiles in particular received. She said: "Usually the penalties are disgustingly low. It makes me sick - I thought I could make a difference with sentencing and make it a safer place for kids." Mrs Buckley rejected the claim that MAKO activities persecuted pedophiles and other sex offenders. "The public has a right to know to better protect themselves and their children," she said. "A lot of pedophiles move next door to pre-scnools and primary schools and other areas where children go, like playgrounds, and people aren't aware. "As well the offenders, who come from all walks of life and ages, may get involved with children through sports, scout, or church groups. The re-offending rate of pedophiles and sex offenders is very high, with more than 80 per cent re-offending." Mrs Buckley said residents, schools and kindergartens should be notified when a convicted sex offender moved into a community. "We feel the community's rights to protect ourselves and our children outweigh the pedophile's rights to privacy," she said. She said for victims of child sex abuse the impact was worse than for almost any other crime. Two thirds of sex crimes in Australia were against children. "It stay's with you for a long, long time and when they become adults the victims can have problems with relationships." She said the statistics on pedophilia were far too high with one in four girls, and one in seven boys, suffering some form of sexual abuse. On average one offender would abuse between 45 and 135 children. "There was one man who kept records on 2500 children he had abused," she said. "Prevention has to be the priority." The MAKO online listing of convicted offenders is mainly without pictures except for about 60 people. However, Ms Newman said the list was still very effective, and people were welcome to contact MAKO if they had further inquiries. She said MAKO's prevention-awareness campaigns led to the public reporting information which was passed on to police. Ms Newman said child sexual abuse inflicted a life sentence on the victim and is a factor in the rise of youth suicide. For further information go to www.mako.org.au. The Mercury (6-6-2004) Charles Waterhouse |
MAKO media
Mark Freinick notification
2005. All Rights Reserved.
Legal/Disclaimer/
Privacy/
Terms Of Use.