Women Against Registry
 Women Against Registry - WAR | |
| Type | Non-profit organization |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Civil rights advocacy, Reforming sexual offense laws |
| Headquarters | Arnold, Missouri |
President | Vicky Henry |
| Website | womenagainstregistry.org |
Women Against Registry (W.A.R) is a national non-profit organization working in the field of reforming sexual offense laws and sex offender registries, based in Arnold, Missouri. Majority of WARs' members are mothers, wives, girlfriends and other family members of persons convicted of a sexual offense.
Purpose
The organization is focused on bringing awareness to the collateral damage suffered by the families of registrants. It asserts that while there is no evidence of public registries being effective in deterring sexual crime rates,[1][2] the registrants, their children, spouses, and other family members of registrants, numbering into the hundreds of thousands, suffer daily harassment, social exclusion, depression, anxiety and even physical attacks, and this contributes to destruction of families.[3][4] WAR opposes current mandatory laws governing sex offender registration and monitoring, which take away judicial discretion of courts as to whether an offender must register. WAR believes that monitoring should happen only when found approriate by a judge as part of the sentencing process.[3]
WAR opposes public disclosure of registrants information, arguing that after the offender has served his sentence and is leading law-abiding life, his information should not be displayed on public websites. It notes that a public registry serves as a "hit-list" for vigilante attacks,[5] and subject the children of even the most petty offenders to serious adverse consequences.[6]
WAR aims to educate lawmakers and society about discrimination that family members of registered offenders face, through press releases [7] and attending the National Conference of State Legislatures.[8][9]
Federal class action law suits
In April 2015 Women Against Registry announced that it has begun gathering information and participants for two class action lawsuits to be filed in United States federal court. One of the law suits is intended to be on behalf of registered sex offenders, and the second on behalf of families of registered sex offenders.[10] According WAR, both suits are anticipated to be filed in early fall of 2015 in the United States 8th District Federal Court.[11]
Support Hotline
Women Against Registry operates a support hotline in collaboration with Reform Sex Offenders Law, Inc and SOSEN to provide hope and support to registrants, their family members, and friends affected by collateral damage of the sex offender registry.[12] It is an all volunteer project staffed by private citizens. The support hotline was originally an initiative of RSOL, but it is currently funded and operated by WAR.
See also
- Reform Sex Offender Laws, Inc.
- Arkansas Time After Time
- Florida Action Committee
- Advocates For Change
- California Reform Sex Offender Laws
- USA FAIR, Inc.
- Illinois Voices for Reform
- Michigan Citizens for Justice
References
- ↑ "The Registration and Community Notification of Adult Sexual Offenders". http://www.atsa.com''. Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers. April 5, 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
- ↑ "Sexual Offender Residence Restrictions". http://www.atsa.com''. Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers. April 5, 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "We Believe". www.womenagainstregistry.org. Women Against Registry. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
- ↑ Ulmer, Nick (21 February 2014). "Taking a Stand: Women Against Registry responds to our 14 News investigation". 14news. NBC. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
- ↑ Levin, Sam (5 September 2013). "Missouri Sex Offenders: "Women Against Registry" Says Labels Unfairly Destroy Lives". Riverfront Times. Riverfront Times, LLC. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
- ↑ "Does the Sex Offender Registry Protect Children? Critics Say 'Think Again'". Fox Baltimore (WBFF). 11 November 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
- ↑ "Voting Issue in Missouri, Another Questionable Approach to Justice". ConnectTriStates. KHQA. 2 October 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
- ↑ "2013 Legislative Summit: Exhibitors Listing". http://www.ncsl.org''. NCSL Legislative Summit. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
- ↑ "Exhibitors". http://www.ncsl.org/''. 10 November 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
- ↑ "Advocates Fight for Sex Offender Rights With Lawsuit". Browaed Palm Beach New Times. 17 April 2015.
- ↑ "Class Action Law Suit on Behalf of Registered Sex Offenders". Women Against Registry. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- ↑ "Contact Us - W.A.R". www.womenagainstregistry.org. Women Against Registry.