Families of SOs Community Group

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christad5 07/24/2011

Let me start by giving a brief history: my husband has had issues with pornography for over 20 years. Two years ago he was arrested for downloading and sharing child porn. It took several months for me to sit down and talk with him about this because I could not understand. After speaking with him he explained to me how it happened. He was on limewire just downloading porn, with the legal porn came about 10 videos of what was consider child porn (after the investigation, only 1 of the 10 were actually child porn), he also explain he never intending on sharing the porn, but when the limewire program was set up by my nephew 10 years ago apparently he clicked a button that said share. As a result of all of this our life has been changed forever. My husband lost his job as an operation manager in a large corporation and for the first time in our life we were heading down the public assistance road. Since we did not have a vast knowledge of how the legal system works we listened to what our attorney said to us thinking he had our best interest at heart. We now know that was not the case and more times than not it felt like he was working for the DA, not for us. I just don’t understand how a 1 min and 42 second video that he did not mean to down loaded can change your life, but worse than that how it is that he has to register as a sex offender we he never meant to do this or actually touched a child. I want to work on having these laws changed and I do not have the slightest idea how to do this.So many people’s lives are being devastated because of this and I feel the punishment out ways the crimes. Someone can harm a child and end up with less time then what has happened to my husband. Any adivce anyone can give me I would be greatful. Thank you!

christad5 07/27/2011

This whole situation for all of us is crazy, I am working on getting involved. People do not want to talk about this, it is embarrassing, and humiliating and feel it is best to keep the doors closed and hope it will go away, but it never will until we get involved and it is a daunting task but if enough people start stiring things up things can change, and I will continue to fight for the change. I understand you situation and it is a nightmare, but at least we have somewhere to go and post our concerns and angers and get some support. Good luck with eveything!

FaithFlower 07/28/2011

Thanks all for sharing these websites. My son at 21 was arrested for c p. He had used a file sharing program too. He got nine years and never touched anyone and would not ever do that. The laws totally need changed.

I so agree that there needs to be public awareness. Most are not aware of what can happen to them.

I read this last night (can't remember if it was on here or somewhere else). A recent FBI report stated child pornography prosecutions are up 2500% and that is now the Justice Departments new "cash cow". I believe this and I think the government DOES NOT shut down these sites as that is where they trap people. They arrest a cp person and then get them to give up their username in exchange for a better deal down the road and pretend to be that person so they can continue to arrest others. And this goes on and on. This in itself seems just so wrong.

Laurie727 07/28/2011

I am glad there is a project/movement to address the sentencing issues of possession of CP. My son (a former police officer) was sentenced to 20 years!!! I noticed you referenced the issue of the ages in the images. My son was approached online and sent an unsolicited link by a stranger UC and went to it and entered into a shareware program (which he deleted but had already downloaded) which meant he was charged with ALL the images (even though only two had been opened). Because of some of the content as well as some of the ages...his sentence was outragious. That is the very reason my son lost most of his entire life. Our family has suffered immensely. IF, when these groups are fighting these laws, they only fight to help those with images over a certain age, then so many (like my son) will be lost in the shuffle and left behind to rot in prison (so to speak). I hope and pray that is not the case. How do we sign up to be a part of this fight? I would like to volunteer to do anything to help and to ensure that cases like my son's and so many others are represented?
Thanks, Laurie

deleted_user 07/28/2011

Oh no, no, no - I agree with you Laurie727 - I also do not think it should be divided into categories of ages of victims, nor do I believe this arbitrary number of images really tells us anything about the crime - and I believe both of these things because of exactly what you said - so much extra stuff can be loaded onto the hard drive without your knowledge. My husband had 2 short videos he didn't even know he possessed and never looked at. Didn't matter. You said you want to volunteer. In a couple days here I am going to post a new discussion topic where I will put a list of articles to read with their internet addresses and some websites, like FAMM and CautionClick who regularly ask for volunteers. I know that Ohio RSOL put out a call for volunteers to research financial costs of the registry: "Ohio Registry Cost Research Project....Needed: 4-5 volunteers from this email list willing to devote 1 hr per week requesting information on the cost of the registry." Here is their email address to get more information: ohiorsol@yahoo.com

Laurie727 07/28/2011

Claire53,
You are a Godsend. Thank you. We (ME) need direction on just WHAT we can do to make a difference. I am anxiously awaiting you discussion topic and am absolutly onboard!
ThankYOU!
Laurie

christad5 07/28/2011

The more I read the stories of everyone the more upset I am. Why can not people understand, our husbands, sons, friends, ect did not TOUCH a child!!!!! I took my first step and email the RSOL for the state of PA, and he said he will contact me and let me know what I can do. It is the first step to work toward change. Please understand I am not staying some punishment should not have been done, but most of these people have lost there jobs, there familys, and there life. Just the humilation of it being broadcasted everywhere is enough. And house affest is not free!! We had to pay $80 a week for 5 months for him to be on house arrest and since he was not working that was quite a bit. They said if he can't pay he goes to jail, and we just had a guy almost beat to death in jail in PA, because of this so there was no way I was not going to come up with the cost. Claire thank you so much for your direction on how to move forward I will continue to do so!!!.

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