Salon | Letters to the editor

_______________MOLESTED BY ANONYMOUS (02/28/97)

I just would like to say to that mother: Life slowly will get better; it might not be the same, but it will get better. I'm 19 years old, and I have had my troubles in the past, as your older son did -- maybe not to the same extent but similar.
My parents went through the same hell as you speak of, and I know what both your younger and older son have gone through. I don't know why I'm writing this, don't even know if this will get to you, but I just want to give you and all the other parents a little hope. No matter if you're the parent of the victim or the offender, there is hope.
I was 13 when I started offending; at 16 years old, I spent a year in prison. That literally changed me for life. Not all victims/offenders are as fortunate. I'm now going to college and working part time. Even though I had a hard, hellish past, I found a road ahead of me to travel. For some it will be a much harder road, dealing with laws of filing as a sex offender with the local sheriff and so forth. But that is the system today, which is good. I'm not knocking the notification of dangerous individuals. But like in the situation in your article "Molested," it could have been dealt with in a much better manner.
I wish the best for you and your family. I care, because I feel that pain every day of my life. What you describe in those groups was exactly what I and many others had to go through, and I don't feel it's right. We need to find a better way of dealing with these situations so it doesn't affect the young minds in the long run; including the parents.
Well I don't want to go on and on about nothing. I share with you a little hope from the standpoint of the victim and the molester, because I was both. I'm 19, just starting my life. I've got a partner and I'm making my way through school and part-time work. I'm OK now. Parents, stand behind your children, no matter what!!!
-- Anonymous
SALON | Nov. 11, 1997

R E C E N T L Y+| GANDHI WAS NO PITCHMAN BY BILL McKIBBEN

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_______________MOLESTED BY ANONYMOUS (02/28/97)
	I just would like to say to that mother: Life slowly will get better; it might not be the same, but it will get better. I'm 19 years old, and I have had my troubles in the past, as your older son did -- maybe not to the same extent but similar. My parents went through the same hell as you speak of, and I know what both your younger and older son have gone through. I don't know why I'm writing this, don't even know if this will get to you, but I just want to give you and all the other parents a little hope. No matter if you're the parent of the victim or the offender, there is hope. I was 13 when I started offending; at 16 years old, I spent a year in prison. That literally changed me for life. Not all victims/offenders are as fortunate. I'm now going to college and working part time. Even though I had a hard, hellish past, I found a road ahead of me to travel. For some it will be a much harder road, dealing with laws of filing as a sex offender with the local sheriff and so forth. But that is the system today, which is good. I'm not knocking the notification of dangerous individuals. But like in the situation in your article "Molested," it could have been dealt with in a much better manner. I wish the best for you and your family. I care, because I feel that pain every day of my life. What you describe in those groups was exactly what I and many others had to go through, and I don't feel it's right. We need to find a better way of dealing with these situations so it doesn't affect the young minds in the long run; including the parents. Well I don't want to go on and on about nothing. I share with you a little hope from the standpoint of the victim and the molester, because I was both. I'm 19, just starting my life. I've got a partner and I'm making my way through school and part-time work. I'm OK now. Parents, stand behind your children, no matter what!!! -- Anonymous SALON \| Nov. 11, 1997