Comments for JSASSN International http://jsassn.wordpress.com Jane's Sexual Assault Survivor Support Network Fri, 18 Jul 2008 22:24:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU Comment on Praying for Rapists by jsassn http://jsassn.wordpress.com/2008/02/08/praying-for-rapists/#comment-15 jsassn Sun, 04 May 2008 13:13:15 +0000 http://jsassn.wordpress.com/?p=27#comment-15 Hi, Joan ~ Thanks for taking the time to read my post and respond to it. I hear in your words justifiable anger at Ross Scanio for the evil and criminal acts of sexual assault he has committed against his own family. I agree that it is wise to avoid such a person. I checked with the Wheaton Police Department (PD) and learned that you are correct: Ross Scanio was convicted of aggravated sexual abuse of a family member very recently - on 8 January 2008. The mailing the neighborhood received about this sex offender contained information from the Wheaton PD’s website, but it was mailed by a “watchdog” organization, not the PD. I have not been able to verify how long Ross Scanio has lived here, but I believe you when you say he has lived here awhile. Despite this, I don’t believe we should live in fear because a registered sex offender lives near us. There are sex offenders all around us, and most of them haven’t been caught. If caught, they haven’t been convicted; if convicted, they haven’t been registered; if registered, they haven’t had their records made public. At least Ross Scanio has been caught, convicted, and registered. We should be aware of this and cautious about it, but not fearful. On a related note … At JSASSN International, we believe that sex offenders should be held accountable for their actions and kept separate from victims and potential victims. We are appalled by the injustice of our American legal system and its failure to stand up for the rights of the innocent and the injured. At the same time, we believe that sex offenders are still human beings made in the image of God, no matter what they have done. We believe they can repent and be forgiven. We believe they need intensive psychotherapy—healing of their minds and souls—which would ideally develop their conscience, train their will, and foster victim empathy. Unfortunately, neither the state nor the church nor the community has invested in reaching sex offenders this way. Most people believe that sex offenders are hopeless cases that cannot be rehabilitated, so such investment would be a waste. But clearly if sex offenders made the choice to get help and stop offending, there would be fewer victims in the world. The legal system is not changing sex offenders’ patterns of thinking or behavior by putting them in jail and then releasing them back into the community without treatment. That’s something to think about. Postscript: to download a pdf file with a list of registered sex offenders in Wheaton, see the Wheaton Police Department website link below: http://www.wheaton.il.us/departments/police/detail.aspx?id=1566 Hi, Joan ~

Thanks for taking the time to read my post and respond to it. I hear in your words justifiable anger at Ross Scanio for the evil and criminal acts of sexual assault he has committed against his own family. I agree that it is wise to avoid such a person.

I checked with the Wheaton Police Department (PD) and learned that you are correct: Ross Scanio was convicted of aggravated sexual abuse of a family member very recently - on 8 January 2008. The mailing the neighborhood received about this sex offender contained information from the Wheaton PD’s website, but it was mailed by a “watchdog” organization, not the PD. I have not been able to verify how long Ross Scanio has lived here, but I believe you when you say he has lived here awhile.

Despite this, I don’t believe we should live in fear because a registered sex offender lives near us. There are sex offenders all around us, and most of them haven’t been caught. If caught, they haven’t been convicted; if convicted, they haven’t been registered; if registered, they haven’t had their records made public. At least Ross Scanio has been caught, convicted, and registered. We should be aware of this and cautious about it, but not fearful.

On a related note … At JSASSN International, we believe that sex offenders should be held accountable for their actions and kept separate from victims and potential victims. We are appalled by the injustice of our American legal system and its failure to stand up for the rights of the innocent and the injured.

At the same time, we believe that sex offenders are still human beings made in the image of God, no matter what they have done. We believe they can repent and be forgiven. We believe they need intensive psychotherapy—healing of their minds and souls—which would ideally develop their conscience, train their will, and foster victim empathy. Unfortunately, neither the state nor the church nor the community has invested in reaching sex offenders this way. Most people believe that sex offenders are hopeless cases that cannot be rehabilitated, so such investment would be a waste.

But clearly if sex offenders made the choice to get help and stop offending, there would be fewer victims in the world. The legal system is not changing sex offenders’ patterns of thinking or behavior by putting them in jail and then releasing them back into the community without treatment.

That’s something to think about.

Postscript: to download a pdf file with a list of registered sex offenders in Wheaton, see the Wheaton Police Department website link below:

http://www.wheaton.il.us/departments/police/detail.aspx?id=1566

]]> Comment on Praying for Rapists by joan crawford http://jsassn.wordpress.com/2008/02/08/praying-for-rapists/#comment-14 joan crawford Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:03:23 +0000 http://jsassn.wordpress.com/?p=27#comment-14 This man does not deserve your bundt cake or coffee. He is a disgusting pig and should be in jail right now. The fact that he isn't should be scaring the pants off you. Just as an FYI, he is not new to the neighborhood, he's been there for many many years. Only recently has his status changed to child molester. This man does not deserve your bundt cake or coffee. He is a disgusting pig and should be in jail right now. The fact that he isn’t should be scaring the pants off you. Just as an FYI, he is not new to the neighborhood, he’s been there for many many years. Only recently has his status changed to child molester.

]]> Comment on Jane’s Story by claudiaroot http://jsassn.wordpress.com/janes-story/#comment-12 claudiaroot Sun, 10 Feb 2008 21:46:32 +0000 http://jsassn.wordpress.com/janes-story/#comment-12 Jane, as I read your story my whole body ached for you and my eyes filled with tears. No one should ever have to have anything like this happen to them! I am so sorry for you and for all the innocent children and women this has happened to. I feel powerless and angry reading it and I can't imagine how powerless it must feel to be the victim. I am so glad to hear you are slowly healing and now are becoming empowered to move on and help others. I believe after hearing yours and others stories that it is only through Jesus this can happen. You are an inspiration to others by encouraging them to pray, become activists and pursue healing. I will pray for you! I love you friend. Jane, as I read your story my whole body ached for you and my eyes filled with tears. No one should ever have to have anything like this happen to them! I am so sorry for you and for all the innocent children and women this has happened to. I feel powerless and angry reading it and I can’t imagine how powerless it must feel to be the victim. I am so glad to hear you are slowly healing and now are becoming empowered to move on and help others. I believe after hearing yours and others stories that it is only through Jesus this can happen. You are an inspiration to others by encouraging them to pray, become activists and pursue healing. I will pray for you! I love you friend.

]]> Comment on Praying for Rapists by jsassn http://jsassn.wordpress.com/2008/02/08/praying-for-rapists/#comment-11 jsassn Sun, 10 Feb 2008 21:33:59 +0000 http://jsassn.wordpress.com/?p=27#comment-11 Good question, Deb! I should have included that information in my post. Beverly Donofrio's article is called "The Rapist in my Bedroom" and appeared in the April 2007 issue of "O." Good question, Deb! I should have included that information in my post. Beverly Donofrio’s article is called “The Rapist in my Bedroom” and appeared in the April 2007 issue of “O.”

]]> Comment on Praying for Rapists by Deb Hall http://jsassn.wordpress.com/2008/02/08/praying-for-rapists/#comment-6 Deb Hall Fri, 08 Feb 2008 22:34:28 +0000 http://jsassn.wordpress.com/?p=27#comment-6 I found your entry about Beverly Donfrio's s rape and response to the attack (while the attack was actually occuring) so inspiring. I want to know more. I Googled O Magazine, but could not locate the article to which you referred. Could you give me some more information, such as the month in which the article appeared, or the name of the article? Thanks so much! I found your entry about Beverly Donfrio’s s rape and response to the attack (while the attack was actually occuring) so inspiring. I want to know more. I Googled O Magazine, but could not locate the article to which you referred. Could you give me some more information, such as the month in which the article appeared, or the name of the article? Thanks so much!

]]> Comment on Jane’s Story by Brenda Bearse http://jsassn.wordpress.com/janes-story/#comment-4 Brenda Bearse Wed, 16 Jan 2008 20:57:07 +0000 http://jsassn.wordpress.com/janes-story/#comment-4 Jane, I am so sorry that you had to go thru these experiences but so very glad that you came thru them, with the help of the Father, a stronger person who is now committed to helping others who have had to endure such experiences. Thank you for your courage in telling your story in the hope that you can help ease someone else's pain. You are in my heart & my prayers, always. Jane, I am so sorry that you had to go thru these experiences but so very glad that you came thru them, with the help of the Father, a stronger person who is now committed to helping others who have had to endure such experiences. Thank you for your courage in telling your story in the hope that you can help ease someone else’s pain. You are in my heart & my prayers, always.

]]> Comment on About JSASSN by barbholthuis http://jsassn.wordpress.com/about/#comment-2 barbholthuis Wed, 09 Jan 2008 16:45:23 +0000 #comment-2 Dear Jane -- This is God's will for you. Thank God for His calling, direction, provision and protection! You are fully and adequately prepared to do this ministry, and I am your partner in prayer for the effectiveness of it. Thank you for including me. I will be praying for the Holy Spirit's guidance to you today as you write your testimony. It's all about Him! Love you, Mom Dear Jane –
This is God’s will for you. Thank God for His calling, direction, provision and protection! You are fully and adequately prepared to do this ministry, and I am your partner in prayer for the effectiveness of it. Thank you for including me.
I will be praying for the Holy Spirit’s guidance to you today as you write your testimony.
It’s all about Him!
Love you,
Mom

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