Women Against Registry

Women Against Registry (W.A.R.) is a U.S. non-profit organization, based in Arnold, Missouri, which works to obtain changes in laws affecting sex offenders. Most W.A.R. members are mothers, wives, girlfriends, and other family members of persons convicted of a sexual offense. W.A.R. advocate's for abolishing sex offender registries altogether, but also wants officials to be more judicious in deciding who poses a risk, instead of the current policies applied to all offenders indiscriminately.[1]

Women Against Registry
TypeNon-profit organization
PurposeCivil rights advocacy, Reforming sexual offense laws
HeadquartersArnold, Missouri
President
Vicky Henry
Websitewomenagainstregistry.org

Purpose
This article is part of a series on the
Sex offender registries in the United States
Legislation
  • Federal
  • International Megan's Law to Prevent Demand for Child Sex Trafficking
  • State
  • Other
Constitutionality

Constitutionality of sex offender registries in the United States

  • Supreme Court decisions
Effectiveness
Social issues
  • Homelessness
  • Controversial designations as offender
Reform activism
Child protesting the strict sex offender policies at Lauren Book's Rally in Tally, at Tallahassee, Florida on April 22, 2015[2]

The organization is focused on fostering awareness of the collateral damage suffered by the families of registrants. It asserts that while there is no evidence to support the effectiveness of public sex offender registries in deterring sexual crime,[3][4] the registrants, their children, spouses, and other family members, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, suffer daily harassment, social exclusion, depression, anxiety, and even vigilante attacks; this contributes to the destruction of families.[5][6] W.A.R. opposes current mandatory laws governing sex offender registration and monitoring, which take away judicial discretion of courts as to whether an offender must register. W.A.R. believes that monitoring should happen only when found appropriate by a judge as part of the sentencing process.[5]

W.A.R. opposes public disclosure of registrants' information, arguing that after the offender has served his or her sentence and is leading a 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,[7] and subject the children of even the most petty offenders to serious adverse consequences.[8]

W.A.R. aims to educate lawmakers and society about the discrimination that family members of registered offenders face, through press releases,[9] peaceful demonstrations,[2] and attending the National Conference of State Legislatures.[10][11]

Federal class action lawsuits

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 lawsuits is intended to be on behalf of registered sex offenders, and the second on behalf of families of registered sex offenders.[12] According to W.A.R., both suits are to be filed in the United States 8th District Federal Court.[13]

Support Hotline

Women Against Registry operates a support hotline in collaboration with National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws and SOSEN to provide hope and support to registrants, their family members, and friends affected by the collateral damage caused by the sex offender registry.[14] It is staffed by volunteers. The support hotline was originally an initiative of RSOL, but it is currently funded and operated by W.A.R..

See also

References
  1. "Capmpaign for Elkhart 19-year-old underscores broader concerns about sex offender registries". The Elkhart Truth. 9 June 2015.
  2. "Advocates Fight for Sex Offender Rights With Lawsuit". Broward Palm Beach New Times. 17 April 2015.
  3. "The Registration and Community Notification of Adult Sexual Offenders". www.atsa.com. Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers. April 5, 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  4. "Sexual Offender Residence Restrictions". www.atsa.com. Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers. April 5, 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  5. "We Believe". www.womenagainstregistry.org. Women Against Registry. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  6. Ulmer, Nick (21 February 2014). "Taking a Stand: Women Against Registry responds to our 14 News investigation". 14news. NBC. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  7. 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.
  8. "Does the Sex Offender Registry Protect Children? Critics Say 'Think Again'". Fox Baltimore. WBFF. 11 November 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  9. "Voting Issue in Missouri, Another Questionable Approach to Justice". ConnectTriStates. KHQA. 2 October 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  10. "2013 Legislative Summit: Exhibitors Listing". www.ncsl.org. NCSL Legislative Summit. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  11. "Exhibitors". www.ncsl.org/. 10 November 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  12. "Women seek to dissolve sex offender registry". News-PressNow. 17 May 2015.
  13. "Class Action Law Suit on Behalf of Registered Sex Offenders". Women Against Registry. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
  14. "Contact Us - W.A.R". www.womenagainstregistry.org. Women Against Registry.
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