aTypical Joe: a gay New Yorker living in the rural South

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Sex Crime vs Crime

Reuters reports that MySpace is donating its database of U.S. sex offenders to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Violet Blue at Tiny Nibbles isn’t so sure that’s a good thing:

These are state registries, and depending on the state you’re in, you’re a “sex offender” under Megan’s Law if you get caught urinating in public, mooning, skinny dipping, or if you get busted having consensual sex in public. Think of how lopsided these charges must be in homophobic states. Also, it’s a lesson in what sites like MySpace can and will do with personal information.

Regina at Sex Drive Daily ups the ante:

I have at times wondered whether we need to specify when a crime is a “sexual” offense. Are laws around assault, harassment, exploitation, violence not enough? Do we have to add a whole ‘nother category if genitals are involved?

By separating it out as a different category of crime—and I know we do it with the best of intentions—do we create the additional overhead of shame on the survivor’s part?

If we treated violence as violence, regardless of whether or how genitalia is involved, would we be able to take some of the humiliation out of it for the assaulted? Or would we “encourage” sexual aspects to violent crime, because the consequences would be the same?