Westley Allan Dodd
Protecting Children
The Tennis Shoe Brigade At the time that Dodd was incarcerated, another man, Earl Kenneth Shriner, was being tried for molesting, choking, and mutilating an 8-year-old boy in Washington State. The boy was lucky to survive the attack, which had occurred only months before Dodds first murders. Like Dodd, 40-year-old Shriner had an extensive criminal record of sexual assaults. Outraged that Shriner wasnt incarcerated prior to this latest, and most deadly assault, a group of concerned citizens called the Tennis Shoe Brigade took action. (The group earned its name after members gathered a symbolic pile of tennis shoes and dumped them at the governors office, outraged because he had refused to listen to their pleas for system reform.) The Tennis Shoe Brigade demanded longer sentences for sexual predators, a stop to early releases, mandatory treatment, and more medical compensation for the victims. They also called for mandatory registration of all sex offenders. Westley Dodd became a symbol of what was wrong, and an impetus to make it right. He is an example of what we are trying to stop, said a leader of the Tennis Shoe Brigade. Although Shriner was the impetus for organization, Dodd became the poster child in their crusade. It is disturbing that the authorities did not know that Dodd, a known sexual predator, lived only blocks away from where the Neer boys were found murdered. Although Dodd had a lengthy criminal history, his name wasnt on the roster of known sex offenders in the Vancouver area. Thanks to the persistent lobbying of the Tennis Shoe Brigade, and other concerned parties, the state of Washington passed a number of new laws to keep convicted sex offenders off the streets. Known offenders must register with the local police, the public is notified when an offender is released from jail or prison, and victims are notified in advance if their attacker is due for release. Other reforms include longer sentences, fewer early releases, and more funds for victim services and offender rehabilitation. If a predator is still considered a risk to the community, there is a provision that can keep him behind bars. Communities across the nation are demanding to know if a repeat offender is living next door. One of the many reforms includes Californias 1996 Megans Law, which provides the public information on the location of known child molesters. Keeping children safe Dodds story is a cautionary tale for communities, law enforcement, and families. Although he killed three children, he plotted to murder and torture many more. (He claimed to have committed 250 crimes against children.) He insisted that he killed his victims to keep from going to jail for molestation, yet its hard to believe that Dodd would fear a justice system that played catch and release with him despite the severity of his crimes. Because of Dodds example, tougher laws have been set up to trap and incarcerate child molesters.
Children are more likely to be sexually abused or hurt by someone they know, including a relative, than by a stranger. While Dodd became known as a stranger abductor, he began by molesting kids in his own family, and later, children of acquaintances. The vast majority of his victims were children that knew him and, and in some cases, whose parents knew him. Dodd preferred to molest a child that knew and trusted him, and only began abducting unknown children when the ones he knew were no longer available. I dont think I could have done it if Id have known them, he said of his murder victims. |
According to psychologist Kevin McGovern, pedophiles are very good at hiding their problems. They mask their identity well. Theyre very friendly. A percentage is drawn toward youth organizations, church organizations, places where they have access to kids. They rarely fit the image of the dirty old man. Clean cut, youthful looking, and small in size, Dodd did not appear like the big bad stranger that kids instinctively fear. Acquaintance abduction/molestation According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, someone the child knows and trusts usually perpetrates child molestations. The US Department of Justice has estimated that each year 354,600 children are abducted by a family member, and up to 5,000 children are abducted by someone they know. Children are routinely told to stay away from strangers. But they need to understand what inappropriate behavior is from someone they know and trust. As NCMEC says, it is Situations, not Strangers, that children need to watch. NCMECs website (www.missingkids.com) lists some safety rules for children and parents, including:
Most importantly, children need to trust their feelings, and speak up if something doesnt feel right. Children need to feel confident that parents or a teacher will listen to them if something seems wrong, even if they feel guilty about something (molesters will use shame to silence a child.) Children should not be afraid to say NO to someone too often children are scared of being impolite to adults. Parents also need to watch for sudden changes in their childrens behavior, including an abrupt fear of a person or place, and inappropriate interest in sexual activity. Random abductions
These are relatively rare in the United States, estimated at 200 a year, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. But as we have seen, these kidnappings can be deadly. Here are some safety tips from NCMEC: |
Attention must be paid Ultimately, children and parents must also depend on their communities for protection. Legislation needs to be continually supported so that sexual offenders serve their full sentences, and are monitored after release. Individual efforts do make a difference. Robert Iseli, the father of Lee, became active in promoting childrens safety, including work on an amendment to Oregons constitution that would not allow child pornography to fall under the protection of free speech. Employers need to commit to doing background checks on potential hires if employees have extended contact with children. Perhaps most importantly, we must be vigilant to sudden situations. In her November 17, 1989 column in The Oregonian, Jann Mitchell reminded the community to react when we see a child in an uncomfortable situation. So many times we worry about overreaction or potential embarrassment. But at what cost? When in doubt, Mitchell said, check it out. Some people might argue over whether we are, indeed, our brothers keepers, she wrote. But surely we must be their childs keepers. |
