New Website in Israel - Names Names of Pedophiles




A new website has been published in Israel, by a private group "Besheket" ("quietly"), which lists names of suspected/arrested, charged, and convicted pedophiles.

The data base has apparently been collected from public sources, such as newspapers, court documents and other websites.

In Israel, there is no public data base of pedophiles available from official sources. This is unlike the situation in the USA, for example, where further to Megan's law, convicted sex offenders are listed on the internet by the authorities on a searchable database. Or in the UK where a comprehensive sex-offender data base is maintained by the authorities (although is not accessible by the public).

Besheket is going significantly further than the US Government system, in that Besheket is also naming pedophile suspects - rather than solely convicted perpetrators. A private Jewish-based organization in the USA, The Awareness Center, has operated a similar extended data base for several years (their data base has been taken off-line recently, I believe due to The Awareness Center's move from Baltimore to Chicago).
 
The Besheket data base is searchable by Name, or by Town, or by Area of Operations.

For example, a search on "Bet Shemesh" gives a list of four names.

I know for a fact that this is just a small part of the total number of suspected/arrested, charged, and convicted pedophiles in Bet Shemesh. So I guess the list will be expanded as more information flows to the organizers of Besheket. Furthermore, even the four listed are not updated - the guy who is listed as status "unknown", I know for a fact was convicted, sentenced to two years, is already out-and-about and back in Ramat Bet Shemesh.

Naming names is a dilemma.

Each country and community grapples with the issue of The Public's Right To Know vs The Individual's Right to Privacy & Due Process.

Although the Right to Know lobby will be delighted by Besheket - those who are concerned about sliding into Vigilantism will be fearful of this getting out of hand.

Any way you look at it, the increased debate and heightened awareness about child abuse, that this new site will generate in Israel, is healthy for society, safer for kids, and bad news for pedophiles.


Comments

  1. Anonymous16 November 2010 at 08:04

    Where are the listed criminals from? Who was from Bet Shemesh?

    ReplyDelete
  2. David Morris16 November 2010 at 08:19

    Names are listed at: http://www.besheket.com/page_search.aspx?cookieCheck=true

    There is a drop down box for "City". Click on Beit Shemesh.

    There is also a Contact Form for reporting (true and accurate) information: http://www.besheket.com/contact.aspx

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yerachmiel Lopin18 November 2010 at 01:57

    As an American I find Besheket important as well. Many molesters cross the ocean when their jig is up on one side of the Atlantic. Similarly it might be helpful for Besheket to include a link to the US sex offenders registries as well as the registries of other countries.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous18 November 2010 at 21:28

    Can they make a list of sex offender enablers as well?

    ReplyDelete

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