A volunteer, non-profit organization composed of Oregonians committed to justice and reason in laws relating to sex crimes. We are fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles, grandparents — members of families that contain victims of sexual abuse as well as those who have committed sexual offenses.
What We Do
- We provide resources — emotional support and advocacy for individuals, their families and friends who are caught up in the web of sex offense prosecution, incarceration and re-entry.
- We work with attorneys and other groups to widen support for registrants in rebuilding responsible lives in the community.
- We research all aspects of sex offenses and society’s response to them in order to discover evidence based practices that promote public safety.
- We bring the best current research to work for change in a system that is often at odds with what the research tells us.
What Oregon Voices Believes
- No sexual abuse or sexual assault is ever acceptable. All victims of abuse have the right to seek justice in a system that is objective and supportive.
- The current legal classification of “sex offender” creates a one-size-fits-all enforcement system, wasting taxpayer dollars, diluting the supervision of dangerous offenders, and reducing public safety.
- Mandatory sentencing laws prevent judges from determining appropriate punishments.
- The registry does not protect children from abuse; it does undermine the safety and stability of families of registrants.
- Money spent on punitive measures, including the registry, would be better spent on education, healing and rehabilitation.
- We must counter unsupported myths about sex offenses with facts that are supported by evidence.