NORFOLK, Va. - Halloween is on Monday and kids are getting ready to trick-or-treat, but not everyone can participate in the holiday.
There are specific guidelines in place to keep registered sex offenders on probation away from kids, although the rules differ from city-to-city.
Christopher Newton is a Senior Probation Officer in Norfolk and it's his job to make sure these individuals comply with their terms of supervision and court dates.
"[On Halloween] in Norfolk, we impose a special curfew, that's 5 p.m. They have to be in their home [with the] lights out. No decorations. Cannot participate in Halloween activities, so no passing out candy, no going to trunk or treats anything like that," said Newton.
He said in Norfolk there are about 250 sex offenders on supervision and his office checks on each of them Halloween night.
"We go out, verify that they're home [and] they're complying with this curfew and generally in the years past, everyone's been pretty compliant with that," said Newton. "We use evidence-based practices and work within the policies and procedures of the Department of Corrections."
These guidelines differ city-by-city, but you can do your own due diligence. Virginia State Police have an online sex offender registry that is public record.
You can enter a zip code, address, name, county, city and school to search for individuals who are registered with the state as well as individuals who are "wanted."
While the results may be a bit shocking, Newton said it doesn't necessarily mean your child is in more danger on Halloween night.
"I don't think there's any statistics to show that there's more sex offenses happening on Halloween than any other day of the year," he said.
However, neighborhoods will be busy. MPO Leo Kosinski, and Public Information Officer, with the Chesapeake Police Department reminds drivers to take it slow.
"Even though the speed limit is 25 mph, that can be a little fast when you have potentially hundreds of kids out wandering around," he said.
He also suggests wearing bright-colored clothing and staying along well-lit streets.
"[When in doubt] if something doesn't seem right, if there's an odd vehicle or an odd person [or] something out of the ordinary, please call us and we'll send officers there to check it out," said Kosinski.
Overall, just be aware of your surroundings.
According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN), child sexual abuse victims are:
- 4 times more likely to develop symptoms of drug abuse as adults
- 4 times more likely to develop symptoms of PTSD as adults
- 70% of rape or sexual assault victims experience distress, which is a larger percentage than any other violent crime
The NIH also said there is widespread belief that there is a "cycle" of child abuse, which is why it's important to stop it from happening in the first place.
If you or someone you know needs help, call 1-800-656-4673.
