When I saw this, I figured it was time for what has unfortunately become an annual tradition – the “don’t turn your kids loose in the library” post.
Prosecutors showed videotaped testimony Thursday from a 6-year-old boy who was allegedly raped by convicted sex offender Corey Saunders at the New Bedford Free Public Library.
The boy matter-of-factly described the alleged attack on Jan. 30 in an interview with a child welfare official, saying he felt like he was being attacked by a “T-Rex and an alligator.”
The child’s videotaped statement was played Thursday at a probation violation hearing for Corey Saunders, 26, who is accused of raping the boy while the child’s mother worked on a computer less than 10 feet away.
The library is a public place, just like the mall or the grocery store. Just because it’s calm and quiet and soothing doesn’t mean it’s safe. People really do surf porn and masturbate at the library. As this librarian said,
“We believe in the free access to information, and the viewing of pornography is Constitutionally protected.”
A 2000 report revealed that
472 instances of children accessing pornography, 962 instances of adults accessing pornography, 106 instances of adults exposing children to pornography, five attempted child molestations, 144 instances of child porn being accessed and 25 instances of library staff being harassed by those viewing pornography. Over 2,062 total porn-related incidents were reported by a mere 4.6% of our nation’s librarians so one can assume the number of incidents is probably twenty times higher.
I love going to the library, and there’s no reason not to take kids there – but be as vigilant there as you would any other public place.
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