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Since my latest court appearance and conviction on four out of five charges arising from the Name Them and Shame Them campaign, I have been flooded with emails of support from around Australia and overseas. On the next few weeks I will try to answer them all. Here's is a tiny sample.
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You go Derryn!
Derryn,
I am a survivor of sexual abuse and a parent. I am humbled by your actions and would like to add my voice to yours. This is a bad law that protects the predators that prey on our children.
Our children should be protected. Had this law not been in place myself and seven other children would not have been victims of the convicted predator in our neighbourhood. Thank you.
Samantha
QLD.
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I just saw the news on Channel Seven Sunrise.I sent them this email, but i don't think they'll air it.
"So, Derryn Hinch is guilty of naming a paedophile and must go to gaol. Who's the criminal here? The man who informed a concerned public? The perpetrator of the horrific act on the innocent children? Or the so-called 'protectors' i.e. the legal overlords who allow such a farce? They say "obey us or else". That's bullying of the highest order. No wonder bullying is rife in schools when our leaders are the main instigators. Great role models I don't think. Good job Derryn. More people should stand up for what is morally right."
Best regards
Harry
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Dear Derryn
As an Aussie living in Japan, I miss out on much of the news and current affairs from Victoria. However, I have just heard about the result of your court case over disclosing the names of sex offenders. I am truly saddened at this result, but more-so to also hear you have liver cancer. 28 years ago, almost to the day, you aired a 'farewell' message to my sister, Lynnette, who soon after died from bowel cancer. I was told that on the day of her funeral you again made mention of her loss. I never thought to thank you for your compassion at the time of my grief, and I am sorry for not doing so sooner. However, please know that you truly touched my sister's heart, along with myself and her family and friends, and I will be eternally grateful for your kind words, thank you. Apart from the report I have just heard I have no further information about your health, but whatever your options are I wish you a successful recovery.
I also wish to say that I admire you for your courageous stand against laws that protect serial sex offenders at the expense of law-abiding citizens who have these 'nameless' predators living in their midst. Your strength in this area is similar to that of Hetty Johnston, and I wish I had just a bit of this strength that you both have. I lost my position with a church a number of years ago after I reported such a predator to the police, but since the child involved was unable to substantiate that the predator's behaviour was a sexual assault, the police could do nothing. My 'loving' church community loved the predator more than me since he was a longtime valued-member of the church while I was just an itinerant pastor, so he still takes his seat on a pew, week after week, and I try to live with my failure in Japan. If I had had just a pinch of the courage that you and Hetty have, I would have somehow contacted the media, but sadly my psychological state and lack of courage caused me to fail. So, Derryn, thank you for being the voice that must be heard to make people angry, to get the laws changed so that the 'nameless' can be named and shamed. May your passion continue for many more years. We need your voice!
Sincerely
Bazza
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Hi DH.
I am one or your silent fans who wishes to forward this message.
One who admires your consistent values, fully supports your amazing
public commitment and journey. You are a hero to more people than you will ever know, because like me they have not expressed their support to you in the past, for whatever reason.
Is there anything we can do to help you ? you have done so much for so many.
Two years ago, my friends and I set up a foundation to raise funds to sponsor and support disadvantaged young people with their education. We felt our retirement years should be spent in a useful way. We are grandmothers who feel passionate about the struggles of young people who have no support for a variety of reasons, some have suffered abuse. Our Op shop in Forest Hill, Victoria serves as our fundraising base. Barbara Holborow [ former NSW magistrate ] is our patron. Our web-site is under construction.
You have no idea how much you encourage our efforts.
It's for this reason I have included the information above.
I hope everything works out well for you.
Please remember your greatly loved by many.
May God bless you always.
Julia Mosley.
HINCH SAYS: Thanks Julia. Your work sounds fantastic. You have a great patron in Barbara Holborow. She was a regular wise guest on the program when I hosted Midday.
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Hello Derryn,
I am 70 years young, and the father of Liz Norman who sent you an email a few minutes ago.
We were, as father and daughter, earlier this evening discussing a lot of things which fathers and daughters sometimes do and somehow the subject got on to you.
As a result she has sent you an email and copied me, so now for probably the first time ever, I am motivated to actually say what I believe. (See it takes a daughter to do it)!
I don't know why or how but it seems to me that even though Liz and I are a generation apart and don't see eye to eye on some things we are certainly at one on this issue.
I cannot claim to have ever been a regular listener to your program, though if you live in Melbourne (as I have nearly all my life), you have for many years been there speaking out on issues and standing up to be counted, even when opinion hasn't necessarily been with you. Like Liz, I firmly believe that everybody deserves a second chance, even those that abuse children. If they want to be rehabilitated, then that opportunity should be made available to them and if they do not reoffend then that is fine, they have paid their debt.
However those that take the opportunities that society gives them and then reoffend do not deserve and should not have protection in my opinion - and the general public have a right to know who and where they are. I have four children and eight grandchildren and would hope that they have a happy and rewarding life, as I have thus far. When I was a boy I could play in the street, walk with my friends to the local shops at nearly any hour of the day or night and never did my parents have to worry about me or my safety.
When I got to be a teenager, we used to go to the local church and around 8.30 after the service would all wander down to the local milk bar and have a milk shake then walk home. Unfortunately today there is no way that my grandkids could have that freedom because of the dangers that we as adults, seem to be prepared to live with, from those persons who repeatedly offend and yet are able to live freely in our midst, without the knowledge of those around them.
I do believe that people have a right to know if there is a danger from people who live in the vicinity and I support you in your efforts to change what is an increasingly out of date and "out of sinc with society" law.
My very best wishes to you,
Allen Stephens
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Hi Derryn,
I am a mother of 2 boys. I am appalled that you have been convicted. I am all for giving people a second chance and a chance a rehabilitation. Even these offenders. I think society needs to allow the person to serve their time and to complete their rehabilitation. One chance only! If then they are able to assimilate back into society with their identity preserved and are truely remorseful then they should be given this right. However they need to be restricted from working with children in any capacity as well. This is their only chance. Once they blow it their identity is public property. I want to know who they are where they live and who is responsible for them.
I cannot believe that you, who have never done any harm to anyone and are in no way a threat to our community, stand to lose your rights while these evil people get to keep theirs.
You have my support and I wish you all the very best of luck.
Liz Norman
HINCH SAYS: Liz. Thanks for your note and your father's. The paedophiles I am talking about are recidivist offenders. Men who have committed more child sex crimes after being released on bail. The Serious Sex Offenders Monitoring Act only applies to criminals whom the legislation says ' are most likely to reoffend'. Glad you and your Dad have had this debate. |
