Assemblyman Saladino, Coalition Host Child Sexual Abuse Seminar

Helping Parents Protect our Children from Predators

September 23, 2005

In an effort to educate parents on the dangers of sexual predators and how to protect children on the Internet, Assemblyman Joseph Saladino (R,C,I-Massapequa) hosted a first-ever parent teaching seminar designed to teach parents how to protect their children from the most heinous of crimes. Saladino joined with the Coalition Against Child Abuse and Neglect, the Nassau County Police Department and the Nassau County Department of Probation to host a parent training seminar, "Protecting our Children from Sexual Predators," at Island Trees High School.

"Too often in the news today, we hear about a child who falls prey to a sexual predator," said Saladino. "This is the first time a seminar of this type has been held on Long Island. My intention is to continue to educate parents, who are the first and most important line of defense against sex abuse. In our program we offered step-by-step instructions and suggestions on building your children’s self-esteem, increasing parent-child communication and creating an open and effective dialogue. It has been my highest priority to make every effort to minimize the risk to children and pass much more legislation concerning these criminals. We must act now to avoid the horrors of a parent’s worst nightmare."

Speakers included Detective Lt. John Allen, commanding officer of the Special Services Squad, Missing Persons Special Victim Bureau, Nassau County; Lt. John Fowle, supervisor of the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Unit of the Nassau County Department of Probation; and Lt. Anthony Zenkus, coordinator of education for the Coalition Against Child Abuse and Neglect.

The seminar provided parents with detailed instructions on protecting their children and focused on several key components related to protecting youth, including:

• How to protect children against sexual predators
• How to keep children safe while using the Internet
• Megan’s Law
• The state Sex Offender Registry
• Assemblyman Saladino’s update on the state Legislature’s fight against predators and bills he has introduced and supports.

Assemblyman Saladino has been advocating for strengthening Megan’s Law and for passage of civil confinement legislation, which would keep the most dangerous sexual predators off the streets after their prison sentences end. He and his fellow Assembly minority colleagues have begun a statewide petition drive calling for the Assembly majority to bring this legislation to the floor for a vote. To date, they have collected over 15,000 signatures.

To request the information presented at the seminar and to obtain copies of the petition for your signature, contact Assemblyman Saladino’s district office at (516) 844-0365.

The assemblyman concluded, "Passing this legislation into law is the most important step in keeping our children safe. Our Long Island senators have passed these bills and now I am calling on the Assembly to do the same. There must be zero tolerance for those who prey on children."

What's New