My name is Debbie Savoia I am a wife and mother of two I live in North Andover Massachusetts, and I’m the Vice-President of VOICES.
On Feb.13, 1995, I was reading my mail at the bus stop waiting for my son when I noticed an anonymous letter from Tacoma Washington. The letter was thanking me for letting a convicted 28 year old sex offender move into my neighborhood with his parents. He had served six months for molesting a neighbor girl and was on probation for eight years. He was not allowed to be near his children but could be near mine. Three hundred letters went out to North Andover residents regarding this individual.
During that time Massachusetts had more laws to protect animals in this state than we had to protecting our children from dangerous sex offenders. I could not just sit around and do nothing, I am a mother and I will do anything to protect my children from any kind of danger. After a year of media interviews, writing letters to the editor and talking to lawmakers I proudly stood behind Governor William Weld on August 5, 1996 as he signed the Sex Offender bill with Community Notification into law. Massachusetts was the last state to get Megan's Law.
In the last nine years I have been very active, I became a volunteer for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. In 2001, requested and received the first Proclamation from Massachusetts’ Governor, Jane Swift for National Missing Children's Day in Massachusetts. I have worked with my State Senator Bruce Tarr who filed two bills at my request in 2002 Senate No. 209, classifying offenders before being released from prison, and No. 210 posting level three sex offenders on the Internet. I’ve spoken at hearings at the statehouse on behalf of some bills. I have worked with the families of murdered victims and became friends with them, Maureen Kanka, Bob Curley, John & Magi Bish, and the Presti Family. I was involved in drafting the Joanne & Alyssa Act. I feel honored to know these remarkable people; I wish I could have met them under better circumstances. They are the true heroes of our society.
In March 2004, I attended a hearing before Judge Bonnie McLeod at the Suffolk Superior Court with the Presti Family. This particular hearing was to lift a previous injunction that prohibited the Sex Offender Registry Board from posting level three sex offenders on the SORB website. During that meeting, I met a woman in the hallway named Laurie Myers. Laurie and I talked and exchanged email addresses. Laurie had been a Rape Crises counselor and was also involved in strengthening sex offender laws. Our paths had never crossed until that day; as we talked we knew we were out for the same goals, to make this state a safer place for our children and all the children of this state. We also have a need for victims to have more of a VOICE in our society. As we kept in touch and reading newspaper stories, a story came to our attention regarding woman from Norfolk, Sandy DiBacco. Sandy had been working with her State Senator to fix a loophole relating to the sex offenders in her neighborhood. After getting in touch with Sandy and seeing that she had the same passion Laurie and I did in fighting for this important issue we have joined forces and become VOICES.
We are three women who believe that you do not need to be touched by tragedy to get involved in issues that matter. We can tell you first hand that law makers will listen and do something if you speak out. If members of the community don’t make their concerns known to their legislators, often times they won’t act until a tragedy has already taken place. Every VOICE counts and can make a difference, let’s not wait to be a victim.
At a press conference announcing the Omnibus bill in June of 2005 Lt. Governor Kerry Healey ask Laurie Myers and myself to serve on the Governor's Commission on Domestic and Sexual Assault. It was an honor to be asked by the Lt. Governor and we where happy to serve. It was a great experience.
After all our hard work on September 21, 2006 Lt. Governor Kerry Healey invited us to stand on the podium with her and many legislators from both parties for the signing of legislation that extended the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse and classification of sex offenders before release from prison. (I had been fighting for classification before
released since 2003.) Many victims' families where their in the audience and felt some justice had been served on behalf of their loved ones. It was a great day for victims.
On November 13, 2007 I testified on behalf of Jessica's Law H1688, mandatory minimum sentences for rape of a child with force. As usual it was a very emotional day.
In March I received two letters in the mail one congratulating me for being chosen as North Andover Unsung Heroine of 2008 and the other congratulating Laurie Myers for also being chosen as Chelmsfords Unsung Heroine by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women. I had nominated Laurie and without knowing she had nominated me. It was truly a great honor and very exciting to be able to have been chosen together. It was the first time in thirteen years I had been nominated for anything and won. On May 14, 2008 my daughter, and mother came along with me and Laurie and her mom to the reception honoring all 287 amazing women who contribute so much to this state not for money or fame just because they found an issue they cared about. Thank You to the commission for selecting me.
On June 2, 2008 I was recognized by the North Andover selectmen with a certificate of accomplishment for being selected as North Andover's Unsung Heroine.
My name is Sandra DiBacco. I live in Norfolk, Massachusetts, with my husband and two children. I work part-time as a legal assistant for a law firm in Boston.
In March of 2004, Delta Projects, Inc. (under the auspice of the Department of Mental Retardation) purchased a home with our taxpayers’ dollars to be used as a group home to house four mentally retarded men. Two of those men are level two sex offenders. One was convicted of molesting a child under the age of fourteen; the other was convicted of rape and aggravated assault. This group home is two doors away from my home and children. It is located in a secluded, wooded area with 25 children within ½ a mile radius.
This prompted people in my community, as well as myself, to investigate further into the placement of sex offenders in group homes in neighborhoods. What we found out was that there were no guidelines for placing sex offenders in group homes in Massachusetts, and that the laws in this state are very lenient towards sex offenders.
Outraged by this notion, I began working with our local State Senator to get laws changed in the state. I was interviewed for various newspapers and news broadcasts including Channel 4, 38 and 56. Two wonderful women, who have been active in helping rape victims and exploited and missing children for over nine years, contacted me. We are now forming this group to help other people understand the laws in Massachusetts, or should I say lack of laws in Massachusetts regarding the placement of sex offenders in group homes, the placement of sex offenders near schools, licensed daycare centers and playgrounds, legislation regarding the rights of sex offenders versus victims’ rights, we also want to inform people on ways to find out who the sex offenders are in their cities and towns, etc.
I have never before been involved in anything like this, but what I have found since I have been involved is that everybody can make a difference. People need to help each other to protect us and our children from these sex offenders and the judges and lawyers that protect them rather than our children.
I am pleased to say that we have been successful in our campaign, showing that a few people CAN make a difference.
I was born and raised in Lowell, MA. At age 19, I decided to spread my wings and made Pittsburgh PA my home for during my formative adult years. During this time, I worked primarily in the non-profit sector for Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh as well as the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. My career transition to the private sector brought me to working for NOMOS Corporation, an innovator of cancer treatment products. I've always enjoyed being a part of organizations committed to making a difference.
When it was time to return home, I settled back in Lowell, where I am surrounded by my extended family and life long friends. I’m a single mom, raising two beautiful girls who are my everything. These days I make my living working on mergers and acquisitions for a large web hosting company.
In late February 2008, I read an article about Laurie Myers in the local paper. There was something about Laurie and the Community Voices organization that pulled me toward them, so I emailed and began corresponding with Debbie. The women of VOICES have been a tremendous source of strength while going through my own personal tragedy. I've never viewed myself as a victim, but rather as a survivor. Although I cannot change the past, I can certainly change the future by being the voice that speaks out and helps other victims or potential victims make a change and stand up for themselves.
Since meeting the ladies of VOICES, my eyes have been opened to how much impact each of us can have--alone and even more so when we join forces. I am happy and proud to be affiliated with such a dedicated team, and was ecstatic when I was invited to join the Board as Secretary in February 2009.
My name is Laurie Myers; I’m the mother of three children, and a former rape crisis counselor from Chelmsford, Massachusetts, and I’m the President of VOICES. I feel very fortunate to be in the company of the amazing people who make Community VOICES what it is today.
I have always seen the importance of being involved in my community. In 1992, I became a rape crisis counselor for Rape Crisis Services of Greater Lowell, and volunteered on their hotline for five years. It was an experience that changed my life, and one that I will never forget. During the many late night hotline calls, hospital, and police department visits, I accompanied the most amazing people through what was, for many the darkest time of their lives. This was a time that many of them will never forget. These courageous survivors shared their feelings, fears, and hopes after their lives were almost shattered by sexual assault, I admire their strength, and will never forget them, or the valuable things I have learned from these survivors.
Several years after leaving Rape Crisis I became involved in advocating for laws to protect our children and communities from repeat sex offenders. I supported Governor Romney’s efforts to post level 3 sex offenders on the Internet. I was also a strong critic of the many court challenges brought by tax payer funded lawyers for sex offenders. In March, 2004 I met Debbie Savoia, and the family of Joanne and Alyssa Presti of Woburn whose daughter and grand daughter were murdered by level 3 sex offender, Michael Bizanowicz. We joined forces, and together we were successful in advocating for the Internet posting of level three sex offenders. After a year of court battles the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled in favor of the citizens of Massachusetts and allowed the Sex Offender Registry Board to post the most dangerous sex offenders on their website.
In June of 2004, I contacted Sandy DiBacco after reading about her efforts in a news article. After many conversations with Debbie and Sandy, we decided that there was a need for an organized effort within Massachusetts for the VOICES of children, parents and our communities to be heard. There was also a need to bring this very important information to all members of the community. It was then we decided to join together to make a difference. Together we have met with and made our concerns known to community leaders, state agencies, parents and law makers and we have been successful in advocating for the Classification of sex offenders before release from prison, extending the statute of limitations on sex crimes againg children, GPS tracking of sex offenders who commit crimes against children, and mandatory minimum sentences for those who commit the most henious crimes against children, and administrative subepnona legislation that would enable law enfocement quicker access to internet records of potential predators. We continue to work toward our goal of safer communities through awareness
In June of 2005 Debbie Savoia and I were asked by Lt. Governor Kerry Healey to serve on the Governor's Commission on Domestic and Sexual Assault.
On September 21, 2006 Debbie Savoia and I were invited by Lt. Governor Kerry Healey during the signing of legislation that extended the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse and classification of sex offenders before release from prison. We were joined by several victims' families and legislators.
It was a great day for parents and citizens of Massachusetts.
May 14, 2008 Debbie Savoia and I were chosen by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women as unsung heroines for Chelmsford and North Andover. We joined over 200 other amazing women who were also selected by the Commission. It was a true honor and one we will never forget.
Laurie Myers , Debbie Savoia and Sandra DiBacco attend the Unsung Heroine award ceremony at the Massachusetts State House.
www.communityvoices.net
Jessica's Law Rally 2007
Senator Bruce Tarr, Vice President of Community VOICES Debbie Savoia, Magi Bish, Mark Lunsford, Rep. Karyn Polito, John Bish, President of Community VOICES, Laurie Myers and Stacie Rumenap, Stop Child Predators, Washington DC.
Laurie Myers and Beth Barry
2007
Jim Jajuga, Senator Steven Baddour, Mark Lunsford and Debbie Savoia
Debbie Savoia, Scott Allen Miller & Laurie Myers
Sandy DiBacco, Debbie Savoia & Laurie Myers
October 2005
Community VOICES Fundraiser
Debbie Savoia, Laurie Myers, Rep. Karyn Polito, Senator Scott Brown, Rachel Eaton & Sandy DiBacco
Laurie Myers, Bob Ward (FOX Boston) & Debbie Savoia, 2007 Community VOICES Fundraiser
Rep.Karyn Polit, Rep. Tom Golden. Lt. Governor Kerry Healey Laurie Myers, Rep. Brad Jones & Debbie Savoia. Signing of the Sex Offender Classification Before Release Law.
2006 Classification Before Release bill signing
Lt. Governor Kerry Healey, Senator Scott Brown, Laurie Myers, Debbie Savoia, Rep. Eugene O'Flaherty, Rep. James E. Vallee
Greater Lowell Take Back the Night
April, 2009
Laurie Myers, Greater Lowell Take Back the Night 2009
