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| Meeting Anthony |
| By Sarah Etter, News Reporter |
| Published: 10/16/2006 |
Anthony isn't afraid to tell me exactly what's on his mind as we sit at a table at the Massachusetts Bridgewater Treatment Center for sex offenders. “I'm here because I drugged and raped young girls,” Anthony says looking me straight in the eye. “But I've come to recognize what was wrong with me when I acted like that.” Anthony is a 39-year old resident at the center and doesn't go into much more detail about his offense. Instead, he shuffles through paperwork on the table until he comes to a page filled with his handwriting. Phrases like she deserved it' and she wanted me to do it' are scrawled on lines in the pamphlet. “These are my validations,” he explains. “These are the things I used to say to myself when I committed my crimes. These are the justifications I used to make it ok.” Anthony is currently enrolled in the center's Core Program, a pre-release curriculum that every sex offender completes during their last 24 months of incarceration. Each offender is here for a different reason; some are pedophiles, some rapists; some are civilly committed, while others volunteered to be this environment. Yet, every offender strives toward a common goal: rehabilitation. Core is an intense process. Once placed in the program, offenders work through a rigorous daily schedule of support meetings with loved ones, and group and individual counseling with a goal-oriented staff of therapists. Currently, 78 inmates are in the program. A typical day begins with an inmate count, and then breakfast, followed by therapy and classes. Offenders also take psychological education classes that helps them focus on their sexual triggers. Anthony says those triggers weren't always easy to identify. “This place really makes you aware of the red flags,” he says. “But being here, I know which thoughts are dangerous. I'll never be fully finished with this program, but this is the essential part of my recovery; recognizing I have a problem and addressing it.” Those preparing for release have created somewhat of a community. In quiet rooms dotted with white, round tables, Core participants tutor each other and hold impromptu discussions about things they are struggling with. They attend Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and learn more about themselves by interacting with others. “I like the community here,” Anthony says in a hushed voice. “Solitude can make you think too much. Here, I'm learning exactly who I am, and I'm learning that my life is not over. I used drugs as a tool to fulfill my desires, and I surrounded myself with negative social influences.” He takes a breath and looks at me again. “I never want to create another victim.” Core programmers spend a majority of their time learning about themselves. Anthony says the program clarified the particular feelings he had that brought about more problems. He felt unloved and inadequate, so he became reckless about what he did or who he hurt. He knows better now, he says. “I never understood what an emotional collapse was before I came here. I realize now that it is a big deal. It is my trigger to act out.” By identifying certain triggers, people like Anthony are able to improve their chance for success once released. Despite the many social stigmas that exist about sex offenders, Anthony refuses to let them hold him back. “The center has changed everything for me. Much of society isn't informed about people like me. There really can be a change.” The polished, 600-bed maximum-security facility was opened in 1986. It's run by the MA DOC. |
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