"When Megan’s Law took effect in New York in 1996, it gave us a powerful weapon to protect our children from the worst kind of predators," Gaffney noted at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. "Now, Megan’s Law Resource and Support Center will open new avenues of prevention for Suffolk County and Long Island."

The purpose of the center, according to PML Executive Director Laura Ahearn, is to manage Megan’s Law and to educate the community about the tools for preventing such abuse. The law requires that all 50 states register individuals who commit sex offenses against children, and sexually violent offenses against children and adults.

Parents for Megan’s Law is a non-profit organization formed in 1998 to insure that the State of New York complied with Federal Law. It presently operates as a community and victims’ rights advocacy organization. Part of the funding for the center came from a contract the County had with PML to educate Suffolk communities and law enforcement on how Megan’s Law worked. An additional grant from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services allowed the organization to also expand its staff and services.

Each year, there are over 150,000 substantiated cases of child sexual abuse in the U.S. The actual number of incidents, Gaffney added, is likely much, much higher because so many cases go unreported. "This new facility will serve to highlight the importance of this law in the fight to eliminate child sexual abuse."

To learn more about Megan’s Law, contact the Megan’s Law Resource and Support Center at 631-689-2672 or email support@parentsformeganslaw.com.

In the picture, Suffolk County Executive Robert Gaffney and several young supporters celebrate the opening of the Megan’s Law Resource and Support Center in Setauket, August 3. Operated by the Parents for Megan’s Law (PML), the center will provide services to children who are victims of sexual abuse and educate the community on the prevention of the crime. From left to right are Kaitlyn, Courtney, Jaimie, Gaffney, PML Executive Director Laura Ahearn, Chelsea and Courtney who is doing the ribbon cutting honors.