This documentary will be difficult to stomach if you subscribe to the school of thought that views child molesters as disgusting, unable to be rehabilitated, and/or undeserving of sympathy. However, if you are willing to suspend your judgment for a mere hour, this film will surely have you second-guessing your stance by the end of it.
Pervert Park is a glimpse into the stories of several convicted child molesters who live together in a small trailer park. Both men and women inhabit this space, and their crimes vary in severity. When a violent child rapist is lumped together with someone who merely responded to the wrong Craigslist ad, it really makes you question why we vilify all sexual offenders as one and the same.
Their stories are brutally honest. The film tries to answer how these people became who they are, and where they plan to go from here. Rather than play into the creepiness factor, Pervert Park proves that many of these offenders are rational adults who clearly know right from wrong, but nonetheless found themselves in the position that they are in. The counseling sessions shown are extremely thought-provoking and may leave you questioning our typical "label and ostracize" response, especially when the line between being an actual predator and simply making a mistake is so blurry.
