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Raping and taking away the future of someone is cruel and unusual punishment- of the innocent person. Rape is similar to murder- the victim may live but a part is now dead- My mother was a rape victim during the great war...my second love - was raped- It ruined her life and she could never forget- She failed at all her relationships- she could not get rid of the violence and hate for men...she was a fine beautiful girl- but broken....If you are going to rob someone of their future- be prepared to lose your own-
Raping and taking away the future of someone is cruel and unusual punishment- of the innocent person. Rape is similar to murder- the victim may live but a part is now dead- My mother was a rape victim during the great war...my second love - was raped- It ruined her life and she could never forget- She failed at all her relationships- she could not get rid of the violence and hate for men...she was a fine beautiful girl- but broken....If you are going to rob someone of their future- be prepared to lose your own-
They aren't even close to being similiar which is why the sentencing guidelines (in virtually every state) for murder and rape are totally different and why only a first degree murder conviction can put a person on death row.
Rape, armed robbery, kidnapping, and aggravated assault (which are all comparable in terms of how much jail time one receives) are in a totally different category than murder or an attempted murder that results in the victim becoming paralyzed from the neck/waist down for life.
Last edited by midatlantic12; 05-01-2012 at 08:50 PM..
*sigh* I REALLY wish we stop keeping a victim in victim mode in this country. If we keep saying, rape/molestation ruins a victim, an kills part of them blah blah blah...they will internalize it.
That mantra needs to stop NOW... It's just a line used by self help gurus to sell books.
I would know. I'm a sexual abuse SURVIVOR. I AM NOT a victim, and have not been one, since I took back my life, and found forgiveness for my abuser. I took my power back.
Bad things happen EVERYDAY and EVERYONE has had life changing experiences.
No, I'm sure I'm not the person I might have been if I had not been abused, but any number of other things have also happened in my life that have caused changes.
To be quite honest. I have a loved one who was falsely accused...his accuser just last year apologized (not that it changes anything) he's still a registered sex offender. He still lost his job, spent time in jail, had to pay fines, do probation...struggle for a year before his trial (ending in a hung jury) He then took a plea to something he didn't do so he could be home to be with his kids and wife.
His accuser (who I was close to) took what happened to me, and many others...took it, twisted it, and used it as a tool, and a weapon to get what she wanted.
I watched people I love, crumple. I saw their pain and was helpless to stop it. It took my faith, my trust, my belief that truth would win out and replaced it with jaded skepticism. nobody steeped up to help me as a kid, but nowadays you can lie and be believed and coddled.
In many ways, that was far more damaging to me than any abuse I suffered as a kid.
I'm working through it, and someday, I hope to be able to forgive her too.
It's harder when the ramifications keep popping up.
Raping and taking away the future of someone is cruel and unusual punishment- of the innocent person. Rape is similar to murder- the victim may live but a part is now dead- My mother was a rape victim during the great war...my second love - was raped- It ruined her life and she could never forget- She failed at all her relationships- she could not get rid of the violence and hate for men...she was a fine beautiful girl- but broken....If you are going to rob someone of their future- be prepared to lose your own-
I must reject this extremely bleak characterization of what it means to be a rape or sexual assault victim. Its obviously a terrible thing. Although, its clear some people deal better with it than others.
Think of Elizabeth Smart who was repeatedly terrorized and violated by a horrible man. Did she let that event define her life and ruin it? HELL NO. She got on with things. She made a point of joining groups to advocate for the rights of sexual assault victims. She went on and completed a religious mission. She married. Did she allow herself to feel "disgraced" or "blemished"? Again, the answer is NO.
I think some cultures are too blame. Those cultures that would make a woman in this situation feel shameful or that the assault was her fault are inhumane. Perhaps, at one time things were a bit like this in the USA. Happily, that is changing. I am seeing more rape victims come forward and not only press charges, but refuse to keep their identity a secret. I applaud this. Secrecy and shame go together.
The reality is simple. Where there is life there is hope. Nothing in this life is predetermined. Every day is an opportunity to begin your life again.
That is why the law treats rape and sexual assault differently than murder. Murder, not sexual assault is the ultimate crime because we can't bring a dead person back to life.
Today, there are many, many counseling options and support groups open to someone unfortunate enough to be a sexual assault victim. Perhaps, a better job could be done of publicizing these options. However, they do exist.
My plea to sexual assault victims is if you need it, than get help. Its out there. Do not allow one event to define your entire life. Life and freedom are simply too precious to waste.
Our criminal system does not make sense...it is not equal for all...and there really is no comparison for crimes. But, a jury felt like this was a heinous act, and merited the maximum punishment. I did not hear the evidence in this case, or evaluate the situation...we don't know the whole story here...maybe this guy had committed prior acts, or whatever....But...the guy did the crime, and was found guilty. He does not deny that he performed this act. He is just upset that he recieved a maximum punishment...no tears here for this guy.
I must reject this extremely bleak characterization of what it means to be a rape or sexual assault victim. Its obviously a terrible thing. Although, its clear some people deal better with it than others.
A rape victim during that era had little if any resources. Rape wasn't discussed and rarely prosecuted, a women felt disgraced and ashamed.
The bleak characterization would be accurate for that period of time.
This rapist scumbag still got off easy. Death would be too easy. If he were to spend his entire confinement in solitary, that would be perfect. No distractions to take his mind off of what he did to her, and in turn what it did to him. He'll go insane. That's fine.
Always remember, when you pass out an 85 year prison sentence to someone, you're also cruelly/unusually punishing the taxpayers with an 85 year sentence as well.
As trigger-happy as the populace are in throwing the book at criminals, you'd swear to God the populace thinks foreign governments are paying the bill to incaracerate these people.
One way, or another, it comes out of your pocketbooks!
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,076,059 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by virgode
The victims age (92) was a big factor. Crimes against a child and the elderly are judged stringently in the US.
Personally, I don't feel any rape crime deserves leniency, it takes a sociopath mind to think he deserves any less.
Looks like the link in the OP is broke.
Interesting. I've heard of a few cases like this in the media. Yes, it is sick, and no, they're not the kind of people I want on the streets, but life imprisonment for a crime other than murder does seem strange...would never happen here, no matter what the age of the victim, unless it was particularly brutal/violent.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,076,059 times
Reputation: 11862
I agree. Without downplaying rape, saying that it's akin to being killed doesn't really help the victim get over it.
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