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December 27, 2005
On a serious note
I just read a news story about 4 soldiers accused of raping a woman in the Phillipines. First, I know that they are innocent until proven guilty, but the news story got me to thinking about something.
What kind of punishment do convicted rapists receive? How hard is it to convict a rapist?
So, I did a little google search.
My findings were not encouraging.
From all the articles that I read, I made these conclusions:
Few rapes are reported.
Even fewer are prosecuted, and only a small percentage of those prosecuted are convicted.
Most rapes are committed by someone the victim knows.
Few victims are willing to undergo the added emotional stress of a trial, especially considering the lack of justice that they can see is typically afforded to them(which isn't remotely enough in light of what's been taken from them).
Rapists typically aren't reported, aren't caught, aren't tried or convicted, and often become repeat offenders.
I want the job that administers justice to these males(not men...because they aren't, at least not anymore). Islamic countries have a very simple solution(and thus, a very effective deterrent). If you are found guilty of rape, family members of the victim carry out the exectution of the convicted. No last second stays of execution or pardons...bye bye mister rapist. Again, yes, I understand that everyone is innocent until proven guilty, but this sort of crime going unpunished as it often does in INEXCUSABLE. We err on the side of caution, some of the studies say, but on whose side? Certainly not the victims. Apparently, our criminal justice system considers it more costly to wrongfully convict someone of such a crime and have to pay that person money for the system's failure than to fail the victims in either protecting them before or after they are victimized.
I know women that were victims of such crimes and I remember one of them telling me how guilty she felt. Why should she feel guilty? It wasn't her fault! It was that...thing's fault! Yet this seems to often be the case.
These are the sort of things that make me question "WHY?"...that I simply have to say "I don't understand" when it comes to His Plan.
Women and children are to be protected, not victimized. I truly wish there were something I could do regarding this, but like many issues, it's bigger than what any one person can solve.
Sorry for such a serious hard subject, but there it is.
Posted by james at December 27, 2005 01:59 PM
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