What does it say about society? What does it say when we live in a society where
By nowment
@nowment (1756)
United States
April 1, 2007 3:30pm CST
a rapist gets off with suspended sentences, or only doing a couple of months in jail? When women who are victimized find no justice, only blame, and shame?
I have spoken to those who have served time, not for rape but for other crimes, they say that there is nothing worse than a rapist, that a rapist will have a very difficult time in prison, since the other prisoners are "out to get them"
Maybe the shorter jail time is because they are often under attack by fellow inmates in prison, more likely the short jail time is due to the fact that men are the ones deciding the sentence for this crime.
But what does it say about society when the only ones who have any real regard for a woman victimized by rape are those criminals who are doing time for murder, and various acts of violence and other crimes?
What does it say when the only people who think a woman should have justice for the crime against her are in fact criminals, and yet upright, proper socieity still looks down on her?
3 people like this
2 responses
@lonewoulfe (585)
• Philippines
11 Apr 07
Woot. You surely does deliver the big questions. You're observations are painful truth, no matter how one country declares to be proponents of womens welfare & cause. One of the saddest fact are that this are one those laws concerning womens plight on offenses of these magnitude, are even outdated & often times dont go as fast to become laws in itself let alone how its implemented.
But one of the biggest stumbling block with regards to these type of offenses in women is the cooperation itself from the victim, its really daunting for the victim to characterize the events, especially the idea of ensuing deliberations of going to public.
@nowment (1756)
• United States
12 Apr 07
I agree, it is daunting for the victim to come forward, because she is subject to a second assault in the physical exam, where two cops, usually male or at least one male, the doctor, male, orderly male, and two nurses, usually female not always, are present, so now she is laid out spread out, and examined in a way that is even more intimate than any she recieces from her ob-gyn, and then after that she has to report and tell what happened in this room full of people, then be subject to questions that border on accusations, as if she herself was at fault for what happened.
IT then progresses from there and often the cops are on the side of the attacker not the victim. She can be harrassed, and hounded as a witness, but they need to be careful as to how you talk to the accused, can't upset him.
Then the court date if it ever comes to that is continuously post poned to protect his rights but hers are ignored.
And with each time she is due to go to court she is again subject to a questioning that borders on if not is subject to out right accusations.
1 person likes this
@sunshinelady (7609)
• United States
26 Apr 07
It is sad but true. The rapist does not get the punishment that they truly need to be given. I truly believe it is because most of the time the man is the one who is giving out the punishment. Some men still think that women ask for it when they are raped. No women should ever be raped for whatever reason a man comes up with. All though women have come a long way we still are not treated right. What it says about society is that the population outside of the prisons are cold hearted people. With no empathy and are not sensitive to the women that has been raped. It is very sad!
1 person likes this
@nowment (1756)
• United States
27 Apr 07
I have to agree it is sad, and it makes me wonder.
I know that women and women's rights, and even women's rights over this issue have come a long way, but still it is not enough.
Until the punishment fits the crime, and until people are better educated on this subject it is going to continue.
The saddest thing I have heard wasn't a man thinking that "she asked for it" but hearing that kind of crap from a woman.
