More and tougher convictions for rapists
If she was unconscious, she didn’t consent.
If she was underage, she didn’t consent.
If she was threatened or otherwise coerced, she didn’t consent.
If she says she didn’t consent, she didn’t consent.
And make it illegal to presume guilt upon the victim, in the courts and in the media.
(84 votes, average: 4.77 out of 5)
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News & Speakouts
August 18th, 2008 at 1:42 am
Process all those rape kits that law enforcement can’t be bothered with.
August 18th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
I agree with susanw. There’s a huge backlog of unprocessed rape kits, and the victims of those attacks will never see justice, not will their attackers have to serve anything. the percentage of rapists that are committed is disgustingly small, due to the fact that many women are afraid to report it (because rape is the ONLY crime in which the VICTIM is presumed GUILTY), and juries rarely commit (see aforementioned reason) This needs to STOP. we need to actively pursue justice for rape survivors, especially if they are brave enough to come forward; not attack them!
August 19th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
If she was drinking, she had the right not to consent.
And it’s not law enforcement in our town - it’s prosecuting attorneys that only take the easy, cut & dry cases. =(
August 19th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Agreed about the rape kits.
I don’t want to see tougher laws on sex offenders though.
I want to see the laws we have enforced, and enforced fairly.
I want to see real justice done.
September 6th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
I think the “tougher conviction” part of this post needs clarification. Enforcement of current laws is necessary, and sadly lacking.
But only 16% of rapes are reported, because victims know that they’re the ones who will be tried and blamed for the crime.
54% of rape cases that make it to court are dismissed or end in acquittal, because of victim-blaming mentality and the exceedingly narrow definition of rape that “counts” (ie stranger jumping out of the bushes and attacking a stone-sober virgin on her way home from bible study and dressed in a tarp)
21% of convicted rapists are never sentenced to jail or prison time, and 24% receive time in local jail which means that they spend an average of less than 11 months behind bars.
I’ve read of several cases in which young children were raped and their rapists were sentenced to only 2 or 3 years.
http://sa.rochester.edu/masa/stats.php
All of the above adds up to the “conventional wisdom” that rape is rare, that victims share blame with their attackers, and that rape isn’t a serious crime.