I do not know why you keep on bringing the importance of victims to report to r*pe to protect the next possible victims, and I quote " for the good of us all" . r*pe victims should report a r*pe because they are victims of a crime, and the r*pist should be punished for that crime. They should never in any way or form be left thinking that if they do not report it they are in a way being complicit with the r*pist. I admire immensely the people that have the courage to speak up and that demand justice. The fact that they are helping us all, should be commended. But i do not think at all women should feel pressed to speak up about their horrible experience just to protect some hypothetical future victims.
And in the case of Carre is even more glaring, she would not have a chance in hell against her r*pist, he would simply crush her, i cannot understand how anyone has the heart to criticise her decision.
Why? Because keeping dangerous predators off the streets is important to me.
The meaning of “good of us all” should be obvious. There are two reasons that people go to jail. To pay for their crime AND to keep them off the streets to protect society. That’s why it’s called the “possibility”, not “guarantee”, of parole. In order to get parole inmates have to convince the parole board that they are no longer a threat to society. It’s also why murder crimes are tried whether the victim’s family presses charges or not. It’s for the protection of society…”the good of us all”. Every time a criminal is prosecuted it’s not only for the victim, but for all the possible future victims. It most certainly isn't fair that a woman be made to feel that her private decision could affect others, but it doesn't change the fact that her decision will definitely affect others.
It’s interesting that someone brought up Roman Polanski. He was a high profile and powerful Hollywood director and was in a position of authority over his victim because she (or her mother) wanted her to break into show business. He used that position of authority to brutally r*pe her. From the posts here, I gather most of you would have made the argument that she shouldn’t press charges because no one would believe her anyway. But the facts are they DID press charges and despite his position, and the horrible things people said about her, he WAS found guilty. The only thing that kept him from receiving his full sentence was that he fled the country. The only good I can say bout the whole mess is
at least women who know of his past would know to stay away from him and I’m sure some were spared because of it. And that would not have been the case if his victim had not pressed charges.
If a victim of r*pe chooses to press charges she MAY be called a liar, humiliated, and her attacker go free. Another possible outcome is that she is believed, her attacker is found guilty, and he is punished for that crime and many women are kept from the same horrible fate by the hands of that man. Those are both maybes. But there is one thing for CERTAIN. If a woman chooses to remain silent then her attacker will DEFINITELY go free and most likely feel more empowered to terrorize other women in the future.
The general opinion here seems to be that even the possibility of the first outcome I mentioned is scary enough to make a decision that almost ensures the third outcome. MY opinion is that sometimes unbelievably difficult (horrifying, nightmarish, unjust) decisions have to be made in order for us to have a better world. And a strong family unit is the very thing a woman needs to make that horribly difficult decision.
Unlike murder, which is automatically reported just because there’s a dead body, there will never be a law that requires women to report r*pe. But for those that muster the courage to do so, I have the utmost admiration and respect.
And with that I’ve definitely said my peace. I’ll only respond again if someone attacks me or tries to twist my words into something I didn’t mean.
