Poll Was Anybody Convicted For Crimes Against You?

[Meadowsweet]

I never reported crimes against me.
Partly because I never fully comprehended what I went through as a crime.
Partly because I felt I would be under further threat if I reported.
Partly because I feared rejection from friends or family for reporting it and 'causing trouble'.
Partly because I feared being blamed by police/society.

Currently I quite often like to watch reality TV about police. Sometimes it helps me see that there is a society out there who think that the things that happened to me do matter, and are criminal.

 

[piratelady]

I have never reported the physical abuse. The thought of divulging details was just too much. Also, I felt as though I deserved it, so why punish him for something I deserved? Now I see the flaw in my thinking, but it is in the past.

Last year, I did send my ex back to jail. His drinking was out of control and I was very afraid. He had been convicted of a DUI (drunk driving) and was on probation. I called his probation officer and reported his drinking so they took him away for a few days. Unfortunately, he was even more angry when he got out of jail.

 

[Whitneys story]

Yes, But it had no result as he did not spend a day in jail. Money talks and he just paid the fines and continued. Restraining orders are worthless.

You are worth validating the crime! Hugs Whitney

 

[anthony]

Kind of surprised nobody raised this before... good topic.

 

[Nicolette]

Yes I have reported crimes on more than one occasion. Some were reported to the medical association concerned and they were rep-remanded and counseled but not convicted.

An ex was convicted but appealed and, while the second judge said he was guilty, but to a lesser extent, and the first judge had ruled that out giving the harsher conviction, it fell under double jeopardy so he walked free. The system here in Australia sucks when it gets serious IMHO.

I could actually vote for two of the responses based on my life experiences - Yes and also No but it was reported.

 

[Srain]

Yes and no. By the time I was old enough to comprehend the extent of the crime and that I had a case the statute of limitations had expired on the first one. The abduction/rape I never reported.

I reported the physical abuse to several authorities but ended up leaving town in total fear for my life.

 

[Lionheart]

When I first told a detective that I was being abused, I was about 13 years old and he told me that I had no evidence and that I shouldn't make such serious allegations without proof. When I talked to detectives, decades after the fact, I was told that without any evidence the most that would happen is that one of the perps would get a slap on the wrist, if I was lucky and so I decided not to pursue it. So the answer is no.

 

[NIKI]

As a child and teen, I never even thought I could tell anyone. Even my best friend didn't know what went on in my house.

My parents should have been arrested for what they did. Us children should have been removed from the home.

My husband is the first person I told after years of already being married.

 

[Mica]

This is a difficult one for me because my abuser was a police officer who I worked with.

The first time I reported him, it was to my line manager, but nothing was done about it and I was told to keep quite and put up with it. The second time I reported him was to the police professional standards department. They investigated and presented the case to the crown prosecution service, but they refused to prosecute him saying it was not in the public interest to prosecute a police officer, even though the evidence was overwhelming. So an internal hearing was held with me giving evidence and he was found guilty and sacked.

So no he was not actually convicted in a court of law, but he was found guilty in an internal hearing. I don't believe he was actually really punished though because during the wait for the hearing his retirement time came so he would have left the police force anyway.

 

[The Albatross]

I didn't vote because I have both "No's"... thinking about it a lot had to do with lack of action on the ones I did report, and at times, I was so low, I didn't even try anymore..

 

[KP the nut]

My trauma was a car crash, so is different, from abuse.

The police did have a good case against the truck driver who caused the crash. However, the public prosecution service decided in their infinite wisdom that it was 'not in the public interest' to bring charges.

It still makes me so angry, the truck driver gets away with it and can continue with his life and job - :mad::mad::wtf:

 

[Loner]

No. I never reported anything. My parents are awful people, but I don't really think it will help anyone to send them to start that process. My mother, and possibly my father, sexually abused me, but I don't really think they would do it to anyone else besides their own children. I could be wrong, but I just don't see that happening. In fact, I don't think they will ever have the kind of power over anyone that they had over me again. I am still mad at them, but I pity them and don't think any sort of punishment or stigma will be good for anyone. I'd rather no one else know, not because I'm ashamed, but because being the victim of abuse is not how I wish to define myself in other people's eyes.