News Prison Sentences?

[Springer80]

@Notsowild, my heart goes out to you. 7 months per child for blighting their lives is outrageous. As if being abused by a parent doesnt make a child feel worthless enough sentences like that just confirm that society and the judicial system just dont give a shit.

 

[mytai]

For me, the idea of going to court has never been about the sentence, but about being believed.

Yes. Thank you. My feelings exactly, I wish the police understood this - and additionally for me it is about feeling safe. A sentence doesn't keep you safe long term, it doesn't stop the hurt. Knowing you're safe and believed does wonders though.

 

[Meadowsweet]

Knowing you're safe and believed does wonders though.

I want to add that the effect of knowing that I was safe and believed would be something I could use to gain confidence and trust in people that make up society again.

 

[Echo]

@Meadowsweet and @mytai - I agree that being believed and safe (for a short period) are the most important things and something that most rape, abuse and assault victims never get. I also think that if sentences are ridiculously short, such as the ones you mentioned in an earlier post, mytai, then somehow that seems very disrespectful and minimising to the suffering of the victim. But sentences are never going to equate (for many crimes) to the pain caused to victims; they act as markers, I suppose, for how seriously society takes the crimes.

One thing I am pleased about with this case, is that there is some mention of the trauma suffered by the victims and its ongoing nature. Most of the time, this is just swept over and many people have no idea that this could possibly be the case so many years after the crimes were committed.

 

[Kas_Can_Fly]

it's what happens after prison that concerns me.

This is interesting and I agree.

Regarding rape and murder, my feelings about that are based on my personal experiences and they're not the feelings I would otherwise expect or choose. I was "murdered" (I died and came back) and although I would otherwise expect I would see little difference in the enormity of rape and murder, I have experienced a huge difference. Even though logically I'd say there's not much between them, and I would want to say that, my experience means I wouldn't say that.

Sorry if I caused offense, I don't think I meant it literally - or if I did, I hadn't thought it through, I'm quite happy to take it back. I think that both are huge crimes. Personally I feel that for my abuse, whilst 'they' didn't try to kill me physically, they did everything to kill who I was, but of course I don't have anything to compare it to, I can't imagine what you've experienced and I'm so sorry.

For me, the idea of going to court has never been about the sentence, but about being believed.

Thank you for saying this, it's true and what I desire so greatly - to be believed and validated. However on the flip side of this is my greatest fear; being called a liar, delusional or crazy, for the courts to side with my father/abusers - he's so persuasive and manipulative, he tricks everyone.

the harsher the possible penalty, the less likely juries are to convict

This is very interesting thank you. I would rather the courts convict for a short time than not at all for my father, but for one of the others - I would be too scared of his release and my future safety - in fact I'm so scared of him, I wouldn't want to take any of it to court at all. I hope that he doesn't remember me and I certainly don't want to give him cause to. He's so dangerous.[DOUBLEPOST=1399067939,1399067764][/DOUBLEPOST]

knowing that I was safe and believed would be something I could use to gain confidence and trust in people

That must be very healing. I would like that. :)

I also think that if sentences are ridiculously short, such as the ones you mentioned in an earlier post, mytai, then somehow that seems very disrespectful and minimising to the suffering of the victim.

I too agree with this - which was my response to the article I skimmed over.

 

[Hashi]

@KAS, there was no offence at all. If you're talking about how truly terrible rape is, I'm completely with you. It's just complex to look at that against something else. So, I suggest looking at it on it's own. But what you said was fine. :)