Don't Show Leniency To Rapists
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Dear Judges, If You Show Leniency To A Rapist, You Support Rape

It's already hard enough to deal with rape, and it's just salt in the wound if the rapist gets off scot-free.

20
Courthouse

A recent hot topic crossed my feed: A New Jersey family court judge showed leniency to a 16-year-old teen who raped a 16-year-old girl and proceeded to broadcast it to his inner circle of friends because he believed the teen came from a "good family". Thankfully, an appeals court overturned his decision and bashed him for even considering to show leniency.

The judge, James Troiano, also defended the perpetrator's character by saying that that his grades and extracurriculars are excellent and that he would probably attend a good college in the future. Those facts are completely irrelevant to the case and Troiano's choice to show mercy based on those facts completely disregards the physical and emotional trauma the victim endured. In case you did not know already, rape is a crime, no matter the form or scale. In my opinion, rape should be considered worse than murder. It is completely possible to accidentally kill another person, in which case the perpetrator acted without malice. On the other hand, one can never accidentally rape, and rape is always done with a selfish intent to satisfy an uncontrollable libido.

Rape changes the life of each victim, and never for the better. Some victims may find it especially hard to deal with the invasion of privacy, desecration of their dignity, and the physical and emotional trauma incurred, and may never fully recover for a very long time. Any person who rapes deserves to be punished to the fullest extent by the law and be treated as an adult. So if you're a judge who believes that rape can only be done with two or more males holding the victim at gunpoint until the deed is done, your schema and understanding of what rape is are clearly screwed up. Furthermore, you are in no position to have the audacity to not just dismiss the victim's emotional and physical distress from the assault but condemn the prosecution for potentially ruining the defendant's life. This is incorrect; the rapist already ruined their life by raping that girl.

I'm personally disgusted to see rapists go unpunished by judges, especially shown in other high-profile cases. This will not only have the effect of causing the victim and their family to lose trust in the judicial system but also encourage the rapist to continue assaulting more victims as they know they can get away. This needs to stop, period. I'll say it now and I'll say it again: if you show leniency to a rapist, you support rape.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

13421
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

944094
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

121387
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lots of people sat on the cinema wearing 3D glasses
Pinterest

Ever wonder what your friend meant when they started babbling about you taking their stapler? Or how whenever you ask your friend for a favor they respond with "As You Wish?" Are you looking for new and creative ways to insult your friends?

Well, look no further. Here is a list of 70 of the most quotable movies of all time. Here you will find answers to your questions along with a multitude of other things such as; new insults for your friends, interesting characters, fantastic story lines, and of course quotes to log into your mind for future use.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments