Tag Archive for assault

We All Deserved It

September 28, 2018 Comments Off on We All Deserved It

I AM OUTRAGED!

Whomever is telling the truth, Christine Blasey Ford or Brett Kavanaugh, is NOT the issue. The Senate Judiciary Committee has treated both of them unfairly.

Ms. Ford was not allowed to present witnesses who would be subpoenaed to substantiate her claims under direct questioning  and oath. Yes, some submitted short statements, but, as any attorney will tell us, that doesn’t bring out as many facts that in-person, under-oath questioning does.

Judge Kavanau may have benefited from those witnesses, because they may have contradicted each other or said something to prove his side when under the heat of direct questioning. He, too, did not present in-person witnesses which could have bolstered his side of the story.

On both sides, a thorough FBI investigation would have uncovered truths, half-truths, and inconsistencies. Or a history that made one or the other or both suspect. That’s their job–the job they’ve done for accusations made in past nominations. But the Judiciary Committee decided to take on most of that task themselves.

Remember that this is a committee that is supposed to be non-politically biased, like a court. Yet they were drowning in political accusations, blame, and verbal fights. Both sides had political motives. So how could they make an unbiased decision, especially without knowing the whole story that an FBI investigation would foster?

Why are both parties being harmed? Neither has actually had their day in court. Neither is vindicated. Neither has had their good name cleared. Both have had themselves and their families go through a demeaning experience in these hearings. These are people, not pawns.

And our country loses, because we’ve added a person to the highest, most important, citizen-protecting court in our land who will always be surrounded by a cloud of suspicion as he makes serious decisions that affect our lives.

Why would a delay of a couple of weeks–with a vote still before the November elections–have been a bad thing?  Both of these people, and America, deserved it!

 

Uncategorized , , , , , , , , , ,

In Defense of Sexual Predators

December 4, 2017 Comments Off on In Defense of Sexual Predators

I hate to say it, but these guys being accused of sexual assault and misconduct MAY have a defense strategy, saying it was acceptable behavior “back then.”  I’m talking about accusations of events happening decades ago, not ones in the relatively recent past (but someone would have to define that). It definitely isn’t right or moral, but that could very well be set aside.

It happened to me—the butt pats, uncomfortable arm around me, “accidental” breast-brushing, off-color comments about my appearance.  But who could I complain to? Our male boss or his male boss? The men who observed and laughed about it? It wasn’t illegal, so the police would tell me it was just boys being boys, that they were showing their affection for and acceptance of me as a colleague, and I should be a good sport.  Problem is, the attitude I attribute to the police was, in general, society’s attitude at that time.

I’m not trivializing what any woman has gone through.  As I said, I’ve been there and know how it feels and the awkward, even professionally precarious position it puts a woman in.  But I foresee lawyers arguing their clients’ cases, with the spin they’ll likely put on it.  And the greater the number of older men who are accused, the easier the spin.

Let this be a warning to all “good old boys,” which, thankfully, are no longer the majority of men: times have changed, so be a good sport about it and change your ways.

 

Uncategorized , , , , , , , , , ,

Why Do We Say That?

September 27, 2016 Comments Off on Why Do We Say That?

Today I’d like to look at some terms that don’t make sense to me, ones we use to soften the real meaning (why?)   Yet we all use them.

Pass away:  I’ll accept this one for the sake of loved ones, although most people don’t slowly and gently “pass” into death.

Gentleman’s club:  Come on–it’s a strip joint!  A gentleman, in the old sense of the word–and it IS an old fashioned concept–wouldn’t be caught passing away in such a place.

Assaulted:  This is a blanket term for everything from a mugging to a groping of a woman’s breast to rape.  I don’t like it because it minimizes the violent crime of rape.  Yes, they’ll eventually call a rape a “sexual assault,” which still diminishes the crime.  Rape is rape!

Touched inappropriately:  No, she was groped or had some other physical advance perpetrated on her against her will.  “Touched” sounds so gentle, and “inappropriately” sounds like there’s an appropriate way to do it.

Near miss:  Not really.  The two airplanes nearly collided.  If it was a near miss, they would have crashed into each other.  But barely missing something makes us more comfortable than almost becoming vulture food.

Okay.  I’ll climb off my stack of dictionaries–for now.

 

 

 

 

Uncategorized , , , , ,

Children in Adult Prisons

July 6, 2015 Comments Off on Children in Adult Prisons

Kids in adult prisons?  Yes, in 2013 there were 6,000+ in the U.S.  These kids have few appropriate services or support as they experience sexual assault, beatings, and psychological torture.  They are more likely to try suicide than kids detained in non-adult prisons, and once they get out are 77% more likely to commit crimes.  This does NOT sound like a way to rehabilitate them–and they’re at the age when they are very able to change.  Nor is it a way to get them ready for a productive adult life on the outside.

Read more at the Credo website.  While you’re there, sign their petition to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, which simply reads, “The Department of Justice must immediately launch an investigation into the practice of trying and jailing children as adults.”

 

 

Uncategorized , , , , , , , , , ,

“That’s Terrible” (Wink, Wink)

August 1, 2014 Comments Off on “That’s Terrible” (Wink, Wink)

I’m not surprised that Ray Rice assaulted his fiancé (now wife) or that the NFL is letting him off with a slap on the back, er, I mean, on the wrist.  A look at the history of NFL game suspensions (rather than kicking them off the team) shows that these Good Old Boys think that violence is a healthy part of the sport—or is it a sport in itself?  Consider these suspensions:

Felony aggravated assault on your fiancé/wife = 1 -2 games

Assault on a former roommate = 3 games

Alleged sexual assault in a nightclub = 4 games

Altercation with a bodyguard = 4 games

Attacking a stripper and threatening a security guard, or DUI that killed someone = 16 games

Participating in a “bounty” = 3 – 16 games

Illegal hits on opposing players during a game = 1 – 2 games

Shooting self in the leg = 4 games [my personal favorite]

Participating in dog fighting = 2 games

DUI = 2 – 3 games

Multiple DUIs and other incidents = 32 games

Involvement with steroids or tattoos = 6 games

For a more offenses and penalties, see the chart at CBS.com.

By the way, Commissioner’s Roger Goodell and the league’s excuse for Rice’s mild penalty is that they have to go by precedent.  I guess reason and justice don’t count, especially if the offender wins games for you.

 

 

 

Uncategorized , , , , , , , , ,

OK to Abuse Military Women

September 9, 2013 Comments Off on OK to Abuse Military Women

It’s okay to abuse women in the military.  That’s the attitude I get out of recent statistics from the Department of Veterans Affairs records looking at women returning from duty in Afghanistan and Iraq: one fifth of them experienced sexual trauma, as measured by screening tests.  And the V.A. admits that there are very likely more, since so many women, uncomfortable with the V.A., don’t seek treatment there and, therefore, are not counted in the statistics.

Of course, many assaults aren’t reported.  Would you, knowing that the people you report to you (above you in rank) will be skeptical or that you might face retaliation?  How will your career be affected? is a reasonable—and common—question victims ask  themselves.

For a clearer explanation of what these women face, read the Center for Public Integrity article at http://www.publicintegrity.org/2013/09/05/13317/one-fifth-female-veterans-iraq-afghanistan-show-signs-sexual-trauma.

Then urge your lawmakers to do something about it by cosponsoring H.R. 1593, the STOP Act. (A quick, easy way to do so is through the American Association of University Women’s site–just click on http://salsa4.salsalabs.com/o/50796/p/dia/action/public/index.sjs?action_KEY=8324.)

Uncategorized , , , , , ,

Military Sexual Assault

April 19, 2013 Comments Off on Military Sexual Assault

I was startled by the number of sexual assaults in the military and how they’re handled.  Read this article by Lisa Maatz, AAUW Director of Public Policy and Government Relations, then do something about it (click on links).

Bear with me for a moment as I share some numbers:

  • More than 200,000 women are in the active-duty military, making up 14.5 percent of the active-duty force.
  • Nearly 3,200 cases of sexual assault in the military were reported in 2010, yet the Department of Defense estimates the actual number of assaults to be at least 19,000 since most cases are never reported.
  • Of the sexual assault cases reported to military officials, only 8 percent of the attackers in those cases were prosecuted in the military court system – compared with 40 percent of similar offenders prosecuted in the civilian court system.

Eight percent. And even if the military justice system convicts a perpetrator of sexual assault, the perpetrator’s commander, someone with no legal training whatsoever, can throw out that conviction at their own discretion – even the president of the United States cannot overturn their decision.

Yesterday I stood with two of our nation’s veterans as they recounted their experiences with sexual assault in the military. When Kelly Smith first reported her assault at age 19, investigators interrogated her for eight hours and accused her of lying. Although her attacker eventually signed a confession, Smith says he never appeared before a court martial and instead retired with full honors and benefits.

I also stood next to Jeremiah Arbogast, a retired Marine Corps member, who told his story from a wheelchair. He was left a paraplegic after his failed suicide attempt – a desperate action he took after he was sexually assaulted by a fellow Marine. As Arbogast said, we still have the world’s finest fighting force – but it is being threatened by too many sexual predators who are protected and allowed to stay in the military.

I joined these truly courageous veterans and our congressional champions on Capitol Hill yesterday to call for passage of the Sexual Assault Training Oversight and Prevention Act, or STOP Act, which would create an independent, professional office within the military to investigate, and prosecute sexual assault, instead of leaving the decisions in the hands of commanders who can act at their own discretion. The STOP Act would still keep the authority over sexual assault cases in the military—just not in the hands of individual commanders who are not trained to handle these cases. AAUW believes the result will be the kind of confidential and thorough investigative process necessary in the face of such crimes.

Join me in urging your representative to cosponsor the STOP Act and fundamentally change how sexual assault is handled in the military. 

We have to do something about those numbers I mentioned. We have to do something to prevent experiences like those of Kelly Smith and Jeremiah Arbogast from happening again. Urge your representative to cosponsor the STOP Act (H.R. 1593) today. 

 

 

 

Uncategorized , , , , ,