Comments on: How It Feels To Know He Is Behind Bars http://janedevin.com/2009/01/24/therapist/ Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:45:18 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Julia http://janedevin.com/2009/01/24/therapist/comment-page-1/#comment-10743 Julia Sun, 15 Feb 2009 07:52:31 +0000 http://janedevin.com/?p=1665#comment-10743 I have to say that it just amazes me that crimes that involve embezzlement and money are given such hefty sentences but crimes against children are not equally sentenced. But then children don't vote so?? I had a sociology professor one time that said something along the lines of when a child gets a vote then maybe things might begin to change. That didn't sound very hopeful to me. As adults I think it is our duty to speak up when we see or hear of a child that needs protection. I truly believe it's going to mainly be up to the mothers and women in our country to make this happen. I have to say that it just amazes me that crimes that involve embezzlement and money are given such hefty sentences but crimes against children are not equally sentenced. But then children don’t vote so?? I had a sociology professor one time that said something along the lines of when a child gets a vote then maybe things might begin to change. That didn’t sound very hopeful to me. As adults I think it is our duty to speak up when we see or hear of a child that needs protection. I truly believe it’s going to mainly be up to the mothers and women in our country to make this happen.

]]> By: Jane Devin http://janedevin.com/2009/01/24/therapist/comment-page-1/#comment-10742 Jane Devin Sun, 15 Feb 2009 06:19:21 +0000 http://janedevin.com/?p=1665#comment-10742 There's no protocol, Cathy. Welcome to the site. I agree with you about light sentences. I just read a case where a man received five years for raping and impregnating his 10 year old stepdaughter. Another case where a mother pleaded with authorities not to sentence the boyfriend for beating her two year-old because she needed him. I don't think society will ever accept life-no-parole for every first time offender, but I do think they would accept a better monitoring system for those who have been released. I would also like to see a law that makes it illegal without special court dispensation for a sex offender to live with children. If we had such a law, things like this may not happen as frequently: http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/met...ing_death.html There’s no protocol, Cathy. Welcome to the site. I agree with you about light sentences. I just read a case where a man received five years for raping and impregnating his 10 year old stepdaughter. Another case where a mother pleaded with authorities not to sentence the boyfriend for beating her two year-old because she needed him. I don’t think society will ever accept life-no-parole for every first time offender, but I do think they would accept a better monitoring system for those who have been released. I would also like to see a law that makes it illegal without special court dispensation for a sex offender to live with children. If we had such a law, things like this may not happen as frequently:

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/met…ing_death.html

]]> By: Cathy Quinn http://janedevin.com/2009/01/24/therapist/comment-page-1/#comment-10740 Cathy Quinn Sun, 15 Feb 2009 03:46:23 +0000 http://janedevin.com/?p=1665#comment-10740 I don't know what the protocol is here in regards to commenting on another response, but I can't keep this to myself. Anne, you said yourself the person who abused you is a 'creepy man', he was never punished for what he did to you; why would he have stopped? The chance that you were his only victim is slim to none. The chance that he is still handing out his own little form of recreation on other little girls is very great. These monsters don't stop on their own. They seldom stop even after being caught and incarcerated. Removing them from society permanently, is the only way currently available to prevent others from suffering at a monsters hands. Also the boy who was bold enough to touch you right under the nose of those who should have been protecting you, tells me he has probably moved on to bigger and more heinous acts as he matured. ````````````````````````````````````````````` As a child who's family was rocked by a sexual predator, I am all too aware of the damage these monsters wreck and the lax laws that allow them to strike again and again and again. My sister was molested repeatedly for three years between the ages 6 and 9. The perpetrator, a repeat offender, was given 12 months in a state hospital. My sister and many others like her were handed a life sentence. The only way to stop this form of child abuse is to remove the offender from society. Permanently. First offense, no second chances. I don’t know what the protocol is here in regards to commenting on another response, but I can’t keep this to myself.

Anne, you said yourself the person who abused you is a ‘creepy man’, he was never punished for what he did to you; why would he have stopped? The chance that you were his only victim is slim to none. The chance that he is still handing out his own little form of recreation on other little girls is very great.

These monsters don’t stop on their own. They seldom stop even after being caught and incarcerated. Removing them from society permanently, is the only way currently available to prevent others from suffering at a monsters hands.

Also the boy who was bold enough to touch you right under the nose of those who should have been protecting you, tells me he has probably moved on to bigger and more heinous acts as he matured.

““““““““““““““““““““““`

As a child who’s family was rocked by a sexual predator, I am all too aware of the damage these monsters wreck and the lax laws that allow them to strike again and again and again.

My sister was molested repeatedly for three years between the ages 6 and 9. The perpetrator, a repeat offender, was given 12 months in a state hospital. My sister and many others like her were handed a life sentence.

The only way to stop this form of child abuse is to remove the offender from society. Permanently. First offense, no second chances.

]]> By: Julia http://janedevin.com/2009/01/24/therapist/comment-page-1/#comment-10606 Julia Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:33:19 +0000 http://janedevin.com/?p=1665#comment-10606 Jane... I'm so sorry. For any child to be robbed of their innocence is horrific. When I first started volunteering at a shelter for battered women & abused children something stuck in my mind as being unbelievable. It's a story about a little girl named Mary Ellen Wilson. Physically, & emotionally tortured and held captive inside a little apartment for years. What is additionally horrific about this story is how a missionary woman by the name Etta Wheeler & the President of the American Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to ANIMALS (ASPCA) had to speak out on her behalf. Here's a link to the story of Mary Ellen if you are interested: http://www.americanhumane.org/about-us/who-we-are/history/mary-ellen.html and the account of what happened by her rescuer: http://www.americanhumane.org/about-us/who-we-are/history/etta-wheeler-account.html It just blows me away that there was first a group to protect animals before children. It additionally blows me away to see crimes of finance punished at greater lengths than crimes of violence. Every time I think about Martha Stewart going to jail when so many rapists & child abusers are set free it just makes me sick. I honestly don't care if she did it or not. My point is that how can we call it a "Justice System" when the punishment for crimes is not balanced at all. It's really late as I write this but I guess what I really want to say is, if you feel "called, moved, or driven to" (sorry I know you hate the cliches) to do something for these kids I really think you should! Who better than you to speak on their behalf? Actually we should all speak on their behalf! Julia p.s. I agree with you totally about BRAVO to that amazing little person that was able to speak their truth and put that guy in jail. Now that they have him perhaps they will be able to keep him there! Have you thought about contacting the parole board? Jane… I’m so sorry. For any child to be robbed of their innocence is horrific. When I first started volunteering at a shelter for battered women & abused children something stuck in my mind as being unbelievable. It’s a story about a little girl named Mary Ellen Wilson. Physically, & emotionally tortured and held captive inside a little apartment for years. What is additionally horrific about this story is how a missionary woman by the name Etta Wheeler & the President of the American Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to ANIMALS (ASPCA) had to speak out on her behalf. Here’s a link to the story of Mary Ellen if you are interested: http://www.americanhumane.org/about-us/who-we-are/history/mary-ellen.html and the account of what happened by her rescuer:
http://www.americanhumane.org/about-us/who-we-are/history/etta-wheeler-account.html

It just blows me away that there was first a group to protect animals before children. It additionally blows me away to see crimes of finance punished at greater lengths than crimes of violence. Every time I think about Martha Stewart going to jail when so many rapists & child abusers are set free it just makes me sick. I honestly don’t care if she did it or not. My point is that how can we call it a “Justice System” when the punishment for crimes is not balanced at all.

It’s really late as I write this but I guess what I really want to say is, if you feel “called, moved, or driven to” (sorry I know you hate the cliches) to do something for these kids I really think you should! Who better than you to speak on their behalf? Actually we should all speak on their behalf!

Julia
p.s. I agree with you totally about BRAVO to that amazing little person that was able to speak their truth and put that guy in jail. Now that they have him perhaps they will be able to keep him there! Have you thought about contacting the parole board?

]]> By: Anne http://janedevin.com/2009/01/24/therapist/comment-page-1/#comment-10598 Anne Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:10:18 +0000 http://janedevin.com/?p=1665#comment-10598 I was fondled repeatedly by a cousin for a number of years when I was about 7 to 11. They lived in Colorado and I hated it if they would fly in and we would have to pick them up. He would put his hands in my pants and mine in his as soon as we were in the back seat of the car. He would sleep in the livingroom floor and we couldn't even watch cartoons without him trying to touch me. I have never publicly talked about this, but you gave me the courage to do so. I told my mom years later and am still not sure if she believed me. I know he is still a creepy man as an adult and I hope I never see him again. I hope he never touched any other children in his lifetime--- I was fondled repeatedly by a cousin for a number of years when I was about 7 to 11. They lived in Colorado and I hated it if they would fly in and we would have to pick them up. He would put his hands in my pants and mine in his as soon as we were in the back seat of the car. He would sleep in the livingroom floor and we couldn’t even watch cartoons without him trying to touch me. I have never publicly talked about this, but you gave me the courage to do so. I told my mom years later and am still not sure if she believed me. I know he is still a creepy man as an adult and I hope I never see him again. I hope he never touched any other children in his lifetime—

]]> By: Jeanne http://janedevin.com/2009/01/24/therapist/comment-page-1/#comment-10597 Jeanne Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:25:29 +0000 http://janedevin.com/?p=1665#comment-10597 Jane - thank you for speaking out and having a voice for us. I wish too that I had been more brave (and my family as well) to speak out about being raped. But you are right - it was a different time and the self-protection was a much needed cloak. I, like you, won't be quiet any longer. And, I am so glad you are here....safe...to tell your stories. All of them. Jane – thank you for speaking out and having a voice for us. I wish too that I had been more brave (and my family as well) to speak out about being raped. But you are right – it was a different time and the self-protection was a much needed cloak. I, like you, won’t be quiet any longer. And, I am so glad you are here….safe…to tell your stories. All of them.

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