2008 Woodie Awards
Woman's mistreatment not justice
Christin Pepple
Issue date: 2/8/07 Section: Opinions
Tampa Bay, Fl. is a beautiful vacation spot where many go to relax during Spring Break. It also happens to be a hot spot for rape victims and horribly skewed police officials.
On Jan. 30, according to CNN.com, a 21-year old woman was thrown in shackles and hurled into prison only hours after being the victim of rape and reporting it to the police. The woman was arrested because of an outstanding fine from a juvenile record, which she stated she had paid.
She was raped in the afternoon and immediately went to the police so they could take action as soon as possible. The police took her to a rape crisis center where she was administered the first two of three doses of the morning after pill, to terminate any chance of unwanted pregnancy.
She was riding in the police car afterwards to take the officers to the scene of the crime when the officers received word that the woman had a fine from a juvenile arrest. They instantly cuffed her and put her in the back of the car.
Amazingly though, this was not the only injustice served on the battered woman. The officer in charge of looking out for her while she was in the cell refused to give her the last and imperative dose of the morning after pill because of - and do take a moment to appreciate the idiocy - religious convictions.
The woman was raped, thrown in prison on the same day and refused a way to escape ruining her life, all in one afternoon, because of our justice system. Isn't justice sweet? Yes, this course of action was clearly the right way to go.
What kind of callous, emotionally-stunted pigs would do that to a person who has just been violated in the most traumatic way? Is this justice? Are a few dollars worth an unwanted pregnancy that could ruin this girl's life?
These officials are supposed to protect and serve. Instead of taking the girl to a hospital or finding someone to care for her, they threw her in prison. They worried more about her running off before paying her meager fine than finding the jackal responsible.
On Jan. 30, according to CNN.com, a 21-year old woman was thrown in shackles and hurled into prison only hours after being the victim of rape and reporting it to the police. The woman was arrested because of an outstanding fine from a juvenile record, which she stated she had paid.
She was raped in the afternoon and immediately went to the police so they could take action as soon as possible. The police took her to a rape crisis center where she was administered the first two of three doses of the morning after pill, to terminate any chance of unwanted pregnancy.
She was riding in the police car afterwards to take the officers to the scene of the crime when the officers received word that the woman had a fine from a juvenile arrest. They instantly cuffed her and put her in the back of the car.
Amazingly though, this was not the only injustice served on the battered woman. The officer in charge of looking out for her while she was in the cell refused to give her the last and imperative dose of the morning after pill because of - and do take a moment to appreciate the idiocy - religious convictions.
The woman was raped, thrown in prison on the same day and refused a way to escape ruining her life, all in one afternoon, because of our justice system. Isn't justice sweet? Yes, this course of action was clearly the right way to go.
What kind of callous, emotionally-stunted pigs would do that to a person who has just been violated in the most traumatic way? Is this justice? Are a few dollars worth an unwanted pregnancy that could ruin this girl's life?
These officials are supposed to protect and serve. Instead of taking the girl to a hospital or finding someone to care for her, they threw her in prison. They worried more about her running off before paying her meager fine than finding the jackal responsible.
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James Osborne
posted 2/09/07 @ 11:05 AM CST
Ms. Pepple,
May I be so bold to suggest that one doesn't have to travel all the way to Tampa, Florida to find law enforcement officers who violate the civil rights of those whom they have sworn to "serve and protect"? In the state of Tennessee, rape victims are routinely taken to a hospital where they are assaulted again by both police and medical staff (while collecting "evidence") during the administration of "rape kits". (Continued…)
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