I sit here in disgust after reading the “Griffin sexual assault involving minors” articles. I just cannot wrap my head around how human beings can put the victims on trial instead of the perpetrators. The questions the judges and lawyers ask, wondering if these girls were put up to making these charges and why it took them so long to come forward as well as many other accusations makes my blood boil.
Our judicial system has to become an acceptable place for victims to be able to seek help and justice. Whether you are one month or 100 years old, if you have experienced sexual assault it is something that never ever leaves you and you have to live with it each and every day for the rest of your life. Some people are able to put it aside and move on, but I believe the majority are not able to do this. Whether these perpetrators have been convicted or not, it’s still a fact.
More often than not, it is someone whom you trust rather than a stranger that attacks and now you have to convince someone that these “wonderful people” have done this to you. Not an easy task and you take the risk of not being believed and in turn, you may lose that person as someone to trust in and their trust in you as well.
Why would anyone want to take the risk of speaking out knowing the shame and hurt and humiliation that comes from reporting the crime, and then for someone to turn it around and say you’re just making it up. People who perform these acts are very sick and are also very good at lying and convincing others of their innocence.
These types of crimes are instances when I cannot go along with “innocent until proven guilty” as so many get away with these crimes. Please open your minds and look for the signs and please quit putting the victims on trial.
What do these innocent children gain from coming forward other than to be able to be believed and hopefully be able to carry on with their lives in a normal sense. Each and every case is of course different but all cases need to be heard and judged without blame.
Shirley Cox
