Monday, July 23, 2012

Victimizing the victims - instead of the perpetrators . . .

I am a survivor of Sexual Assault, which in most states in a first degree felony.  My now late husband used power, privilege and money every step of the way to fight from having the light of truth shined on his miserable soul. At every turn he used the courts against me to keep me from having any real closure or protection from his ongoing actions.  Six some odd years ago he died while fighting our divorce. He was found in contempt of court repeatedly for violations of retraining orders, failure to appear and continuing to stalk me. He didn't even get a slap on the wrist.  His death was the only closure I got.  I had to find out about it second hand.  My lawyer who'd been notified by the court that the divorce was dismissed because Earl died didn't bother to contact me. A Friend called to let me know when she heard from one of my husband's friends that he had died.

I've often said rapists and sexual predators should be put to death.  But you know, I'm not completely sure about that anymore, because frankly, Earl got off easy and "escaped" for now, the consequences of his actions.

Regrettably, we live in a rape culture.  Where rapists, and sexual predators are protected while their victims continue to get victimized.

Recently a young woman in Kentucky was sexually assaulted and had pictures of her assault spread to the four winds BY THE two men that committed the assault.  It took a year to get the matter into court, and rather than fighting the charges and getting a real sentence, they made a plea arrangement with the court to get what amounts to a slap on the wrist. Outraged, she tweeted their names and what had happened.

So guess who is likely to wind up in jail? The victim!

Savannah Dietrich, 17-Year-Old Sexual Assault Victim, Faces Charge For Naming Attackers

Once again the victim being victimized instead of the perpetrators.  So I did some digging, and managed to catch more of the information and most importantly, the names and pictures of the two CONVICTED SEX OFFENDERS that attacked Savannah.

First up we have Austin Zehnder of Kentucky:


Austin Zehnder - Convicted Of First Degree Sexual Assault, A Felony.
Don't you just love those eyes? That winning smile? The hardened chiseled features? Ruggedly handsome or lifelong sociopath.  My money is on the later.

Next up we have Will Frey III also of Kentucky:

Will Frey III - Convicted Of First Degree Sexual Assault, A Felony.
Another award winning specimen of humanity here.  These men Sexually Assaulted Savannah in Kentucky and posted PICTURES of the act electronically. They violated a young woman without her consent for their own deviant needs and BRAGGED about it to friends and online.  They were convicted of First Degree Sexual Assault, A FELONY and given a slap on the wrist while Savannah, rightfully upset and violated may go to jail for letting the world know who these men are?  By a FEMALE judge no less.

Once again, Victimizing the victims instead of the perpetrators. Way to go America.  Savannah, we are your sisters and we stand with you.

3 comments:

  1. I suspect that when these two sexual predators turn 18, their records will be sealed, so no one will know what they are. Nope, no sexual predator registry for them, because they're juveniles, so apparently that makes it okay.

    This is the world we live in, even in these so-called "enlightened" times... women and girls are expected to just shut up and take it, while men and boys can hide behind the old adage, "boys will be boys".

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  2. Great post, Samantha. Thanks for posting their pictures. I have compassion for all humans, including these misled and misogynist boys. But this public shaming is what any potential rapist should fear, that they might consider the consequences of abusing women.

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  3. Thank you for the comments. I wrestled with this post a bit, because as a Buddhist I'm loath to cause, or be the cause of, anyone else's suffering. As a survivor of Rape and Domestic violence I know all to well how easy it is for men to skate in the first place. So I never said I was a perfect Buddhist, and frankly it's clear these two stood the chance of "getting away with it" with nothing more than a slap on the wrist and sealed records.

    With the internet we, I, had the golden opportunity to see to it that their past could haunt them some, so that they would have to wrestle with what had happened, what they had DONE to a woman without her consent. So that years from now, it would come back to haunt them. I think it only fair there be some kind of balance for the ongoing suffering their victim is going to have to live with the rest of her life.

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