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View Full Version : What is wrong with the criminal justice system?


lostgirl5567
Nov 27, 2013, 04:02 PM
Okay, this is a really long story.

So I have grown up in a very abusive household. My father was a drunk and went to jail. My mother has a mental disorder. When they got divorced, my mom moved another man into our home a month after the divorce. The man strangled me in the first week he was living with us. Therefore, I became an emancipated minor when I was 17. I could not find any place that would rent to me because I was so young. So I became a live in nanny for a family. I was watching two young children. The father of the children started molesting me when I was a minor and it went on for a year. Everyday, the man molested me starting from 6:00am to the moment I went to sleep. I couldn't tell anyone because I had no one. It went on for a year and I almost commit suicide because there was no way out and I felt responsible for the children and couldn't leave them. To give you a ballpark age without getting to specific - the father was over 60.

When the man started coming into my room in the middle of the night, I started not being able to sleep. He began giving me "sleeping pills" but I question if they really were sleeping pills. One morning he told me he wanted to rape me in my sleep. After that I got so scared I told my boyfriend (we had just started dating) about what was going on. He immediately had me moved out. I bounced around from home to home for a long time because I was homeless and I couldn't stay at my boyfriends house.

Recently I've been able to get an apartment with my boyfriend and move on. I did tell the police. My problem... no one believes me. I have friends who I have known since I was in grade school turning their backs on me. The problem is that the man is involved in the school system (that's how I met him and got the nanny job). So everyone thinks he's a great guy. How do I get people to believe me? To know that id never make something like this up?

Also, the police told me they could not do anything about my situation even if the man came and confessed everything. They said that none of it happened when I was 16. Why does this matter? It was still unwanted contact! I know the age of consent is 16 - but only for someone 4 years older than you. And I didn't consent! What's wrong with the system? What should I do?

talaniman
Nov 27, 2013, 04:39 PM
So sorry for you to be so lost and without guidance. Like is tough and dangerous for the young and vulnerable. Without an adult to advocate on your behalf you have little recourse but to document and make a formal complaint, whether proper action can be taken or not. But your real issue is to find a safe place from which to slowly build from and that starts with the local health and human services office in your community.

If I knew what state or county you are in I can look it up, or you can yourself. Not sure your age at this time but child protective services can also be a good place to start getting help, or referrals to help.

Good luck and sorry for your misfortune.

PS


emancipated minor when I was 17

Runaway would be more accurate. As I cannot see you going through the court system without a child advocate or nowhere to go and no means of support.

lostgirl5567
Nov 27, 2013, 05:53 PM
So sorry for you to be so lost and without guidance. Like is tough and dangerous for the young and vulnerable. Without an adult to advocate on your behalf you have little recourse but to document and make a formal complaint, whether proper action can be taken or not. But your real issue is to find a safe place from which to slowly build from and that starts with the local health and human services office in your community.

If I knew what state or county you are in I can look it up, or you can yourself. Not sure your age at this time but child protective services can also be a good place to start getting help, or referrals to help.

Good luck and sorry for your misfortune.

PS


Quote:
emancipated minor when I was 17

Runaway would be more accurate. As I cannot see you going through the court system without a child advocate or nowhere to go and no means of support.

I actually was emancipated. It was due to extreme familial situations. The court knew that I could provide for myself financially because I proved it. As for not having anywhere to go, the court knew I was going to be a live in nanny. The man who was molesting me and his wife were my advocates. His wife is a lawyer. I already sought out counseling services - by myself though. The child services that I went to refused to help me. They said that they only assist minors. So even though this all occurred when I was a minor, I was 18 when I finally told everyone. I am 20 now and have been in counseling because of the abuse and because of the fact that I have lost so many friends who do not believe me. Is it legal to not prosecute a child molestor who admits he did it? It seems bogus to me... :-(

talaniman
Jan 10, 2014, 07:36 AM
Unless he admits it to the officers of the court, or you have witnesses that will testify to this admission, its his word against your. Bringing charges is one thing, proving it in a court of law is entirely another.

Really sorry.

Fr_Chuck
Jan 10, 2014, 08:26 AM
Your state must have the age of 16, as the age of consent. And I know it was not wanted, but I guess in the information, at what time did you tell him no. When did you tell the man, not to do anything.
What type of molesting are you talking about. It was not sex, since you talked about him telling you, he would come to room?

Was it touching ? When he actually had sex with you, what did you do or say ?

Those can make a difference in proving it in court. Or convicting him.

You were still molested and still raped, but it takes evedence and also the longer you wait after it happens, the harder to convict also.