Friday, June 5, 2009

Is This Really Enough? - UPDATED

UPDATE BELOW.

I was reading my local paper and came across an article that disturbed me greatly, for a number of reasons, which will become clear beginning with the title of the article: "Ex-Teacher Gets 5 Years For Sex With Teen." My first thought was, "5 years? FIVE? That's it? For having sex with a teenager?" Then I thought, "Well, just how old WAS this teen with whom the teacher had sex?" The answer: 14. She was 14 years old, and yes, she was his student. The teacher was 38. And this happened in the county next to me.

Wow. I imagine teachers everywhere just cringe when they hear about stories like this. Parents, too, I expect. And especially the latter when the child who was sexually assaulted says things like this:
The victim asked the judge not to give him the maximum sentence because he was a nice man.

Holy smokes. "A nice man." Hardly. Her father didn't think so, either. This was his response:
Her father then told the judge that his daughter was emotionally and psychologically scarred and that Judy had a power over her, Strickland said. (Strickland is the spokeswoman for that court district.)

I think we can agree that it goes without saying that the child is "emotionally and psychologically scarred..."

At least Judy acknowledged what he had done:
Judy admitted during the hearing to having sex with the girl, who was 14 at the time, and said he knew what he did was wrong, Strickland said.

I suppose that's something. Better than him insisting the girl was lying, I guess.

Here's the thing - this man COULD have gotten up to 20 years in prison. He has affected this child's life in ways the extent of which cannot possibly known for years to come. Here are the legal particulars:
Tracy Lee Judy, 38, pleaded guilty to criminal solicitation of a minor and two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor during an emotional hearing that included testimony from the 15-year-old victim and her father.

Circuit Judge Perry Buckner sentenced Judy to five years in prison and two years probation upon completion of the prison sentence. He also will be on the sex offender registry for life.

Five years in prison, two on probation. That just does not sound like enough to me. And yes, I know he will have a tough time in prison. No doubt, he will be in Protective Custody. That may, or may not, save him. Inmates have their own codes, after all (I worked with prisoners, both men and women, and had the Protective Custody Unit as part of my duties, so I do actually have some experience with that. I just didn't want you to think I was writing, "words, just words." Ahem.).

Oh, and there is one other little piece of this:
Judy tried to kill himself by overdosing on painkillers on May 10, the night before his trial was to begin. In a four-page suicide note, Judy described himself as a mentally ill Gulf War veteran struggling with "panic anxiety disorder, depression, agoraphobia and other undetermined social disorders."

As part of his sentence, Judy must receive counseling through Veterans Affairs, Strickland said.

Let me say right off the bat that I have no doubt whatsoever Judy is experiencing those symptoms. No doubt. And it is terrible the long-lasting effects too many of our men and women in uniform carry with them after their service is done. Too many denied or ignored or minimized by the very entity that sent them in. That being said, it is NOT an excuse for this man to sexually assault this child. Good that he is going to get counseling - clearly he needs it, as the list above indicates, as does the "undetermined social disorders," though I think we have a BIT of a clue as to what ONE of those is, and it is no longer "undetermined": child sexual molestation.

That girl is going to need therapy, too. Probably her parents will also have to participate. Even still, that girl's life will never, never be the same again. Never.

How does this happen? The paper the next day had an article announcing that "Violent Crime Is Down 12%," but rape is up. I'm sorry, but when, exactly, did rape not qualify as a "violent crime"???

This can happen because this kind of mindset is cumulative. You rank rape below, say, bank robbery; have a president make a huge speech abroad in which he minimizes women's rights and human rights ("Yo, Bitches, Wear That Hijab," and "Cairo: The Emptiness Of Obama's Rhetoric" address that issue nicely); and a teacher who gets all of 5 years for repeated sexual molestation of a 14 year old girl. That is some message here in the Good Ol'U.S. of A. to women, isn't it? (I have also written about the use of rape as war tactic, and the treatment of women in other countries numerous times before, but this time, my focus is closer to home.)

Judy gets 5 years in prison, probation, and on the Sex Offender Registry for sexually assaulting this child. And the girl gets life without parole.

UPDATE: Add to this the DISTURBING story of David Watson, a man from Alabama who, ON HIS HONEYMOON, murdered his wife while scuba diving in Australia. He confessed to manslaughter. Wanna guess how much time he got for murdering his new bride? One year. I said, ONE YEAR. One year in prison for killing his wife.

Like I said throughout the Primary and Election Seasons (for instance, HERE and HERE), the treatment of women by those in the media, and those in politics, made it quite clear that it was open season on women. We are seeing the effects of that writ large. And it is disturbing beyond belief.

By the way, friends, I am in my hometown for the next week helping with my mom. I may not get to post every day, but I will try. And Mom is doing somewhat better as she prepares to go to a Skilled Nursing Facility this coming week. Thanks for the support you have already shown me. I appreciate it.

4 comments:

SFIndie said...

I just don't even know what to say about any of this. 5 years for raping a 14-year-old? 1 year for murdering a bride of 11 days? I am speechless. I am horrified. Where is the outrage? The MSM can glorify The Pretender for making a speech about how important it is to protect a woman's right to wear a hajib (nothing, of course, about a woman's right NOT to) and yet rape and murder....no big deal. We're only into the 6th month of the HOPE! and CHANGE! era. I don't know how much more hope and change I can take.

On another note, I wish you all the best with your mom. My siblings and I are going through the same thing with our mother. She's stage 2 dementia (rapidly progressing to stage 3), is currently in a board & care, but we are soon to be out of money so she's going to have to go to a Medi-cal facility. And Medi-cal does NOT make it easy, so to help a little we have to get the doctor to come up with a reason to put her in the hospital, then the hospital can transfer her to a SNF, and then to a Medi-cal Nursing Home. Yep, this fabulous country of ours places a high regard on its women and seniors. All part of the Hope! and Change!

I never was this cynical. Seems to have happened about the same time I became an Independent.

Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy said...

SF,

It truly is shocking how women are regarded in this country now. It sure makes Obama's "feel free to wear hijabs!" more telling, doesn't it? And not for religious reasons - lots of women wear different coverings depending on their religion - but for the message it sends.

Like giving someone ONE YEAR for murder. Hey, it was only a woman, after all, SF. Blech. Yeah, I think I've had as much "hope" and Change" as I can take, too.

And still, so many people keep smoking that "hopium"...It's disturbing to say the very least...

Oh, SF, I am sorry to hear abt your mother. That must be so difficult for you - watching your dear mother decline, and so rapidly, and then having to jump through all of these convoluted hoops to get her the help she needs...My heart goes out to you and your siblings. I am so sorry you are having to deal with that hardship on top of what is happening to your mother medically..Know that I am thinking of YOU, too, and sending energy your way...

You know - one of the best things abt ever having started this blog thing is getting to know peope like you, and your beautiful cat, too! Thanks, SF!

SFIndie said...

Can I just tell you, Rev, what an amazing person I think you are? You give so much to everyone - it shows through on this site. Thank you for your kind words and support of my family, and know that I send you the same!

If you're ever in S.F. please let me know...would be fantastic to meet you.

Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy said...

Wow, SF - thank you! Such kind words! I truly appreciate your saying so - it means a lot to me!

Are you kidding? That would be FANTASTIC!!! I would love to meet you and your beautiful boy! I've only been to SF once and would love to come back there (was looking at it for this summer, but it might have to wait until next year). I'll sure keep you posted.

And thanks again - you are too kind!