Rape. It may not be fatal, but it can be for the mind and spirit. But what is unseen by the naked eye does not matter to a detective. Nor does it to the district attorneys. So I sit here. In my defeat. Left to wonder why it is that I have to feel punished for speaking out about my childhood sexual abuse. I spoke. I gathered the info. The possible witnesses. The strength.
It wasn't enough.
My emotional scarring is there. It will always be there till I physically die. The images of my small child body being raped, and abused, will always be there. They encourage victims to speak out. But only if it has just happened. They will have DNA evidence then. But if it's years later than what does it matter? To anyone besides the victim?
The statute of limitations was pushed back 30 years from the abuse or when the victim turns 18. I was well within the limits. But for what? What's the point of pushing them back if the victim won't have evidence? It makes no sense. And if there had been evidence like a hospital record of abuse, then it would have been taken care of then. Not 20 years later. So, again, why? Was it just to appease the many who spoke out enough about it? And that's it. No further progression?
“law enforcement officers and prosecutors are not fully trained on the nature of these crimes or how best to investigate and prosecute them.”
But they should be. What is being done to make sure that they will be? The emotional toil an investigation takes on a victim is heavy. To feel unheard, and not believed is crushing.
It took me 22 years to report. To even find the courage to even think it.
It wasn't enough.
My emotional scarring is there. It will always be there till I physically die. The images of my small child body being raped, and abused, will always be there. They encourage victims to speak out. But only if it has just happened. They will have DNA evidence then. But if it's years later than what does it matter? To anyone besides the victim?
The statute of limitations was pushed back 30 years from the abuse or when the victim turns 18. I was well within the limits. But for what? What's the point of pushing them back if the victim won't have evidence? It makes no sense. And if there had been evidence like a hospital record of abuse, then it would have been taken care of then. Not 20 years later. So, again, why? Was it just to appease the many who spoke out enough about it? And that's it. No further progression?
“law enforcement officers and prosecutors are not fully trained on the nature of these crimes or how best to investigate and prosecute them.”
But they should be. What is being done to make sure that they will be? The emotional toil an investigation takes on a victim is heavy. To feel unheard, and not believed is crushing.
It took me 22 years to report. To even find the courage to even think it.
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