It “is the epitome of injustice” as well as “dangerous” for a judge to have given a sentence of 10 weekends in jail to a former upstate New York police officer who pleaded guilty to raping a 13-year-old girl before his forced resignation, according to a prominent advocate for child sexual abuse survivors.
“This sentence is the epitome of injustice and a dangerous nod to child sexual predators letting them know, ‘No worries, we won’t go too hard on you,’” Kathryn Robb, the national director of the Children’s Justice Campaign at the Enough Abuse organization, said on Thursday. “This little girl will be imprisoned by her memories for life, while [the rapist] loses a mere 20 days of his liberty.”
Robb, an attorney, has helped state legislatures across the US reform laws addressing child sexual abuse. She added that “rape of a child is one of the most horrendous crimes with lifelong effects on the victim”. And she maintained that the case centering on ex-Rochester, New York, police officer Shawn Jordan was unconscionable for anyone who believed in the ongoing need for stiffer criminal punishments and more substantial civil damages in instances of child molestation.
First I read that as “10 weeks” and was incensed. Then I re-read it and I think it broke me.
We have a sickness in our justice system that seems to treat those who have been in service to society as less serious sexual offenders (ie, “but look at all the good they’ve done!”). The reality is that they are worse offenders, because in addition to the sexual assault, they are abusing their position.
Better it’s 10 weekends, wouldn’t want to hurt their M-F job hunt…
I had worse punishments in high school for skipping class. He’s grounded for 10 weekends. It makes me feel literally sick.
Truly sickening. I think someone in a position of power like they were should receive a harsher sentence than the average person would have.