April Reign

Speak your mind even if your voice shakes

sexual assault

Our Glorious Dead

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In times of war we are called upon to honour our glorious dead. Our Glorious Dead

Indeed the memory of the fallen is used to raise our collective patriotic ire at anyone who does not support any military action. This has become known colloquially as “not supporting the troops.”

It does not matter if the cause they were fighting is just. If the people they killed were innocent. If the war they fought a sham. Honour must be paid.

Compare this to the all too common occurrence of women being killed by partners or strangers. Too often in both courts of justice and courts of opinion these women’s memories are not honoured but desecrated.

Excuses are made, she provoked him, she was dressed or acted provocatively or was a sex worker, she was out alone at night, she was the violent one. [Read more…] about Our Glorious Dead

Children and Sexual Assault

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Three stories are on the CTV site just now. ((Scout Volunteer| Peter Whitmore| Victim resisted death threats )) Each story details a violation of a child’s life.

Often sexual assault is spoke of in hushed tones, sometimes more so if the victim is male. I think perhaps homophobia comes into play, both in a child’s willingness to report and in the way they are treated.

Sexual assault steals something special from a child, not the much referred to ‘innocence’ but their trust. In some ways a child requires trust for their very survival. They must trust as infants that they will be fed and cared for. As young children they must trust that parents will be there to help, to care, to chase monsters. Teenagers trust that their parents will come to place trust in them, but also that they can be trusted to say no when necessary.

That trust is almost irretrievably broken by sexual assault. The perpetrator has in many instances set up a situation where they can accuse the child of playing a part in their own assault. Children are often lured by alcohol or candy or promises of going places parents wouldn’t allow. It is human nature for children to want to explore these things. It is completely natural for them to be curious about sex. But it is always an adults responsibility to not step over the line or to use curiosity as an excuse to abuse. [Read more…] about Children and Sexual Assault

Community Service for sexual assault?

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Reading between the lines of this story it would appear he raped this young woman which resulted in her “bleeding profusely”.

Defence had asked for unconditional discharge to allow him to serve in Afghanistan. Do we really want to export our sexual criminals to other countries?

What he did end up with was “18 months probation and a $1,500 fine, which will be paid to a community organization that assists sexual assault victims.”

Oh well no harm no foul, eh?

The Crown had requested a prison sentence of two years less a day.

At his sentencing, Boulet asked his victim and his family to forgive him.

The victim, who name is protected under the law, has maintained that if Boulet had said sorry earlier and had shown some respect after the incident, the situation wouldn’t have ended up in court.

The assault took place in June 2004, at a birthday party held at the victim’s family home. Boulet had drunk too much to drive and decided to spend the night at the house.

During the night, he sexually assaulted the 18-year old woman, who was too drunk to give consent. After the assault, Boulet reportedly asked the young woman, who was bleeding profusely, to not talk about what happened.

The Department of National Defence will have the final word on whether Boulet is allowed to stay in the Canadian Forces.

CBC