"Jailing the Victim".....letting rapist go, blaming the victim. Editorial from Florida

[madfloridian]

Not quite ready to forget about this young lady's problems yet. I don't see much on the news today or even last night. It is like ok so the police will change their policy NOT to jail rape victims..too little too late and too much damage done.

Jailing the Victim

An apology has been made and a Tampa Police Department policy belatedly reformed. Nevertheless, last weekend's harsh handling of an apparent rape victim could set back years of progress in dealing with the devastating crime of sexual assault.

In the Tampa case, the woman reported to police that she'd been attacked Saturday. But she then was jailed for two days because of Sarasota County records that indicated that she owed restitution for a theft she committed as a juvenile.

Thankfully, a rape exam was done prior to her incarceration. But unforgivably, her second dose of emergency contraception was delayed because of jailhouse red tape, according to news reports. (The jail is operated by a different agency.)

Though the abominable sequence of events seemed to stem more from misfortune and missteps than malicious intent, the end result was clearly harmful to the woman. It also could discourage rape victims -- already plagued by stigmatization -- from reporting sexual assaults.

Not time to let this go yet.

[Canuckistanian]

1. "jailhouse red tape" my ass

Why don't they just say "fundie nutcase difficulties"?

[madfloridian]

4. Didn't you love that excuse?

The police are saying they told the jail about the pill, the jail is saying they did not have the authority. One article from USA Today said the girl was crying and begging for the pill. The lawyer says the girl was told it was the person's religious belief. Finger pointing.

Why did they keep her in jail for two days?

No one has answered that question.

[porphyrian]

2. That's so fucked up. Fucking Tampa. - n/t

[Der Blaue Engel]

3. This and the miscarriage incident reported yesterday have me very depressed

and angry. :(

[China_cat]

5. Could you link that one please

I haven't seen it and don't know where to find it. Search turns up lots of stuff but I can't tell which one you mean.

[Der Blaue Engel]

6. Here's the link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=92001&mesg_id=92001

[ceile]

7. Here's one to an article.

http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/state/16588987.htm

[madrchsod]

8. does`t surprise me-it`s florida

a friend of ours moved to florida last year and now works in medical care in florida. she has never seen anything so bad in her life. the one place she worked housed elderly,convicts,and people with all ranges of mental health issues.