When Legal System Fails Them, Some Rape Victims Go to Internet
A small but growing number of young victims who say they have been sexually assaulted are trying an unusual new tactic when the legal system—where rape cases are notoriously difficult to prosecute—fails them.
They are posting personal information and even video clips about the crimes on social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace and YouTube, where they can tell their side of the story and seek comfort and help from others, according to CNN.
The tactic can be risky, the news agency writes:
“Because anything posted on the Web is available forever through an Internet search, a rape survivor must consider how they would feel if that information were dredged up in the future, counselors said. By making themselves—or their IP address—available, victims open themselves to unreliable and unprofessional advice and the harsh judgment of their peers.
“Perhaps worst of all, they could give their perpetrator a chance to find them again or gain more satisfaction.”
A secure alternative is available, CNN notes: RAINN, the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, launched an online chat service last month that allows victims to talk with professionals without leaving a permanent record of their conversation.
However, victims dealing with the trauma of being raped may find little comfort in the legal system’s handling of their cases, the article states. One in four American women under 25 says she has been sexually assaulted, according to RAINN, but many don’t report the crime to authorities. Among those who do in Florida, for instance, fewer than 5 percent of cases make it to the prosecutor’s office, says Jennifer Dritt, who directs the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence.
“What you hear from every rape crisis center from Pensacola to Key West is that there are hardly ever any prosecutions,” she says. “Most sexual violence is acquaintance rape, and unfortunately, a lot of juries still think that if a victim had a relationship with their attacker, then they cannot be raped by that person.”
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “New Crime-Fighting Tool: ‘Jane Doe’ Rape Kits”
