Domestic Violence

I am a prison activist.  I am against the death penalty, the imprisonment of innocent people, abuse and warehousing of prisoners.  I am not against doing your time for your crime.  I get upset when a person gets too much time but I also get upset when a person gets too little time.  The time should fit the crime in length and severity.

Domestic Violence is a case where the man gets a slap on the risk in many if not most cases.  A man can rob rape and beat his wife, live in girlfriend and/or the mother of his children and get away with it.

As far as I am concerned the man who commits domestic violence is a chicken shit and deserves hard time for his crimes.  If he is killed by his victim to me it is self defense if she is in constant fear or at the most manslaughter.

Rape, robbery, assault and other violent crimes should not be tied to who the victim is.  If the victim is “family” it should not change the charges.  Domestic Violence is thought of in many jurisdictions as a thing between the people involved and not something that the state should get involved in.  To me, that is the dumbest thing I ever heard.

 I want to put a stop to the mentality that lets the perpetrators of domestic violence to get off.  I want to put a stop to the deaths and beatings of the spouses and children. 

We also have to be careful that we do not send innocent people to prison.  There are more cases of false charges in cases of accused abuse than others crimes because the false accusation is used as a means of getting even.

Stalking laws need to be strengthened and enforced.  This includes stalking by an ex lover or spouse.  This includes stalking by men and women.

I feel that most cases of domestic violence are because of mental defect or illness.  Why can’t the person be put in prison or a mental hospital until they are no longer a threat to the victims?  Why can’t this be done for all violent crimes?  One problem is that or parole boards have a habit a paroling the criminals that should not be let out and keeping those that should be paroled in prison.  The prison system is a money making business for the guards and other prison officials.  The prison officials do not want to be successful with rehabilitation because that cuts into their income.

The system has to change.  It has to rehabilitate those who will be let out and the release of the prisoners should be based on the projected success of the rehabilitation.  This way we would stop letting out those that will be a threat to society.  If a person is still prone to violence he should not be released.

Think of the lives that could be saved if we put the violent partner out of the situation and let the victims continue their lives safely. 

One problem is that many of the victims are too afraid to do anything about it.  Now in many places even if the charges are dropped by the victim the state still pursues the case.  If they lose the violence may increase. 

There must be a way to enforce protection orders. Instead of 30 days or less maybe it should be get out of town or go to prison.

A few years ago I met a woman and found myself falling in love.  The problem was her ex.  If a strange car was in front of her house at night he would destroy it.  A male friend was nearly beat to death by him with a baseball bat.  His family threatened the man and he would not charge him.  The ex murdered a man and when he was caught he was naked.  The police could not find the clothes or anything to tie him to the crime.  He got away with murder.

She was afraid to enter into a relationship and we never got together.  I look at her picture often and wonder about her and what would have happened if I could have gotten rid of him.  I also think about her kids.  I feel that I could have helped them get through life.

Domestic Violence not only affects the victim’s present life but their futures too.  It also affects others who love them.  If there are children involved even if the violence is not directed on them it affects them.  It can make them violent or it can make them eventually strike out against the violent one.  It can turn them into killers.

If you have a case that you want to be known, please contact me.  He email for this is castleofhope@netscape.com.

Lee

© Copyright 2004 Lee W. Gaylord

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