Perspective: Men escape blame for sex crimes

For people who believe in the sanctity of life, it is important to understand the numerous complications involved in the abortion issue. There are facts that must be considered by both sides of the issue. They speak to the seriousness of sex crimes.

In the area of sex crimes, which sometimes raises the question of abortion, men get off scot free while innocent women spend a lifetime trying to overcome the trauma. For men, rape, incest and other sex crimes are a lark. For women it is a lifetime of humiliation and trauma.

In its laws, in its application of laws, in its failure to prosecute incest or rape, society favors misogyny. We haven't gotten far from the caves ruled by brutal force to the civilized world ruled by reason and compassion.

Men Control System

Because men have dominated society, it is their wish that the consequences of sex crimes fall on women.

The law enforcement agencies to which reports are made is controlled by men; the prosecutors are mostly men; the judiciary is largely a male institution; the legislatures that pass the laws are mostly men.

When it comes to rape, we should not be surprised that less than one percent of rape cases end up with a felony conviction and/or incarceration. Because the system is rigged, less than one-third of rapes are reported, according to RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network) the largest collector of the sex crime facts.

No Justice

Even though experiencing a life-shattering rape, a rational victim would look at the statistics and decide that the system would not give them justice so what's the use.

Raped women experience Post Traumatic Stress; men do not. (RAINN)

Raped women suffer depression; men do not. (RAINN)

Three-fourths of raped women experience fear and anxiety; men do not. (RAINN)

30% of raped women consider suicide; 10% actually try; men do not (RAINN)

If pregnancy occurs, women spend their whole lives coping; men do not.

Women Pay

According to Andrew Van Dam of the Washington Post: "But any fretting on behalf of those accused of assault should take into account research that shows millions of victims of sexual assault have paid a serious, measurable price, physically and mentally."

Year after year, the crimes continue because society, controlled by men, does not regard rape as a serious crime. In fact, men speak lightly of sexual conquests, tell jokes and laugh. Women do not.

Aside from the abortion issue, the male-controlled society hasn't acted effectively to protect women. As noted earlier, our treatment of rape is not dissimilar from the days of cave. Men are still using the stone hammer to protect their free-wheeling world.

Secretive Incest

Then there's another predominantly male sex crime of the most heinous nature: incest. Fewer incest cases are reported; fewer are convicted, and fewer go to prison.

According to Jrank, the best estimate indicates that the United States runs between 100,000 and one million cases of incest impacting between 10% and 20% of the children. The ranges are wide because incest is such a secretive crime.

Family Unity

Why so secret? Some blame shame, pain and/or immorality. But we need to look at the consequences for the victim if she reports incest. It destroys family unity.

So she reports incest to law enforcement and the prosecutors end up with the case. If the facts indicate an honest report, the male may or may not be charged but the unity of the family is critical. So the solution is to remove the innocent victim from the home – and she is very likely under 18. So not only does the victim have to live with the emotional scar but she is punished by depriving

her of family when she needs it most.

(Next week: Proposed societal response.)