Letter-to-the-Editor:
Is There a Rapist's Revenge on a Rape Survivor?
Crime-Safety-Security.com Newsletter
[ML – I’ve reformatted the following e-mail sequence to read from oldest to newest, deleted names and email addresses for privacy, and condensed it all for the sake of brevity in this newsletter.]
On Fri Dec 19 21:06:01 2008, the following results were submitted from the "Contact Us" form on crime-safety-security.com:
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First Name: [deleted]
E-mail Address: [deleted]
Country: United States
Comments: How often (%'s) do convicted rapists seek out revenge on their
victims after being released from their sentence for the actual rape in
which they were sent away for?
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From: michaelloftus @ crime-safety-security.com
To: [deleted]
Subject: Rapist's Revenge
Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2008 23:23:19 -0500
Hello [deleted],
That’s a tough question. The FBI’s Uniform Crime Report (UCR) is often difficult to decipher. The FBI website, www.fbi.gov, MIGHT be able to help you. I usually rely on criminologist’s interpretations of the clunky UCR data to learn about such esoteric questions.
Though I don’t have the stats to accurately answer your question, my guess is that it is quite rare for paroled rapists to seek revenge on their victims. Off the top of my head, I haven’t heard of it, though it probably has happened somewhere – considering the many millions of rapes each year. The only scenario I can imagine of a paroled rapist seeking revenge would be if he had been innocent and the “victim” had lied for some reason (such as the Duke Lacrosse team fiasco that led to such a stupendous miscarriage of justice).
Are you a friend of a rape survivor who’s worried about the upcoming release of her attacker? That’s a common worry for rape survivors. If so, let me know and I’ll help you help her with ways of safeguarding her.
Best regards,
Michael
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From: [deleted]
To: michaelloftus @ crime-safety-security.com
Sent: Sunday, December 21, 2008 6:05:20 PM
Subject: RE: Rapist's Revenge
Thank you for the kind response. My wife was attacked when she was a teen and her attacker was released not so long ago. While I try not to bring it up it is the 800 lb Elephant in the room. I also worry tremendously. The more I read the more I worry as it seems anyone put thru the system rarely comes out a better person let alone fit to lead a normal life on the outside. I have known folks that have gone in for lesser crimes and it seems once you are institutionalized, you are forced to lose compassion or whatever ounce of empathy you may have had after being subjected to what the Prison systems do to persons soul. I have recently reached out to the [state deleted] Parole Division to see what her rights are as a victim and if we can track him and see if he is current with all of his state obligations. Any suggestions or insight will be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
[deleted]
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ML to [deleted] - Sunday, December 21, 2008 9:12:16 PM
Hello [deleted],
Yes, get all the help possible through the Parole Division. Also see Rape Survivors (and you need to read "Loved Ones Are Secondary Victims." But if your wife refuses to discuss the 800 lb Elephant, I suggest you call the local rape crisis center for specific advice – they're a great resource for all rape-related issues, and they might help you broach the subject to your wife. With counseling, she can end up stronger than ever.
I hope she'll read all the pages listed on the menu at the bottom of Rape Escape Options – and especially Choosing a Self Defense Class (self defense training often empowers and speeds the recovery of rape survivors.
Unfortunately, the paroled rapist in question is only one of many out there – as well as all the young up-and-coming predators who haven't been arrested yet. For that reason, I'd suggest fortifying your home security as described in Home Security Overview and all the pages listed in the menu at the bottom of the page. You can do quite a lot with a limited budget (and a homeowner's vigilance is crucial – and at no cost).
Actually, most of the pages on my site pertain to anyone concerned with security. Crime survivors are the most likely to read them – they know that crime can indeed strike from out of the blue.
I hope this helps. If not, please let me know.
Best Regards,
Michael
Crime-Safety-Security > Newsletter Archive > newsletter-07-Apr-09
