I refer to today's ST news article (Wed, 16 Jan), 'CJ raises jail term for man who raped daughter'. The 55 year old father was sentenced to 24 years of jail. This is a real-life case of sexual violence by a family member, and the perpetrator is the victim's biological father.
Initially the man was sentenced to eight years’ jail, but the DPP argued that the trial judge had imposed an “overly lenient” sentence. The DPP argued that the trial judge had placed too much emphasis on the fact that the girl and her family had written letters pleading for leniency, saying they had forgiven the man.
“It is not beyond reasonable contemplation that the victim had penned the letters in the misguided hope of keeping the family intact, or as a result of indirect pressure by other family members,” he said.
The DPP urged the judges of the Court of Appeal to send out a “clear and resounding message” that familial rape will not be condoned by the courts.
The man, who was not represented by a lawyer yesterday, pleaded for compassion. “The pain and shame in my heart will remain with me,” he said.
He urged the courts to let him spend his twilight years with his family so he could make amends.
It is also reported that the man had a wife and son who lived elsewhere and the victim is his daughter he had with his current mistress.
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My doubts and views as an individual and Buddhist practitioner:
Such cases of family violence are not uncommon. Our neighbouring country has reports of such cases too. Most of them belong to categories like siblings raping fellow siblings, fathers raping biological or step-daughters.
As an individual, of course I would feel shocked and angry at reading about such cases, no matter how many I had come across or will encounter in the future. But as a Buddhist practitioner now, I would have to work on feeling less angry to feeling no anger at all.
If you are speaking to the victim as a Buddhist and she is a Taoist or free-thinker, what would you say to her? Would you tell her that you should forgive her father and herself, and hence agree to her father staying with the family to make amends?
If sheÂ’s a Buddhist, would you tell her that this is her karma and that she should be glad that itÂ’s over now, and persuade her to forgive her father and herself and plead with judges again to let her father spend the twilight years with the family?
The above is still about you, a stranger, consoling the victim. But what if the victim is your sibling/close friend/daughter? How would you feel after first being told of the rape? What actions would you take against the perpetrator or to protect the victim?
What I would do regardless of whether the victim is a stranger or someone close to me:
1. Report to the police.
2. Hug the victim and allow her to cry, to express other negative feelings constructively.
3. Will seek psychiatric help for her. If sheÂ’s a Buddhist, in addition to seeking psychiatric help, I will make arrangements for her to see a female Venerable as and when she feels comfortable with her to discuss her feelings with the Venerable.
4. Will not write letters to plead with the judges.
5. Will not allow the perpetrator to stay with the victim, no matter how repentant he is.
Do feel free to express your views on this topic.
why the fark did the dpp push for a higher sentence. might as well argue for the death penalty. by the time the old man is old his coffin will be waiting for him.
farking prosecutors.