Every now and then I get bogged down in a day and all I have to offer you are a few thoughts. I’m getting prepared to turn in my first draft of REDEEMED to my agent and getting it at least in the best condition it can be in at this point has been all-consuming.
*Warning, I am about to discuss a sensitive subject to those who have been victimized.*
One thought that came to me this morning I can’t let slide. I was watching my usual TODAY show and they reported on the guilty verdict of the two young men in Steubenville, Ohio who are charged and now convicted of rape to a 16 year old. I commented on this back when it first broke news and was stunned to hear more sordid details of the actual events this morning.
I watched as the two young men, high school seniors who once had a future of academics and maybe even a little small town glory awaiting them, cry and grieve over the guilty sentence. Once again the reporter showed the blurred image of the two young men holding the girl like a slain wild hog, one held her by the arms and the other by the legs, allowing her limp, incapacitated body to hang to the ground. They made multiple videos bragging about what they had done to this defenseless girl and one of the young men even text while he was in the sexual act writing ‘its like she’s dead’.
Their defense was to say she was aware during the entire sexual act and consented but his own text in his own words proved that to be a lie. My only solace, as sad as this will sound but remember it’s coming from someone who does have memory of two similarly violent acts, is that she was too inebriated to remember the actual act. Regardless, this will remain and I pray she recognizes she is worth so much more than what they casually and callously put upon her.
Now the authorities are investigating to find others that were witnesses to what these men were doing and planning. It was a party, you can hear other kids laughing on the tapes. Yet they didn’t step forward and stop it from taking place. I praise the authorities for going further into this and at this time I have that entire town in my prayers.
This report reminded me of something I heard two boys say the other day when I walked into the store. They were standing outside talking and texting, maybe smoking a cigarette, I can’t be sure but they were milling about outside of the store. I heard one say to the other, “Rape that guy man!” It hit me as if I’d just run into a glass wall. I stopped and retracted a few steps to look at them. Before I could say anything one of the kids, not sure if he was the one that said it or not, looked at me and nudged the other. They walked away.
I know kids are using ‘rape’ as a slang term now which lessens its meaning. This is sad. I don’t know what more I can do about it than keep doing what I’m doing now and speaking out and encouraging others to do the same. I shudder to think it becomes so insignificant that the act follows along in its footsteps as typical and accepted behavior rather than demoralizing and traumatizing.
Don’t let this one slip by. If you hear what I heard, do me a favor and say something.
Makes me think twice about the words I use as well.
Blessings
Shannon