Sexual Slavery in Prison (NYT editorial)

NY Times Editorial ^ | Oct. 12, 2005 | NYT Editorial Board

[summer]

When Congress issued the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003, that should have put corrections officials on notice. The measure requires the Justice Department to study the endemic problem of sexual assault behind bars and develop a strategy for coping with it. But prison officials have continued to play down this problem...

Speaking of prison officials, a witness said, "They seen what was happening but they pretended they didn't."

In what may be the first case of its kind, Mr. Johnson sued prison officials and accused them of violating his rights under the Eighth Amendment, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. The trial has thrown a klieg light onto the endemic problem of sexual assault behind bars. Regardless of the outcome, prison officials should now recognize that business as usual is no longer acceptable, and that both Congress and the courts are paying attention.

[summer]

In what may be the first case of its kind, Mr. Johnson [the prisoner who is a sexual slave, against his will] sued prison officials and accused them of violating his rights under the Eighth Amendment...

I posted this article for several reasons (and, no, I am not gay, and no, I do not wish to upset anyone here who believes homosexuality is a sin,m as the subject prisoner in this article IS gay):

1) It is remarkable to me how a person, an individual, must suffer so much grief and agony, and still not be able to get an honest lawyer to take the case -- so, instead, this person in the article, whom is literally treated worse than an animal, has to sue and do the lawsuit himself.

2) It would be much better for this country, IMO, if more individuals learned how to sue, on their own, without lawyers, for real issues to be brought to the light of day, because while I believe there are many frivilous lawsuits brought by lawyers, I also strongly believe there is an enormous amount of pain and suffering the average, ordinary person must bear due to corruption and that kind of information never comes out, since the lawyers often see it as their duty to conceal such matters.

3) I would like to see, quite honestly, some of the corrupt lawyers I have come in contact with in my lifetime, be placed in prison, and forced to suffer a punishment as agonizing as this person is suffering in this article. That, to me, would be justice.

However, I don't expect anyone to demand crooked lawyers be tossed into prison and be treated as sexual slaves, worse than animals. But, really and truly, I believe that is exactly what should happen to some lawyers. Really. Since they don't mind this sort of think going on, obviously it is A-OK with them. Shouldn't be any complaints or any "peep"at all coming out of their corrupt mouths when it happens to them.

That is my opinion and I am entitled to have an opinion.

[summer]

Also, while I often give the NYT a lot of gried on this forum, I am glad they published this editorial.

[summer]

And, finally -- frankly, I think this is why a person like Harriet Miers SHOULD be a supreme court justice. She may see things through the not so tainted eyes of a lawyer, since lawyers are the ones ignoring this horrific situation.

[summer]

gried = grief

[wingnutx]

Ditto. This needs to be stamped out.

[HitmanLV]

More men (more often) than women get raped in this country in any given year.

[summer]

Thank you.

[summer]

I don't have any info on that, but I would not be surprised if you were correct.

[Clemenza]

I know that rape is commonly used by gang members to "humiliate" and "punk out" those members who double crossed them or members of other gangs. I still believe, however, that more women are still raped by men.

[HitmanLV]

I've seen that info mentioned on occasion and given the prison population, I don't doubt that it is correct also.

[chris1]

Its really a crime how this is condoned by prison officials. No one, other than maybe the worst of the worst, deserve to be raped by male prisoners.

They should instead be worked to the point where they are too tired for this nonsense.

[summer]

Read the whole editorial, as it gets into the very point you're making, and more. (And, it is not a long read.)

[HitmanLV]

If you discount rapes in prisons, no question more women are raped than men in any given year.

Of course, there's no reason to discount those rapes. Factor in the antics behind bars and men are victimized by rape more often than women.

[GovernmentShrinker]

IMO opinion, prison rapists should be dealt with harshly. The burden shouldn't fall on low-paid and often overwhelmed prison guards to intevervene in situations where they can get maimed or killed, only to have the perps get nothing but a slap on the wrist and be sent right back to do it again.

Put video cameras EVERYWHERE in prisons, with the feeds recorded outside of the prisons and agencies that run them, so there will be proof positive with which to convict. Then: 1st offense -- castration, 2nd offense -- amputation. Suddenly being a rapist in prison won't seem like such a macho thing anymore.

[summer]

Its really a crime how this is condoned by prison officials.

Yes, you're right.

And yet, I am a person who is very sympathetic to honest prison officials, VERY sympathetic, because I have no idea how anyone could get up in the morning and go to a prison to go and work. I would be so depressed it would just kill me, the mere thought of going to such a place to work. Yet, we need prison officials. So, I am very sympathetic to them and the difficulties of their work.

But the ones who are corrupt are totally unacceptable, and no better than the prisoners engaging in wrongful conduct.

[summer]

RE your post #14 - I totally agree with you. Castration is, to me, an acceptable punishment for a prison rapist.

[summer]

PS I meant to also say: I agree with your entire post #14.

[ScreamingFist]

Interesting. I've seen many FReepers defend prison rape as just "part of the punishment" and actually hope it occurs. Needless to say, they would feel different if they were on the receiving end......

[michaelbfree]

or their "ends" were receiving.........

[Clemenza]

"It was consensual, I swear."