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In Reply to: "System's" sentences for sexual abuse of children posted by Farmer on March 01, 2007 at 05:12:39:
Here in the U.S. those offenders who are charged & successfully prosecuted do receive harsh sentences, depending on how you measure "harsh". It's not the time they spend in prison that's the big deal. Prison doesn't do much to change a sex offender, although going to prison, even for a few years, is hard because other prisoners (murders, for example) treat sex offenders like dirt. The real punishment for convicted sex offenders in the U.S. is that they have to register with the police after they're released from prison, and they aren't allowed to live anywhere near places where children gather--such as schools and parks. It's basically getting branded for life and remaining under constant surviellance.
Actually getting a conviction against a sex offender, however, isn't all that easy. Even under the best of circumstances, there's a fair amount of social and familial pressure on the victim not to come forward, report to the police, or go to court to testify--especially when the crime involves another family member. TF has taken advantage of this natual tendency to remain silent by pressuring victims to forgive and forget.
