Time for Justice
posted by Daniel Martin | November 10, 2016 | In OpinionMany respected high profile athletes such as, Derrick Rose, Josh Brown and Ray Rice have all done something that cannot be ignored. Most recently, Derrick Rose, who currently plays for the New York Knicks, is currently being investigated by the Los Angeles police department on sexual assault allegations, while being cleared of liability in a civil suit filed against him by his accuser. While police evidence indicates that New York Giants kicker wrote about abusing his wife, he later denied having done so to the press.
And who can forget the image of Ray Rice dragging his then fiancé, unconscious, out of an elevator or seeing a video of what went down inside that elevator?
While this may look like me going on an athlete-bashing rant, I am here to tell you it is not. I am as big a sports fan as there is. The message I am trying to get across is something has to give. Yes, there are the instances of just allegations or a person lying to obtain a financial gain, but this is not the case for all. Some of these accusers are victims, plain and simple.
The problem I have with it is that it seems the first thing that is done is blaming the victims. When I see the victims shamed, it truly bothers me.
A recent example I can give involves my fifteen-year-old daughter. While it is not on the same level as the athletes named above, it was still an aspect of it seemed easier to blame the victim.
My daughter left her purse in her golf coach’s office and it was stolen. Now I will admit it was stupid to leave her purse unattended. That being said, it doesn’t give someone the right to take her belongings. Luckily we got some of her belongings back except for her glasses and cell phone.
The problem I had is the next day a secretary in her school’s office questioned her about leaving her purse. Why was she being blamed for someone who violated her trust and rights? It donned on me that it seems easier to blame the victim as opposed to the one who was doing the wrong doing. We need to truly start holding people accountable and holding their feet to the fire. Something needs to be done to start showing behaviors can’t be tolerated regardless of whom you are. At the end of the day, no one should have to endure being the victim of domestic violence or sexual assault. In the same breath, people that lie should be held accountable. It is time to ignore celebrity status and bring justice to those that need it and prosecute those that need it.
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