Judicial System: Unequate In Rape Cases

Murders, drug dealing, and robberies are some of the most recognized crimes that are taken seriously by both the public and the courts equally. However, there are some crimes where this is not the case. Sexual assault, more specifically rape, is one of these acts in which the courts do not always deal out the necessary justice. Rape is a horrible crime that promotes self-esteem issues, trauma, and even suicide for the victim. Why should the perpetrator get away with a slap on the wrist? Two main causes lead the judicial system to be inadequate in rape cases; these factors are victim blaming and lack of punishment. Due to these reasons, I believe that the judicial systems needs a reformation in order to help rape victims and to better prosecute
Too often the victim is asked questions which seems to put the blame on them. In one Californian court case, Yee Xiong, the victim, was asked questions that had to do with her clothing and how much alcohol she consumed before the rape (Kingkade). Victim shaming is a cruel and immoral thing that should not happen as Yee Xiong is not the only one that has experienced this. According to Tyler Kingkade, a writer for the Huffington Post, this type of treatment is semi common in these sort of cases. Reforming the courts in order to have a safer and more effective environment for the victims would be a major boon for rape
It seems as if judges and juries are more lenient when it comes to rapists, especially if they are rich and/or white. According to one statistic, only 6 out of 310 sexual assaults will result in a prison sentence ("The Criminal Justice System: Statistics."). This means that the large portion of rapists are just getting fines and other negligible punishments. Focusing more energy and funds into our courts will be a great first step into solving this injustice so it doesn’t happen again. The documentary Audrey & Daisy shows just how unfair the trial process can be. Fourteen year old Daisy was raped by a legal adult who was four years older. Charges were pressed, however they were eventually dropped due to political favor and botched evidence. Eventually, the case was pickuped, however the boy was only charged with child endangerment instead of sexual assault. When a rapist can get away with his crime with such a low punishment, there has to be something wrong with the current system. Daisy’s story is just one of many which emphasize the importance of revamping the judicial system.
In today's criminal justice system, murderers are treated like criminals, drug dealers are treated as criminals, and muggers are treated as criminals; however, rapists are not always treated with the same infamy. Sexual assault is a serious crime with serious consequences for the victims. The current process for