tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316617410436977874.post294278651755317154..comments2024-03-25T02:53:26.373-04:00Comments on Women in Crime Ink: National Crime Victims' Rights Week - Part IUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316617410436977874.post-80245088753357283042009-04-30T11:34:00.000-04:002009-04-30T11:34:00.000-04:00Thank You to all of you for sharing your stories. ...Thank You to all of you for sharing your stories. It saddens me to know that these things have happened. I appreciate the strengh and courage each of you have and your willingness to share with us what you went through.Cheryl Dubeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07545585531909841029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316617410436977874.post-41953649090531895932009-04-29T22:47:00.000-04:002009-04-29T22:47:00.000-04:00It broke my heart reading Elizabeth's story. I am...It broke my heart reading Elizabeth's story. I am a mother who encountered things my girls had written alleging abuse by their father. In my case I was the one vilified. I have read that is common. I sought help, but the system further abused me and I have literally been driven from my girls. <br /><br />My situation is in a family that has a stellar image. It is also in a family with a highly publicized unresolved murder. I live with real fear everyday. <br /><br />I decided to dig into the unresolved murder and have been further devastated by what I have learned. The family has not been forthcoming about circumstances in the case and have influenced a man wrongfully for the crime. Authorities involved in the case tied this man to another murder and gained a wrongful conviction.<br /><br />I am faced with revealing things that my daughters may have even supressed. I continue to take a pounding by people who want to attach other motives without knowing the circumstances.<br /><br />With documents in my hand, I was a mother crucified by the system and my girls still do not get genuine help. <br /><br />I hope for Elizabeth, as I hope for my girls, that she can be proud of herself, speak up, and let people know the courage she has had. Shame is a crippling control and should be broken.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16854030123452669830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316617410436977874.post-55910256913555717572009-04-29T14:55:00.000-04:002009-04-29T14:55:00.000-04:00The Statute Of Limitations has probably run out on...The Statute Of Limitations has probably run out on Elizabeth's case. I found out that when my parents considered prosecuting my grandfather [I was 14 and had been molested for 8 years] the sheriff in their rural community wouldn't do it because we weren't Alabama residents. This was back in the mid 70s. Actually the real reason was that he was considered a pillar of the commmunity and they didn't want the embarrassment. Then after I moved backe to AL from living out west I was 24 and I talked to a lawyer about is [I was a paralegal by then] and found that for child sex crimes the Statute of Limitations begin when the child turns 18 and run out two years after that. So I was too late. I don't think there should be a Statute of Limitations for sexual crimes against children. I even lobbyied the Alabama Legislature for this but the majority didn't feel that it was worth LEs time to chase down child molesters indefinitely. Very sad and needless to say I wasn't my grandfather's only victim.Leahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316617410436977874.post-29122910112348800752009-04-29T13:31:00.000-04:002009-04-29T13:31:00.000-04:00Poor Elizabeth. My heart is broken for her. She ne...Poor Elizabeth. My heart is broken for her. She needs a great listener and a safe place to process all of her emotions, feelings and details. <br /><br />And that B*(&^&^&&* of a step dad needs to be prosecuted.Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01360870434724744043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316617410436977874.post-82669636816084768192009-04-29T12:54:00.000-04:002009-04-29T12:54:00.000-04:00Thank you all for your honesty about your own live...Thank you all for your honesty about your own lives. It is important to know that there can be recovery and healing with good counseling and sometimes medication. I wouldn't be in the business I'm in if I didn't believe in redemption.<br /><br />I look forward to sharing my thoughts about the case tomorrow.Lucy Puryear MDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01594988048011971254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316617410436977874.post-67458422971032689142009-04-29T11:11:00.000-04:002009-04-29T11:11:00.000-04:00Elizabeth's story is much like mine. I was moleste...Elizabeth's story is much like mine. I was molested by my paternal grandfather for years. I hated spending the summers with him and would rather have jumped off a bridge than to be left alone with him while my grandmother went to the store or visiting or whatever. I can remember to this day his awful nasty smell of sweat and sometimes alcohol. It will be with me forever. I also remember him repeatedly saying, "Now, don't go telling anybody cause I'd hate to see you get into trouble." I really believed would.<br /><br />The first time I had sex I was raped. I had run away from home because my mother had anger issues and wouldn't deal with them. I didn't report it because I too felt like it was my fault. If I hadn't run away it would never have happened and I figured that is exactly what my parents would tell me. In fact, it would be many years before I even admitted to myself it was a rape. I was 15 years old when this happened.<br /><br />I went back to FL and lived with my uncle, the only sane person in my family, got my GED and was accepted to a college out west. I wanted it that way. To be away from everything/everyone I knew and that had let me down and caused me so much pain. I associated myself with the smartest, kindest and happiest individuals I could find and I adopted their ways of living. I learned all over again how to live and be a productive adult. Making that move was the best decision I ever made and it changed my life for the better. I did have therapy several different times along the way and that gave me the strength and means to reconcile with my family [except my mother, we have been estranged since 1990 and I was 24]. <br /><br />I do my very best to never look back but there are times like this when you hear about someone else and it all comes back. Only this time I am strong enough to handle it. Elizabeth probably needs meds as I did. And with the meds and an excellent therapist like you, and a good support system she should come through this just fine.Leahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316617410436977874.post-32525981667980468522009-04-29T08:59:00.000-04:002009-04-29T08:59:00.000-04:00I too am a survivor of rape. My story is differen...I too am a survivor of rape. My story is different yet very similar. The feelings that she had are "normal" To feel it was your fault, thats what i have read. Elizabeth needs to be strong and realize it was not her fault, it was the person that did it that has the issues. I went to the police but they did absolutely nothing and I knew who the man was, because it was on a date and he drugged me, but because I could not remember where he lived and because I showered the SUFFOLK COUNTY PD, NY did nothing. I also went to the hospital where a woman in her 70's came to the waiting room and told me there was really nothing they could do, she gave me some pamplets. So even if you go seek help, it doesn't mean you are going to get it. Elizabeth needs to keep her head high and strive to be the best she can in life. She survived this long and is obviously a very strong willed person. I hope Elizabeth is doing better.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com