I have been watching this thread and have the following view to impart on all of you:
This woman came to this site to find advice on a very real problem in her life and did not deserve to have her integrity questioned by people with a cross to burn. Not all people who commit a sex offense are pedophiles or violent offenders. There are laws that exist to protect our children. However, if a 17 year old steps forward and tells the court that he/she committed a consensual act with the accused then that should be taken into consideration. The fact of the matter is that it IS taken into consideration. Everyday in courts of law around the country judges are using “victim” consent as a determining factor when it comes to sentencing guidelines.
How many of us can say that we were NOT having sex when we were 17? Some, I’m sure but most, I bet not. Statistics show, as does common sense, that 16 and 17 year olds are making the informed, calculated decision to have sex. For instance, check out this website:
http://www.sxetc.org/. It is a website made by teens, for teens just as it states on the home page. These probable “victims” are not only making the decision to have sex, they are providing (and provided) with choice tidbits on how to have fun while doing it safe. Perhaps it is time for lawmakers to amend state laws that list 18 as the age of consent and bring it down to a more realistic age, like 16. If having consenting sex with a 17 year old was so damn bad, then how come not every state lists 18 as the age of consent?
My thoughts to calatty, and to all others with similar viewpoints, is this: Don’t pass judgment on others unless you have all the facts on that case. In considering my post I did make certain assumptions about justvic. One assumption is that she was telling the truth. When you think about it, how dangerous can this guy be if all he got was 7 years of probation? One would think that a truly dangerous criminal, one who viciously raped and battered a 17 year old girl, would get prison time. It would seem in this case, and in others I’ve seen, that either the prosecutor offered a plea and the offender took it to avoid prison or the defense offered a plea and the prosecutor accepted. Now, if this guy is really dangerous, that prosecutor should have his/her head examined. But people don’t think about all that do they? Nope, they tend to shoot first and ask questions later. Just like an old-fashioned vigilante party. How advanced we have become.
Now for justvic. Some places for you to start finding answers would be to check the sentence record. I would recommend going to the court where he was sentenced and obtain copies of the file. It is a matter of public record and the clerk can help you with that. There will most likely be a fee for copying. His sentence will outline all conditions of his probation. Do not rely on what his PO says, find out for yourself because more often than not the PO is overworked and underpaid. This is not a situation that makes it conducive for him/her to “help” the offenders that he/she views as the scum of the earth. Getting a copy of the case file will also put your mind at ease as to whether or not he is telling the truth, if that is a concern of yours. In my estimation, as long as he is not restricted from being around children in a living condition as a part of his sentence then it is perfectly legal for him to be there. There are other things you can do, but his case file would be a good place to start.
I hope you all have a good day!