Libra
Sun Media Reporter Pablo Fernandez reported on a rape case in Calgary, Alberta. The offender Stefano Priolo was convicted, sentenced to 3.5 years in prison on Tuesday, December 11, 2007. What is interesting in this case, is the Judge Rooke comments to the rape victim.
Judge Rooke refers to the rape victim as being "naive" and "stupid." Judge Rooke during his ruling made the comments. I feel that Judge Rooke should be removed from sexual assault cases. I also feel Judge Rooke should apologize to the victim in this case.
It is totally unacceptable, I personally think if a Judge feels this way towards victims of sexual violence, he should be made accountable for this statement made during his ruling.
I wonder if Judge Rooke has even considered the impact his comments have had on the victim in this case. It is not much different from the Judge who in the United States recently banned the word "rape" from a trial this year.
You report the rape and go though a trial to be called names by the Judge. What is this saying to the offender who raped you? What is being done to educate the Judge's about the impact of sexual violence? Obviously not much when you read about cases like this in the media.
Judge Rooke has done a disservice to victims of sexual violence, it has set back the way we are treated in a courtroom. It is being ignorant about the plague of sexual violence, demoralizing anyone who has been affected by sexual violence. In Canada approximately only 8% of sexual attacks are reported.
The Sun Media is considering doing a follow up on this story over the weekend. I truly hope it is done for the victim in this case.
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Re: Rape Victim Called Naive And Stupid By Judge
By revengekatagain..., April 30, 2008 at 00:01This story is pretty clear to me regardless of the origin of circumstances. It is repugnant that a public servant such as a judge is so truly vile as to say such a thing no matter what the details are. He said it and it was inappropriate. I would like to visualize that this Judge begets the same including more than this young woman should have endured.
Judges and Prosecuters have been the NEW point of attack because they have attacked below the belt against the truly innocent. It is High time for another Marie Antoinette repeat on this foul mouth Judge.
What do you think?
Re: Rape Victim Called Naive And Stupid By Judge
By Robyn Stubbs, April 30, 2008 at 08:22Unfortunately, several portions of the above comment had to be removed for inappropriate content... we welcome everyone's opinion on Orato.com, but please keep it clean and respectful.
Robyn Stubbs
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Orato.com
Re: Rape Victim Called Naive And Stupid By Judge
By luyen, December 15, 2007 at 00:15I can hardly think of a context where such a sentence could be considered justified - judges are held in the highest regard in our country, for good reason or not, that's debatable - as we've seen in the news in the past few years.
It reminds me of the so-called laws in certain countries where rape victims go to jail if they harm their attackers, like the in well-known case of Miss Canada helping the rape victim in Iran, after she killed her attacker with a knife and her, herself was then sentenced to death.
I'm not here to blame the judge - but when anybody holds so much power, even within a legal constitution, it's very worrisome, because it's a let-down at a highest level.
Re: Rape Victim Called Naive And Stupid By Judge
By Michelle Kenneth, December 14, 2007 at 18:02Thanks for that info. The judge was definitely out of line to make that comment.
She was depending on the kindness of a stranger, who ended up being a predator. Didn't her parents ever tell her 1) not to talk to strangers and 2) not to ever get into a stranger's car???
And what did not having any underwear on under her pajama bottoms have anything to do with it? She was still wearing clothes!
Re: Rape Victim Called Naive And Stupid By Judge
By Holly Desimone, December 14, 2007 at 20:40Good Point Michelle,
We have to been informed more about strangers and the dangers of accepting rides. Not every family tells their loved ones in all honesty to beware of this issue. We can only hope if we are in need of help that someone will do the right thing. We also need to know that violating someone who is vunerable does happen more than we wish to talk discuss.
Re: Rape Victim Called Naive And Stupid By Judge
By Holly Desimone, December 14, 2007 at 17:52The information surrounding details pertaining to sexual violence are protected by publication bans. The news did mention this was a young woman new to the area. This offender took advantage of knowing this information. Which lead to her being violenting raped in a cemetery on November 28, 2005. The Judge did state at the ruling Stefano Priolo was "a predator", who took advantage of a woman he promised to give a ride to the bus depot. The Judge also did mention Priolo "shows the indignity he has towards her and the people buried in the cemetery" where he committed this offence. Everyone this young woman was raped in a cemetery which is very disgusting. I can not even begin to think of how she must feel so let down by the Judge in this case. For a sitting Judge to make any comments in a sexual violence case that is stating the victim is naive and stupid is simply more than using a poor choice of words. It is close to blaming are implying someone asked to be raped. She needed someone to help her not rape her!
This is part many of the reasons sexual violence is not reported. We as a society are judging and blaming the victim.
Here is another story about the case By KEVIN MARTIN, SUN MEDIA
2007-12-12
Comparing him to a vulture pouncing on a mouse, a Calgary judge yesterday sentenced a man who raped his victim in a cemetery to 31/2 years in prison.
"He has sexual intercourse with her ... without her consent, in, of all places, a cemetery," Justice John Rooke said of Stefano Priolo.
"Which shows the indignity he has towards her and the people buried in the cemetery."
Rooke, who last week convicted Priolo, 30, of sexually assaulting his then-18-year-old victim, noted he took advantage of a "stupid" and "naive" young woman. "It's the stupid people who need protection," he said, in finding a serious sentence was warranted. "You can't come across a person who's vulnerable and lead them, literally, off into the woods and sexually assault them. "This offender was a predator. Like a vulture who pounces on a mouse, this predator pounced on a young girl, a young woman."
Priolo met his victim late on the evening of Nov. 28, 2005, while walking near the end of the City Centre LRT route at 10 St. and 7 Ave. S.W. When she asked him how to get to the nearby bus depot, he said he'd take her there. The woman, who was wearing pyjama bottoms without underwear because she was planning an overnight trip to Rocky Mountain House, then got into Priolo's car. Using the ruse of needing gas, he drove her into the Beltline area and then to the city's north, first stopping at some tennis courts and asking for sex. When she refused he continued driving, taking her to Queen's Park Cemetery where he forced himself on her. Rooke said a stern sentence was warranted to send a message to both Priolo and other offenders, but stopped short of the five years sought by Crown prosecutor Les Grieve. "Our community is no longer safe. You can't go on the LRT after 10, you can't ask for directions ... because of predators like this one," Rooke said. "Your sister's here, your mother's here. How would you like someone to sexually assault them, so they wake up afraid at night?"
Re: Rape Victim Called Naive And Stupid By Judge
By Michelle Kenneth, December 14, 2007 at 13:20I agree. Nobody asks to be raped, but sometimes women can put themselves into situations that could have been completely avoided. That doesn't give the right for a man to force himself onto her, but the question is what could she have done to avoid the situation completely???
That's why I want to know what the circumstances were surrounding the judge making that statement. Would a reasonable person with common sense be able to avoid the whole situation? Was that the point the judge was trying to make?
It is up to us, as women, to be able to protect ourselves from predators. That includes being smart about our own safety.
Tyra did a show on this recently where young women would meet a guy in a bar and end up leaving with him half an hour later. They would get into the car and Tyra would come out chastising the girl. Seriously, the guy could have been a serial killer for all they knew. Yet, they were so willing to leave with a complete stranger to go and have sex with them. That to me is being stupid and naive.
I'm not saying that women deserve to be raped at all. No one deserves to be raped! I'm just saying that we, as women, have a responsibility to be smart about our own safety and livelihood, b/c we can fall prey to a predator.
Re: Rape Victim Called Naive And Stupid By Judge
By Heather Wallace, December 14, 2007 at 12:01Yes, it would be interesting to hear the circumstances, but the point is that the rapist was convicted, so any derogatory comments about the victim are uncalled for and perpetuate the myth that women somehow ask for it.
Holly - I hope you will keep us posted. :)
Re: Rape Victim Called Naive And Stupid By Judge
By Michelle Kenneth, December 14, 2007 at 11:56What are the facts surrounding this case?