Child gang rapists jailed on Childhood Hero Day
June 13, 2008 by Megan · 14 Comments
Remember the ten-year-old Aboriginal girl, gang raped in Aurukun? Judge Sarah Bradley (Cairns) let the rapists off.
QLD allows gang rape of 10 year olds if 10 year olds say yes.
Today, Childhood Hero Day, the men rapists have been sentenced to six years jail and the juvenile perpetrators involved, sentenced to three years jail each.
Just in from news.com.au:
Five Aurukun rapists jailed
THREE men and two youths who originally escaped jail for raping a 10-year-old girl at the remote community of Aurukun were today jailed by the Court of Appeal.
Three adults were each jailed for six years and two juveniles were jailed for three years, the Courier-Mail reported.
Four other juveniles were sentenced to three years’ probation.
Attorney-General Kerry Shine had ordered the appeal after non-custodial sentences were given to the nine accused by Cairns District Court – prompting a public outcry against Judge Sarah Bradley’s handling of the case.
The accused, who range in age between 13 and 25, raped the girl at the Aurukun community on various dates in 2005.
In all but one of the cases the girl did not resist – but under Queensland law any child under that age is regarded as not having the capacity to consent to sex.
Solicitor-General Walter Sofronoff QC argued precedent cases showed any adult or juvenile who raped a 10-year-old girl should go to jail unless there were exceptional circumstances – of which there were none in the current case.
Ken Fleming QC, for the nine men, argued the decay of the Aurukun community was an exceptional reason to keep the men out of jail or detention.
Thank goodness for a judicial review, appeal and re sentencing. While the little girl gets life, at least some legal justice has now been offered and the perpetrators punished. Appropriate sentencing for Childhood Hero Day.
What’s your thoughts on the sentences child rapists receive?
About Megan
I am glad there is a little justice in the world for this girl. thanks for sharing -though it something I wish you had never had to.
I read two incredibly sad stories last night from US – about child abuse. Sickening.
Urgh. This story (which I just saw on the news) makes me feel physically sick. Yes, the girl gets life. She’ll never be the same. So innocent. Yet those males get a year or a few in jail and get out. I hope they’re never the same either. I really hope not.
Hi Trish and Melody
yes, it is a dreadful reality that kids get abused and perps get away with it. Makes me sick too.
It is so terribly important to ensure our kids are emotionally intelligent and have solid support networks.
This made me sick, but at least there is some accountability for their horrible crimes. No escaping the fact is that there is only one victim here. Ugly.
Hi Megan
Some justice, at last, at very least. The child victims of these disgusting crimes are stuck with their trauma for life.
Thanks for continuing to raise these issues, and comment so honestly.
Birdwing
These young men will now be afforded the opportunity to participate in sex offender programs and counselling. It is incredible that it needed to get to this stage, prior to the powers that be injecting much needed funds within these communities to educate and hopefully prevent a re-occurrence of this tragic situation.
Catherine
Hi Colin – yes, the victim is the girl again and again. Thanks of your ongoing support for sticking up for kids.
Hey Birdwing – you back from Sydney already? I can only continue to raise these issues because I have wonderful people (like you Chook woman) in my support network
Catherine hello. It is lovely to have you here. I am disgusted that we wait so long with our hurt young ones. Looking at the Cape demographics I could almost cry….there’s so many that need interventions, now, before they become perpetrators.
Do you know anything about the perpetrators program in Lotus? I did speak to a professional who was very excited about the new program. I hope that it reaches the core of men who cannot control their sense of powerlessness or make sense out of their arousal.
You of all people know my thoughts on the adult perps, but, I still struggle with the line of when a young person person stops being a victim and turns feral perpetrator. Despite my personal struggle, sexual assault is sexual assault and I seek tougher penalties and truth in sentencing.
Megan,
Will be looking into the Lotus program, in the meantime will be delivering program formulated by Griffiths Forensic Sexual Assault program. Have finished most of training modules and am now collaborative partner with the team. Looking forward to delivering this program to most young people there, exciting to be change agent.
How rude of me, that should say potential change agent.
lol…I knew what you meant Catherine. Looking forward to catching up with you and having a yarn re the Griffiths program. I believe Act for Kids (the old Abused Child Trust) has some perpetrator program money now too. And Bravehearts are supposedly going to do some Cape educational interventions. I try to keep abreast of all that is going on in the NQ sexual assault world but some days I just want to eat chocolate!!
I am really glad the appeal process righted the wrong of the original non custodial sentence which horrified me.
Hi Sue. Yes, it is nice to have some justice in terms of incarceration. Like Catherine said, without jail, there’s little likelihood of compliance with offender programs. Plus…on the Cape there are few services to ensure offenders work through the conditions of a community sentence or a perpetrators program.
Megan – we would all love to live in a world where the best thing would be just to eat chocolate and feel great how well the world has turned out.
Unfortunately it hasn’t – and the original decision here was one of those red flags that really important issues were just not important.
I am SO GLAD that someone else looked and something will be done. It is so important for communities to know that their most vulnerable will be protected where possible and retribution for such heinous crimes is going to happen.
Hey Jeanie
yep, as much as an escape from reality is nice for a short time, it just doesn’t work. Once the packet of Tim Tams is finished, there is still a world full of injustice.
I’m with you – thank goodness there was a second look at this case.