What is happening to this Amish girl after she was raped by her brothers?

[EarthSight]

They've been given a 10 year suspended sentence, 100 hours of community service, and a $250. Disgusting.

Where is the girl now (who is pregnant with one of their children)? How does she feel that her brothers have been let go and not even jailed for what they did to her? Is she still living in the Amish community? My heart goes out to her.

metro.co.uk/2020/09/21/incest-amish-brothers-who-gang-raped-sister-12-spared-jail-over-fears-inmates-would-hurt-them-13305125/?ito=amp-trending-3

It is a horrifying case and I can only imagine how that poor child has suffered. My hunch, fwiw, is the brothers weren't punished in the way we would hope and expect because they have some form of LD - it's the prosecutor who went for leniency and he emphasised their "immaturity" which I suspect is code for mental incapacity. He also said that he had gone for harsher sentences when dealing with other Amish criminals. It is a very, very sad and distressing case and, as others have said, probably not unique.

I wondered that about the immaturity thing, it was referred to more than once which just seemed odd. The LD issue was the only thing I could think of.

Oh they've got to write a letter about how they'll prevent future abuse of their own children. Well, that's alright then. Very harsh punishment that, writing a letter. That wasn't the full punishment though.

code for mental incapacity
which may well be the result of inbreeding:(

Heffalooomia I did wonder about that as well.

I don't think the girl can be shunned, at 13 she is too young to be baptized and my understanding is that they only shun the baptized. I think baptism is normally late teens/early 20s.

@ancientgran - I know. But the rest of the punishment isn't the worst that could have been given either. Or what may have been meted out to similar perpetrators not in the Amish community.

It's horrifying, this closed patriarchal system which eats it's own young:(

The Judge actually said he didn't think it was as bad as a parent abusing a child as they are the authority figure. And so totally glosses over that they are all male and all older than her.

It's just gross.

Whatever the communities beliefs a Judge should apply the law.

I suspect we will never hear what has happened to the young girl and the baby. She will probably be married off at 16 to some other male abuser.

I suspect we will never hear what has happened to the young girl and the baby. She will probably be married off at 16 to some other male abuser

Actually they get married in their early 20s typically and do get to choose their partner. So in that sense, it’s less cult-like I guess.

It’s going to be hard for her to find a partner though

The Judge actually said he didn't think it was as bad as a parent abusing a child

I cannot express what I think of this Judge and his thoughts.

It reminded me of this www.google.com/amp/s/www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/church-teen-admits-disgusting-assault-4209602.amp Similar closed group, limited social interaction: 'Lack of maturity' is code for limited cultural awareness, as well as LD.

That poor child

I also read “immaturity” as code for “comes from closed community with limited understanding of the world outside it”. Even if it was code for having a learning disability, if indeed they did, I’m not convinced that is enough to justify the leniency of the sentence. They still pose a danger to young girls of their acquaintance and what is being done about that?

@HelloToMyKitty

Also adding that the Amish community values forgiveness very strongly over punishment. Community leaders would be pressuring this girl to forgive her brothers and then report that she’s forgiven them to the authorities and then tidily sweep everything under the rug.

This is what will happen. Incest is a common event among Amish and Mennonites in the US. Mostly never reaches the courts. It is unlikely she would be taken into foster care because the fact of her pregnancy gives her rights as an adult, no matter what her age is.

Also Cara about the foster system. Foster systems are state-run so there are 50 different systems. Some are structured and investigate the carers, some will take anyone. All are swamped with more kids than they have homes for which is why some people make a living by taking lots of special needs kids because the pay is higher. ALSO, the quickest way to adoption is to certify as an infant foster home, take in an infant, and if he/she has not been returned to parents or released to family in 18 months, foster parents are first in line to adopt.

I am 100% in favor of public punishment without any anesthesia in these cases (rape) and I mean brutal life altering if not life ending punishment i.e. public castration (complete including testes, cut it all off). I don't care how old they are or how immature they are or if they have LD or are completely mentally incompetent... it is irrelevant - the girl will suffer with this for the rest of her life. Penises can be used as a weapon and rape is a crime of power/control - take the weapon away and the act with a penis can't happen again nor would they be able to reproduce (sterilization is a necessity IMO).

Once a rapist always a rapist, apologists will say that the 'poor boys' didn't know better or were groomed or whatever penis-pandering excuse they want to use - well IDGAF. Community service, $250 fine and the other two weren't even tried due to their age. Really? As per usual the female child in the situation will pay the price for this in her life, her community, her relationship (or lack thereof) with the child that was forced into her, and will no doubt suffer from PTSD. She is no one as the verdict clearly illustrates; she is just a girl (a female human) so no actual value in the community beyond a 'support human' role. She will never be whole, they have murdered part of her forever.

Many of you may disagree; I know my perspective is considered inhumane but these revolting aggressors have forfeited their humanity through their actions. If society keeps giving garbage humans like this a second chance we will reap what we sow.

Shit like this (leniency b/c extreme religiosity leads to lack of education and moral breakdown) is a big part of the reason I am an atheist. I'm not worried/interested about 'god's' judgment - victims should receive as close to justice as possible on earth (there is no actual justice in these cases) if they end up burning in eternal hellfire after that it is a fucking awesome bonus (but still will never make the abused whole).

Sorry not sorry.

Can an overly weak sentence be appealed, in this part of the USA?

Criminal law varies by state.

The Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states that a defendant in a criminal trial has the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury of their peers.

In Missouri, as in other states, criminal defendants also have the right to request a bench trial in misdemeanor cases.

They were tried via bench trial as no mention of a jury; this is supposed to be reserved for misdemeanor cases. The granting of the bench trial by the state clearly expresses that the rape of their sister is a misdemeanor (or lesser i.e. infraction) in the eyes of Missouri while it was fined as an infraction with a sentence (albeit suspended and unlikely to be enforced - see below about sexual offender program) aligned with a felony. What a fucking mess this case is.

Fine tiers for convicted criminals (paid to the state of Missouri)

Chapter 558, RSMo, allows for persons convicted of crimes to be sentenced to pay these fines:
Class C, D or E felony: Up to $10,000, or up to twice the amount of the
offender’s gain from the crime, not to exceed $20,000.
Class A misdemeanor: Up to $2,000.
Class B misdemeanor: Up to $1,000.
Class C misdemeanor: Up to $750.
Class D misdemeanor: Up to $500.
Infraction: Up to $400.

Being raped by her four brothers beget a fine of $250/ea. (infraction) for the two eldest brothers as the tier applies by individual defendant (not total of defendants).

Missouri definition of infraction: [i]nfractions, also known as petty crimes, are usually not punishable by jail time and may not require going to court. Those convicted of an infraction are often charged fines. In most cases infractions are pertaining to local laws such as no-parking zones and speed limits.

And the completing the sexual offender program within 12 months to avoid incarceration? A 120 day program that effectively wipes out any sentence... Missouri has a longstanding problem with releasing sexual offenders back into society after this program - in excess of 40% of these offenders reoffend and are put through the program again and again and again and again and again.

Missouri is complicit in the sexual abuse of children and the rape of women in the interests of 'being kind, they can chaaaaaange' and wasting tax dollars on attempting to rehab/cure the uncurable sick twisted fucks. Maybe spend that money on the victims and raise the victim compensation cap to $5MM from $25K; how about supporting the victims instead of dick pandering to the offenders; not really hard to understand is it?

You can't cure these people, these men - cut off their junk, put them in mass population high security prison and call it a day.

@wellbehavedwomen

Can an overly weak sentence be appealed, in this part of the USA?

In most cases not unless new evidence comes to light that warrants a retrial.

At least that is my limited understanding as it is quite easy to appeal as a defendant but victims don't have the same rights. Offenders are treated as special while victims are treated like garbage in most cases. Total DARVO system for the most part, it is known that our criminal justice system favors the offenders. It blows my mind that so much energy is focused on defendant rights (both parties) and victims basically are just fodder (both parties especially in relation to FGM, honor killings, sex trafficking, or forced child marriage).

FYI, only 33 states have put victim support laws in place and even those laws are a big joke for the most part; look at Missouri's as one of the laughable examples.

*both parties i.e. Republicans and Democrats

That's appalling.

There was a similar case a few years back with a similarly outrageous outcome.

Absolutely agree with @FireUnderTheHand.

I was brought up by a religious puritanical nutjob. She literally told me nothing about sex, pulled me from any relevent lessons, & then blamed me when I was assaulted. These people always blame the victim & protect the aggressor.

My sister is following the same path, only more extreme. I worry for her children.

Poor, poor girl.

@wellbehavedwomen

Can an overly weak sentence be appealed, in this part of the USA?

No. But prosecutors and judges can sometimes be voted out of office. Which has happened a few times with overly weak sentencing for rape. But generally politicization of the justice system at that level is bad for everyone.

abcnews.go.com/amp/2020/story?id=2365919 What happened to that poor girl reminded me of this, hopefully she can get out too

@SisyphusAndTheRockOfUntidiness

Absolutely agree with *@FireUnderTheHand*.

I was brought up by a religious puritanical nutjob. She literally told me nothing about sex, pulled me from any relevent lessons, & then blamed me when I was assaulted. These people always blame the victim & protect the aggressor.

My sister is following the same path, only more extreme. I worry for her children.

Solidarity, and great hope for your sister's children.

I don't care how old they are or how immature they are or if they have LD or are completely mentally incompetent...

I disagree these things are irrelevant. I can't find anything that says how old the younger brothers were, but I don't believe a child should recieve the same punishment as an adult.

And I speak as a victim of child-on-child sexual abuse.