Dear Editor,
How do we as a society reconcile with the consequences of sexual assault when the victim feels so hopeless that they contemplate suicide? Like many victims of sexual assault, my niece has been battling depression and post-traumatic stress disorder—a lasting and debilitating condition for which there is no definitive cure. The assault shattered her sense of safety, and every day since, she has been struggling to piece her life back together. If, tragically, she were to succumb to her pain and take her own life, would a financial settlement—no matter how large—truly compensate for the loss of a young life filled with potential?
We must also consider this: has the perpetrator assaulted others, and will they continue to harm others if they are not held fully accountable? Sweeping such heinous acts under the rug with financial payouts only enables predators to persist in their behaviour. My niece will live with the scars of this assault for the rest of her life. Like so many victims, she unfairly blames herself, despite the universal truth that the fault lies solely with the perpetrator. She carries the burden of shame and secrecy, compounded by societal pressures to “move on” or accept financial restitution in exchange for justice.
But how can anyone put a price on the innocence and safety stolen from a teenager? How can justice be served when the system fails to protect victims or hold offenders accountable? Her family is furious with the lack of rigor in the police investigation. Every parent’s worst nightmare is their child being harmed in this way, and yet, sexual assault remains an epidemic in our society. Her story is one of many. Her suffering should compel all of us to demand stronger protections for victims, better accountability for perpetrators, and a society that refuses to tolerate such crimes.
Sincerely,
(Name and Address Withheld)
