Posted December 10, 200717 yr Last Updated: Monday, 10 December 2007, 14:31 GMT BBC News Rape case ruling shocks Australia A judge's decision not to jail nine men found guilty of raping a 10-year-old girl in an Aboriginal community has triggered outrage in Australia. The offenders were either placed on probation or given suspended sentences for the 2005 rape in the Aurukun settlement, in northern Queensland. In her ruling, Judge Sarah Bradley told them that the victim "probably agreed to have sex with all of you". A review of sexual abuse sentences in Aboriginal Queensland has been ordered. Sentencing seven of the accused in Cairns in October, Judge Bradley told them that the girl involved was not forced into sex, according to a report in The Australian newspaper. She placed six of the offenders, who were minors at the time of the rape, on probation for 12 months, local media said. The three other defendants were handed suspended six-month prison sentences. Judge Bradley later defended her sentencing, telling The Australian that the sentences were "appropriate" because they were the penalties sought by the prosecution. 'No excuse' But Australia's newly-elected Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has spoken out against the ruling, saying he was "appalled" by the verdict after it was revealed in the Australian press on Monday. "I am horrified by cases like this, involving sexual violence against women and children. My attitude is one of zero tolerance," he told reporters in Queensland, his home state. "There is nothing culturally, there is nothing morally, there is nothing socially and there is definitely nothing legally that would ever allow this sort of decision to be made," she said. Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has now announced a review of all sentences given over the last two years in the communities in the Cape York region where the case occurred. "I am not prepared to just write this off as an unusual one-off case," she said. "I want to satisfy myself that the people of Cape York, and the people who live in remote indigenous communities, are receiving the same level of justice as we can expect in any other community in Queensland." The offenders came from some of the most powerful and prominent Aboriginal families in Cape York, while the victim's family had a lower status, The Australian reported. The case comes six months after a high-profile inquiry into child sex abuse in remote northern Australia said it found problems in every Aborigine community visited by researchers. That inquiry led to an intervention programme in the Northern Territory. Any Comments?
December 10, 200717 yr I read this earlier and it's f***ing discgraceful. How in god's name can a 10 year old girl agree to have sex with someone she doesn't know, let alone 9 people. The judge is talking $h!t when she says that she "Probably agreed to have sex with all of you".... How the f*** does she know? I hope the Prime Minister does something quick. We can't let them bast*rds get away with it.
December 10, 200717 yr That is disgraceful, that girl will never feel the same again and they have failed her big time. Horrible.
December 10, 200717 yr I doubt that little girl even knew what sex was. :lol: Ok, not a laughing matter, but thats just a tad harsh.
December 11, 200717 yr Saw this on the news earlier........I am totally disgusted, What the heck is the world coming to
December 12, 200717 yr Last Updated: Monday, 10 December 2007, 14:31 GMT BBC News Rape case ruling shocks Australia A judge's decision not to jail nine men found guilty of raping a 10-year-old girl in an Aboriginal community has triggered outrage in Australia. The offenders were either placed on probation or given suspended sentences for the 2005 rape in the Aurukun settlement, in northern Queensland. In her ruling, Judge Sarah Bradley told them that the victim "probably agreed to have sex with all of you". A review of sexual abuse sentences in Aboriginal Queensland has been ordered. Sentencing seven of the accused in Cairns in October, Judge Bradley told them that the girl involved was not forced into sex, according to a report in The Australian newspaper. She placed six of the offenders, who were minors at the time of the rape, on probation for 12 months, local media said. The three other defendants were handed suspended six-month prison sentences. Judge Bradley later defended her sentencing, telling The Australian that the sentences were "appropriate" because they were the penalties sought by the prosecution. 'No excuse' But Australia's newly-elected Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has spoken out against the ruling, saying he was "appalled" by the verdict after it was revealed in the Australian press on Monday. "I am horrified by cases like this, involving sexual violence against women and children. My attitude is one of zero tolerance," he told reporters in Queensland, his home state. "There is nothing culturally, there is nothing morally, there is nothing socially and there is definitely nothing legally that would ever allow this sort of decision to be made," she said. Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has now announced a review of all sentences given over the last two years in the communities in the Cape York region where the case occurred. "I am not prepared to just write this off as an unusual one-off case," she said. "I want to satisfy myself that the people of Cape York, and the people who live in remote indigenous communities, are receiving the same level of justice as we can expect in any other community in Queensland." The offenders came from some of the most powerful and prominent Aboriginal families in Cape York, while the victim's family had a lower status, The Australian reported. The case comes six months after a high-profile inquiry into child sex abuse in remote northern Australia said it found problems in every Aborigine community visited by researchers. That inquiry led to an intervention programme in the Northern Territory. Any Comments? As far as I'm concerned this is every bit as horrendous as those examples you posted up of what happened to rape victims in Saudi Arabia or Iran... But in a supposedly "democratic" country like Australia it is, for my mind, FAR worse... We dont expect authoritarian states to act in anything other than a totally unreasonable, brutal way (not that we should excuse it, but it aint unexpected is it?), we dont expect it from an apparently civiised, free country like Australia.... Very telling that it was an aborigine girl as well, the white Australian establishment regards the Aborigines as nothing more than subhuman, third class citizens in their OWN BLOODY COUNTRY.... :angry: This just makes me so fukkin' angry and basically proves my point that I made about Australia's shabby treatment of Aborigines in another thread....
December 12, 200717 yr As far as I'm concerned this is every bit as horrendous as those examples you posted up of what happened to rape victims in Saudi Arabia or Iran... But in a supposedly "democratic" country like Australia it is, for my mind, FAR worse... We dont expect authoritarian states to act in anything other than a totally unreasonable, brutal way (not that we should excuse it, but it aint unexpected is it?), we dont expect it from an apparently civiised, free country like Australia.... Very telling that it was an aborigine girl as well, the white Australian establishment regards the Aborigines as nothing more than subhuman, third class citizens in their OWN BLOODY COUNTRY.... :angry: This just makes me so fukkin' angry and basically proves my point that I made about Australia's shabby treatment of Aborigines in another thread.... At least she was not sentenced to 200 lashes... And the rapers themselves were aborigenes aswell... So I don´t think it has anything to do with racism. Anyway, for a 10 year old girl it doesn´t really matter if she agreed or not... violence should be presumed.
December 12, 200717 yr Cases like this are very upsetting especially the verdit! The verdit was completely appauling. A 10 year old girl agreeing to have sex with 10 men??? Anyone with a brain would understand that 10 year olds wouldn't know the first thing about sex! This poor girl has been tormented. I'm glad the PM has stepped in. At least he has some sense! I read in a womens magazine (think it was Look or First) about a lady in Pakistan who was gang rapped by men because her little brother spoke to a girl or something at his school!! I can't quite remember what happened in the case but I think she was sent to jail and the men got off with a light sentance. After she was released she appealed to the Pakistan PM and he sentance some of the men to death and imprisoned the rest.
December 12, 200717 yr At least she was not sentenced to 200 lashes... Big deal, an open court in a supposedly "civilised" country basically branded her a $l*t who was "asking for it", a TEN YEAR OLD GIRL FFS.... long-term psychological issues you think.....?? <_< You dont think that psychological torment could cause as many problems or leave as much lasting damage to a person as physical punishment..?
December 12, 200717 yr And the rapers themselves were aborigenes aswell... So I don´t think it has anything to do with racism. Wrong as well... It's every bit as racist, the court is basically saying "We dont give a sh!t about Aboriginal/Black girls", regardless of who the perpetrators are. You honestly believe the same judgement would be handed down if a blonde haired, blue-eyed, white skinned girl was gang raped....? Like hell...... <_< This girl was treated abysmally by both the judge and by her supposed "advocates" in the prosecution.... If I was an Australian, I would be burning the flag today in protest of this "judgement", I would be thoroughly ashamed of my country....
December 12, 200717 yr It makes me sick to read stuff like this. What really gets my fukking goat up is 'she probably agreed to have sex with all of you'! This judge should be shot we don't want these bast*rds running the court!
December 12, 200717 yr Are we really any better in this country ? Only 1 in 20 rape cases results in conviction in this so called civilised country so while this judge clearly needs a spell in a mental institution our record with rape cases is something to be ashamed of too where 19 out of 20 women were clearly "asking for it" in the eyes of judges and juries
December 12, 200717 yr Are we really any better in this country ? Only 1 in 20 rape cases results in conviction in this so called civilised country so while this judge clearly needs a spell in a mental institution our record with rape cases is something to be ashamed of too where 19 out of 20 women were clearly "asking for it" in the eyes of judges and juries Its not just rape cases in this pathetic country of ours! In the paper the other day they said they are letting out hundreds of perverts from prison and they arn't even going to check up on them after they have been let out. Even better go out a kill and someone and you'd only a get a couple of years (if that)! This place is awful is it any wonder I don't want kids? If I have to change to so much in a short time they'd be growing up in a world that's one big rundown/gun fighting/full of free perverts from prison/ fearing for their lives every minute world. Edited December 12, 200717 yr by Daylight Dancer
December 12, 200717 yr Wrong as well... It's every bit as racist, the court is basically saying "We dont give a sh!t about Aboriginal/Black girls", regardless of who the perpetrators are. You honestly believe the same judgement would be handed down if a blonde haired, blue-eyed, white skinned girl was gang raped....? Like hell...... <_< This girl was treated abysmally by both the judge and by her supposed "advocates" in the prosecution.... If I was an Australian, I would be burning the flag today in protest of this "judgement", I would be thoroughly ashamed of my country.... well i believe there is a furore in australia about this case.... quite rightly too.. there is NO justification for this verdict, the girl was TEN ffs <_<
December 12, 200717 yr Normally in cases like this it soon becomes apparent that there's more to the story than the instant headlines suggest. Here, that doesn't seem to be the case. The whole thing seems just as horrendous as it did when I first saw the headline. Under Queensland law (as in England and Wales), sex with a ten-year-old is rape whether the girl suposedly consented or not. The law makes it very clear that a 10-year-old cannot give her consent. If the Queensland authorities have the powers to sack this judge, they should do so immediately.
December 12, 200717 yr Are we really any better in this country ? Only 1 in 20 rape cases results in conviction in this so called civilised country so while this judge clearly needs a spell in a mental institution our record with rape cases is something to be ashamed of too where 19 out of 20 women were clearly "asking for it" in the eyes of judges and juries The conviction rate for rape in the UK is indeed pitifully low but that has nothing to do with this case. The men were convicted but, effectively, got away with it. In the UK, a convicted rapist is - rightly - almost certain to get a custodial sentence. There has - as far as I can recall - never been a case here where someone has been convicted of raping a 10-year-old and not received a custodial sentence.
December 13, 200717 yr Are we really any better in this country ? Only 1 in 20 rape cases results in conviction in this so called civilised country so while this judge clearly needs a spell in a mental institution our record with rape cases is something to be ashamed of too where 19 out of 20 women were clearly "asking for it" in the eyes of judges and juries Well, I've argued on several occasions that very point to people who bang on about what happens in these far flung corners of the Third World or the Middle East, while at the same time failing to comment on the sh!t that goes on in our own country. We as ordinary Britons cannot realistically hope to affect any kind of change in Saudi Arabia or Iran, but we sure as hell can put pressure on our elected members of Parliament to affect changes to our OWN system of law... We should put our own house in order before we start lecturing what the rest of the world does surely.... The Australian system however, is pretty much based upon the British system of law, Oz is, after all, a Commonwealth country, the union jack does fly in the left hand corner of the flag, therefore I do think we have a responsibility to at least comment upon what goes on there.... As far as Britain goes though, I personally have never heard of a case in the past two decades or so where a British judge has ever said a 10 year old girl was effectively "asking for it"..... We did have that notorious tit Judge James Pickles who sent down some very dubious judgements, but he was effectively censured for his ludicrous statements and generally ridiculed by society and his peers....
December 13, 200717 yr well i believe there is a furore in australia about this case.... quite rightly too.. there is NO justification for this verdict, the girl was TEN ffs <_< Well, let's hope this outrage leads to some pretty large heads rolling and a total overhaul of the system is put into effect.... The Judge and the Prosecution lawyers should be sacked instantly IMO, they clearly did NOT act in the best interests of that child... The reason why I call it institutional racism is because racial discrimination is defined within law as "treatment which is less favourable". I think it's bloody obvious to all that this girl received less favourable treatment in that court because she was an Aborigine, I have no doubt that a white girl would not have been so shamefully mistreated by the court.... ZERO tolerance for this utter shower of b/astards... A bloody JUDGE and a PROSECUTION LAWYER should damn well know the law.... :angry:
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