Thrust Into His Arms

Dad does not say anything. I can hear his breathing. He is angry. He soon confirmed it by swearing, "That useless worthless bastard! I should have shot him in the head!"

"What do you mean?" I ask, sniffling.

"I had him arrested. But unfortunately he wasn’t charged with the assault as there was no clear evidence." He lets out a regretful sigh.

"Nothing could be done based on my words alone. If only you had been around to testify all that he has done to you, he would be serving time in juvenile detention right now."

"Perhaps. But that would have been just another load of shame to me. And it would have all been for nothing in the end because he would not be made to serve punishment.

Money rules, and he has a lot of that to spin the law in his favor and buy justice. There is also the fact that he is involved with the Mafia."

"I want to refute that statement. But I have no words to because you are right." He suddenly asks, "Remember that infamous date rape case that happened in Michigan four years ago?"

"Yes I remember. Maya Sawyer." I cannot forget her name because I was so mad I almost coughed up blood and become overweight with anger and resentment against the world because of the negative and hurtful controversy the case stirred against her. The press, the media, the tabloids.

They all ganged up to pin the whole blame on her, saying that it was her fault for getting raped on a date with a guy that she had met on a dating app.

That had been their first time meeting each other. Maya Sawyer said they were drinking in a bar and that was all she remembered before waking up at his house and found herself naked on his bed. He had raped her. She had gone to the police station to report it. The rapist whom very meticulous and thorough in his crime had forced her to take a shower there to wash his fingerprints off her body.

But he forgot that he had deposited his most important DNA inside of her. With that, the police were able to link him to the act and an APB was put out for him. He was wanted with a reward money of fifty thousand dollars on his head for anyone who had correct information on his whereabouts as it was a high profile case.

Three other women also came forward with similar stories about how they had all been raped by him in the same way. The case gained nationwide attention. Broadcast stations offered the victims to come on live television for interviews. Three of them did except one. She was the youngest victim, only in her early twenties.

I was able to watch two out of the three interviews. Maya’s own was cut multiple times because she could not stop crying on air. A popular author was even writing a book about the case. It kept gaining more and more attention.

The rapist could not hide himself any longer. He turned himself in to Police custody. He claimed that the four women were lying and making false accusations against him. He did not deny knowing them, but said that it had not been rape but an intimate act done after mutual consent. And that the women were trying to con money out of him.

That was the turning point. Sadly, the majority chose to believe him even though he was clearly telling lies.

It might have been plausible to believe if it had been only one woman. But there were four.

Four very different women who had never met each other in their lives but had the same story means that it is true. There could have also been more victims who were ashamed to come out especially when they saw the backlash and negative attention that the four women were receiving.

I also can never forget the way public opinion about the case changed all of a sudden. Like when a pancake is flipped on the frying pan for both sides to be properly cooked. Because he was rich he hired an army of lawyers who must have harassed the victims and used ungodly methods to force them into settling outside of court and withdrawing the case against their rapist client.

Maya Sawyer had been the last to settle. She had stood strong on her refusal for settlement, saying that she wanted nothing more or less than seeing the man behind bars. The public chewed her like gum. You hear her name on people’s lips everywhere you go. And they were all painful, hurtful words that contends with the evil act of the crime itself that she had suffered.

"There she is again. Such a shameless woman."

"Slandering an innocent man. Doesn’t she have any shame?"

"God, I cannot stand this woman! She should be silenced already. She is making a lot of noise. Is she the first person that it’s happened to? She likes the fact that she is getting attention out from it."

I remember I had felt an indescribable urge to punch the man who had said that on the subway. I had tightly held the passenger handle inside the bus to hold it in.

"That would not have happened if she had been careful. They would act all slutty and give signals, calling men in. When it happens they would be crying fake tears to get attention. So silly." That one was my boss at the noodle shop back home. She said a lot more than that. But that is the only one I remember. It had all pricked me as if I knew Maya Sawyer.

I had also felt like punching her and sewing her silly mouth with a suturing needle.

Maya Sawyer too was forced to settle and fully withdraw her petition later on. The bastard walked free with no consequences. No jail time, no chewing out, and no criticisms.

Dad and I had followed the case right from the beginning. That was an eye-opener that law and justice are just mere words. A huge load of crap.