Recently, the news that David Becker, an 18-year-old high school student from East Longmeadow, MA, had gotten two years of probation as a punishment for two counts of rape and one count of indecent assault which went viral. The judge who presided over the case did not make the high school-er register as a sex offender because “it].... would ruin his college experience...” Thomas Estes. Becker’s attorney chalked the charges up to “mistakes.”
Rape is something talked about by parents and in Health Education in most high schools. It’s one of the big “DO NOT”’s in the law system. Performing the act results in jail time and registering as a sex offender. It’s a black slash over your record. Getting jobs, living in highly populated areas, and having relationships becomes a hard task. It’s a terrible act that stays with you for your entire life, and rightfully so. It is also equally hard for the victims. Moving on from rape is no easy task, it requires years of therapy, for those who feel strong enough to discuss their experience.
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There are many situations that call upon the famous “fight or flight” mode in our brains. Essentially, when there is an amount of danger the brain switches to fight or flight. In this mode energy is quickly moved to essential muscles, adrenaline supercharging the body to increase reflex time, the heart pumps rapidly to circulate blood more efficiently. In the situation of rape, fighting or flying may not be an option, in which case the victims are stuck in a mode of complete fear, unable to protect themselves. The aftermath is worse. Most victims distance themselves from any and all relationships, suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Some are stuck with severe depression or disassociation. Some find the only cure is substance abuse. The effects are devastating.
David Becker, to get himself into this mess, penetrated two girls who were asleep. They awoke in the middle of his act. He was caught a few days after the act had been committed, suffering from a guilty conscience. He even texted one of the girls apologizing. She admits she brushed it off, not entirely sure how to react to the ordeal. Becker, as a legal adult, was taken to court. It was in this particular case that the world found out valuable information—if you are about to head to college—the law doesn’t matter! The judge wrote one of the world’s worst acts as a slap on the wrist. Becker’s record is pristine, and two girls are left to wonder how the legal system let this happen. So, to everyone about to head to college, break any law! You definitely won’t be punished in any way, after all, it might ruin your “college experience.”
