Listen to the Justice Interrupted team discuss the travesty taking place in the Regan Martin case in Will County, Illinois. Regan Martin and her children need the broken justice system to wake up and understand that precious lives are at stake. My hope is that those involved with the justice system and with Regan Martin's case in Will County, Illinois will understand that risking Regan Martin's life and the lives of her 3 children will not be tolerated! Enough women and children have tragically lost their lives over the years and it is high time that this changes! Starting right now with this case in Will County, Illinois.
So many people wonder why victims of crime seek media intervention and expose their cases to the public eye. I can tell you why very simply. When a woman and her children's lives are at stake, a person has to do what they have to do in order to save their life period. If this means garnering support utilizing the media, blogs and web sites this is what a person must do.
John Samolis is a very high risk offender and we need to do all we can to be sure that Regan Martin and her children are safe from further harm.
As a free nation and a "civilized society" the message needs to be delivered to our nation's judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officers that we will not tolerate another innocent womans life being lost when it can be prevented.
I can tell you as a crime survivor and as an advocate for those who are seeking justice that today a victim must fight and use all of the tools available to them in order to become a survivor! If this means exposing their personal situations to the public via the media in order to save their lives or their children's lives that is what has to be done!
It is easy for one to judge who has not walked in a victims shoes; however, we must all keep in mind that the injustice going on in our nation's courts is a issue that impacts all of us. When violent criminals are given light sentences or issued restraining orders without GPS monitoring or detection it is a danger to all of us.
United together we can make a difference and help to save lives!
8 comments:
Regan Martin's case is outrageous! What she has endured is incredible. When I first read the story in the Chicago Tribune it made me sick to my stomach watching her and knowing that she was on the run in fear for her life becuase the justice system failed her AGAIN!! Why is it that we are in this situation where victims of violence with all laws adn the VAWA laws and prtections that are supposed to be there to keep them safe dont work. Regan Martin is in our prayers!
Glad to know that others feel the same way I do when I learn of cases like Regan.
Regan has been through so much I am thankful that she is speaking out it is easy to be intimidated by our justice system and to be afraid and hopeful that she will prevail!
I feel great rage that the misogynist legal system has been so totally useless in protecting Regan and her children from her savage husband.
Regan's Case was one of Marital Rape, he called 911 and gave a written confession to the police which describes how he turned her over, handcuffed her, raped and beat her all the while she's screaming, "NO, STOP!"
See - Marital Rape: New Research and Directions by Raquel Kennedy Bergen With contributions from Elizabeth Barnhill (February 2006) provides an overview of the research on marital rape including a brief legal history of marital rape.
It is a crime which is rarely reported or prosecuted. It's a terrible injustice and many women have been sacrificed re-victimized and traumatized by our court system.
http://new.vawnet.org/Assoc_Files_VAWnet/AR_MaritalRapeRevised.pdf
Also see the book "RAPE IN MARRIAGE" by Diana E.H. Russell, Ph.D.
One of the biggest problems is the workers in the system are more concerned with keeping thier jobs and thier incomes. I am aware that this sounds simplistic but I am convinced that any concerns for victims is not even in the mix.
There are some who care but they are a minority and need to be commended and supported whenever possible.
We also need to face and understand how men think about women. Don't ever forget that a man is a man whether he is the one on trial or the one in the black robe. It's mostly a mans system and more women need to get involved to make a difference.
There is hope, for I am a man and at least I have grown enough to understand the problem with some insightful perspective.
Why dont the courts get it? I went through identity change changing my social securtiy number and name thinking we would be safe but this did not happen. The sick thing is that batterers, rapists, child molesters often have more rights than the victims. GPs monitoring needs to be mandatory upon release from prison and county jail IN ANY STATE tired of being a victim of not only an abuser but of a broken system! Thank you alexis for getting this out there!
It seems like Will County, Illinois has garnered a reputation of not stepping in to save the lives of women affected by domestic abuse.
March 1 marks the fifth anniversary of the death of Kathleen Savio, another woman ignored by the system. This could easily have been Regan Martin. Regan is still alive through the grace of God, a loving and supporting family and advocates who have helped her safely escape her violent husband.
Keeping the stories of women like Regan and what they have been through out in the public eye will only serve to save other's lives.
Our legal system is broken and VAWA is only as good as it's enforced by those who are elected and sworn to uphold these laws.
We must be the voice of those who no longer have a voice.
Victims of domestic violence and stalking have it much harder than other victims simply because these are crimes against women. More victims need tospeak out and to be vocal as regane adn her family have been. hank you for speaking out
Maryanne
Violence against women and children should not be tolerated. Thankyou Alexi for posting about this case and helping to prevent more needless deaths to women in Will County!
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