Do I have a moral obligation to notify the authorities about an attempted rape?

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blaskoman

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I have been wrestling with this situation for a few months now. I have recently learned that the daughter (21 yrs old) of a good friend of mine was almost raped. The individual who attempted the rape was the brother of the 21 yr old’s step father, who was sleeping over after a night of partying. Evidently, the individual thought (I am surmising) that he could get away with the act, since the girl was heavily intoxicated. However, the girl awoke and after screaming, her mom and step father rushed into the room. The brother was promptly kicked out of the house. No one called the police to report the incident. According to my friend, they simply didnt want to put a family member in jail.

Ever since the incident, the relationship between the family and the brother has disintagrated- no one is on talking terms with the brother.

The more I ponder this situation, the more strongly I feel that I should notify the police. I have since learned that the brother is listed on Megan’s list (he’s done this type of thing before). I believe that individuals on that list have a high rate of recidivism, so this individual may strike again sometime in the future and succeed. Then again, pressing charges may be all for nought since the 21 yr old may decline to testify. Im told that the attempted rape took place about a year ago, so what evidence there is is only hearsay by the witnesses, but the big IF is their willingness to testify.
 
I would be talking over the whole matter and all details with a priest and be guided by him.
 
Apparently not if you follow the morals of some of the hierarchy.
 
I’m no expert on theology (in such matters, I willingly submit to the Apostolic See), but what I do know is that we have an obligation to do what is right.

Maybe you should ask an expert (like a priest). I’ll pray for you.
 
Dear blaskoman,
It is good that you have a real anger(it can be channed into a positive action in the light of an justice) about what has happened to that young woman.The answer to your question is that you have no moral obligation to notify the authorities at all in my view.You are only a third party and you only heard it by hearsay.If it happened to you then I would say yes,given the fact that this man is a repeat sexual offender.Where I come from we have a "crime stoppers"telephone line network.It is an anonymous type of set up, all that the police want is information about a crime and what a person saw and or what they know.You could write an anonymous letter about what you described in this thread with names and addresses and send it on to the police authorities.Especially the name of the person who attempted the rape and what you believed happened;it would be up to them if they wanted to pursue the matter.Perhaps this would ease your mind and if the police did contact the man involved it might scare him to his senses.I would say that just on the information that you gave,the chances of a conviction,even if the family’s version did support the 21year olds story ,a conviction would be slim, because of the drunken state of the young lady.He could make up the story that she consented and was only sceaming with delight ;but when she heard the parents come in she changed her story.The moral of this story is that there is a lot to be said about drinling alcohol in moderation or better still keep away from it, if temperance has not been a persons history.I would also suggest that you pray for all parties concerned as this will channel you anger and fears(the person trying it on someone else because you kept quiet ,sort of thing) and God who knows and sees everything will put your petitions to good use.God Bless you.
 
This was not your daughter, nor did it happen at your house.

Nor, so far as I can tell from your post, did you actually see it.

On the basis of what you’ve written here, it sounds like all you know was told you by someone else.

I don’t think the police would investigate a hearsay report. The real world is NOT like the movie MINORITY REPORT, where a person can be arrested on the basis of what he MIGHT do.

I do not know the laws regarding attempted rape in your jurisdiction, but it could be that a year after the attempt is too late to file a complaint–especially by someone who wasn’t actually there.
 
karoleck said:
Dear blaskoman,
It is good that you have a real anger(it can be channed into a positive action in the light of an justice) about what has happened to that young woman.The answer to your question is that you have no moral obligation to notify the authorities at all in my view.

While I respect your opinion, I have to disagree because an attempt was made and statistically speaking, will be made again. In addition, the boy needs professional help before he hurts someone (if he hasn’t already), and himself. I most definitely would report it to the authorities. You can prevent something horribly awful happening to someone else.

Where I come from we have a "crime stoppers"telephone line network.It is an anonymous type of set up, all that the police want is information about a crime and what a person saw and or what they know.You could write an anonymous letter about what you described in this thread with names and addresses and send it on to the police authorities.Especially the name of the person who attempted the rape and what you believed happened;it would be up to them if they wanted to pursue the matter.Perhaps this would ease your mind and if the police did contact the man involved it might scare him to his senses.

I agree with this. I hope that you take this advice…

I would say that just on the information that you gave,the chances of a conviction,even if the family’s version did support the 21year olds story ,a conviction would be slim, because of the drunken state of the young lady.He could make up the story that she consented and was only sceaming with delight ;but when she heard the parents come in she changed her story.The moral of this story is that there is a lot to be said about drinling alcohol in moderation or better still keep away from it, if temperance has not been a persons history.I would also suggest that you pray for all parties concerned as this will channel you anger and fears(the person trying it on someone else because you kept quiet ,sort of thing) and God who knows and sees everything will put your petitions to good use.God Bless you.

**I’m not sure where you live, but where I live it’s a crime to have sexual relations with someone intoxicated. It’s hard to prove when both parties are drunk, as it should be. But when a sober individual is making advances on an intoxicated individual, the sober one inevitably loses the case because he is taking advantage of someone not capable of consent. While I’m not sure I agree with it in all situations, I do know of people who have gone to court over this and the girl won. Thankfully, where I live, it takes the consent of both parties to engage in sexual activity, or the act is assault or in some cases, rape. You can’t consent if you’re drunk, on drugs (i.e. date rape drug) or mentally incapable of consenting.

In the case described by the OP, I think it will be hard to make a case without the family’s testimony simply because nothing happened. It was stopped before something bad happened. Which is why she should report it to be investigated. Next time, he might not get caught in time to stop him from doing the unthinkable. I agree that even if nothing comes of it, the fact that investigators might poke around might make them all think twice about what happened that night. **
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blaskoman said:
I have been wrestling with this situation for a few months now. I have recently learned that the daughter (21 yrs old) of a good friend of mine was almost raped. The individual who attempted the rape was the brother of the 21 yr old’s step father, who was sleeping over after a night of partying. Evidently, the individual thought (I am surmising) that he could get away with the act, since the girl was heavily intoxicated. However, the girl awoke and after screaming, her mom and step father rushed into the room. The brother was promptly kicked out of the house. No one called the police to report the incident. According to my friend, they simply didnt want to put a family member in jail.

Ever since the incident, the relationship between the family and the brother has disintagrated- no one is on talking terms with the brother.

The more I ponder this situation, the more strongly I feel that I should notify the police. I have since learned that the brother is listed on Megan’s list (he’s done this type of thing before). I believe that individuals on that list have a high rate of recidivism, so this individual may strike again sometime in the future and succeed. Then again, pressing charges may be all for nought since the 21 yr old may decline to testify. Im told that the attempted rape took place about a year ago, so what evidence there is is only hearsay by the witnesses, but the big IF is their willingness to testify.
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Unfortunately, at this late date, even if the girl herself were to file charges, the police wouldn’t take it seriously. What needed to happen was that someone needed to call 9-1-1 during the incident, while it was taking place. Otherwise, there isn’t much for the police to go on. I’m glad the family is taking it seriously, though. Years ago, the girl would have been told to just suck it up; that’s life, and men, for you - do what you can to keep your legs crossed, but don’t expect any help - boys will be boys and all that.
 
I would notify the police. A man who tried rape once, and not only rape, but the rape of a relative probably has done it before and will do it again.
 
blaskoman said:
I have been wrestling with this situation for a few months now. I have recently learned that the daughter (21 yrs old) of a good friend of mine was almost raped. The individual who attempted the rape was the brother of the 21 yr old’s step father, who was sleeping over after a night of partying. Evidently, the individual thought (I am surmising) that he could get away with the act, since the girl was heavily intoxicated. However, the girl awoke and after screaming, her mom and step father rushed into the room. The brother was promptly kicked out of the house. No one called the police to report the incident. According to my friend, they simply didnt want to put a family member in jail.

Ever since the incident, the relationship between the family and the brother has disintagrated- no one is on talking terms with the brother.

The more I ponder this situation, the more strongly I feel that I should notify the police. I have since learned that the brother is listed on Megan’s list (he’s done this type of thing before). I believe that individuals on that list have a high rate of recidivism, so this individual may strike again sometime in the future and succeed. Then again, pressing charges may be all for nought since the 21 yr old may decline to testify. Im told that the attempted rape took place about a year ago, so what evidence there is is only hearsay by the witnesses, but the big IF is their willingness to testify.
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While lifeguarding one evening we had a man whom by all appearances was drunk. He even told me he was drunk. I went to the young man in charge that evening and suggested he should call the police. It took some convincing, but he eventually he made the call. (He had never called the police before.) The police came and talked to the man outside the pool facility. The officer made the decision based on what he saw while talking to the man. It is their job to make those decisions. I for one would have a hard time swallowing my Cheerios the next morning if the man had been drunk and killed someone while driving from the pool.

So let the police know. Even if they cannot do anything this time they at least will have an idea of whom they should be watching.

God bless
 
A long time ago when I was in a store I saw a woman hit her child (or grandchild) really hard on the arm. The child turned red and was tearing.

To this day I regret not making a scene, demanding that security/police be called. If that woman hit her child in the store that way, God knows what she does at home.

If you know someone tried to rape and don’t say anything, what kind of regret and guilt are you going to be living with?
 
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