Just to let you know, I cannot discuss any current cases due to confidentiality. However, I will share some of the commonalities I've seen from some of the cases
Today, I was with the IJM staff attorney when we met with one of our clients and her parents. While I couldn't understand what they were saying, I saw the deep concern in each of their eyes even after the perpetrator has been arrested and is waiting for trial.
I remember being confused in my Health class in 9th grade when the teacher started talking about rape. I wasn't lost on what rape was -- non-consensual sex -- but on what the reason for it was: Power. More specifically, the abuse of power.
Working at CitySquare's LAW Center, woman after woman was stuck in an abusive relationship because of physical power of the husband and the power given him by the culture they came from.
Only two months into my time with IJM Thailand, and I can see that rape is truly about the abuse of power.
David Allen, a friend of ours from church in Dallas and Chiang Mai, told a story about a hill tribe woman who was working on the construction of a house. When his friend met the woman, she was sobbing. She said that she had been raped earlier in the day by one of the other construction workers. When David's friend called the police, the police told his friend it was the woman's fault. What did she expect being from the hill tribes and working construction. No report was ever filed.
Of course people will abuse power if there is no recourse.
We've also seen perpetrator's attempt to get off through high-level government connections.
If a person chooses a victim who has no power or he or she wields a great amount of power, it is easy to abuse that power.
Read Psalm 10. Think about the victim. And consider what the person who abuses power is like.
In the next entry I'll tell you how IJM is fighting against this violent oppression.
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