If we truly believe in justice & due process, then you'll want to read this story and sign the petition to demand it also apply to the Menendez brothers—here's why
As a therapist, for a number of years I worked with sexually abused children as young as three. In one case, a somewhat older boy had anal tears and fecal incontinence from the repeated rapes by his father. When reported by the mother, protective services declined to investigate because there was a divorce pending, and the CPS agent declared that the mother was reporting only to “get back at” the father. No amount of medical evidence led to an investigation. It’s not just that because boys “don’t have the right equipment,” Thant their rapists walk free. It is misogyny, as well. All too often, mothers’ reports of partners abusing their boys are seen as female pettiness, not genuine parental protective action.
I am from a family of hidden secrets and I am from the area in CA and generation that Erik and Lyle are from. These guys have served their time, physically and mentally in 100 ways. It is time to let them go. Allowing these two victims to finally live a free life and find out who they are and what their place is in the world now is completely necessary and the right thing to do. It has been proven that they are and have been really helpful and caring to others in prison for these last decades.
This is an excellent argument, Qasim. I recall being very frustrated with Dominick Dunne’s ‘90s coverage of the Menendez trials in Vanity Fair because he so completely dismissed the brothers’ allegations of childhood sexual abuse. Dunne, who died in 2009, said that he’d been frequently beaten as a child by his surgeon father, who’d also called him a “sissy.” He insisted that he was never sexually abused, or tempted to kill him.
I went to high school with Erik & Lyle, a small enough school that we knew who everyone was. I was never comfortable with the trial and sentencing, and have been sickened by what I've been learning in the last few months' articles about their childhood abuse. Can't tell you how relieved I am to hear about their healing despite being in prison. Thank you for speaking up about what they deserve, QR.
What you said in this section "A Legal System Built to Ignore Male Abuse Survivors" And I remember when Terry Crews came forward and the rapper 50 Cents mocked him.
But another case also comes to mind is the trafficking victim that killed her abuser. And still was sentenced to jail. Chrystul Kizer. Even though the court acknowledged that she had been sexually abused and trafficked and was still a minor. The court believed her story, but they decided that she planned the murder.
Thank you! Anyone who is abused deserves the utmost consideration. And we can’t, as a society, be too rigid and self-righteous to correct our mistakes. Witness the current “administration.”
While my doctors say I'm still not supposed to be watching or reading anything news-related, I couldn't help but sign this. Thank you for bringing it to people's attention. I hope you are doing well! 🕊️♥️🤲
On the subject of boys being moleseted, what about the boys who were abused by priests who never should even gotten into the seminary? The Menendez brothers were abused by their own father which was inexcusable. The fact that nobody believed them, and their own mother didn’t protect them, made it even worse. They almost had no choice but to kill their parents to make it stop. Their parents were rich. If they ran away, they would have been caught and abused even more. They need psychiatric care, victims of abuse, when left untreated can often grow up to be psychologically messed up, and even commit the same kinds of crimes. You have to wonder about their father’s childhood. He was probably mistreated, as well.
Their mother didn’t just “not protect them” - she molested Lyle when he was a preteen, and displayed a lot of “covert incest” behaviors around both sons. She was also physically and emotionally abusive.
Jose, the father, was a wild and spoiled kid whose mother was obsessed with him and sexually abused him. Jose’s sister Marta saw their mother sexually stimulating him when he was a very young child.
Kitty, Jose, and Maria (Jose’s mother) were pretty twisted, but lot of the extended family seem to be really good people, who have supported Lyle and Erik’s release for years. Between both sides of the family, there’s something like twenty-six relatives who are officially on the record as supporting their release.
As a CSA survivor who's never thought Erik and Lyle were treated justly, thank you for this opportunity.
In addition to ignorance, stupidity, callousness, etc. around the way SA survivors have always been treated, the neuroscience research findings from the early 2000s has cast a new, more reasonable and more humane light on what happens to the mind and bodies of survivors--it would be nice if the legal community and public understood these findings, too.
QR, the country was shocked when this happened. But, if they were abused by their own Father, this should be revisited. The Law requires it. It should take place. Keep fighting for right!
This was really triggering and heavy to read. As someone who has multiple men in my family who were abused as children (one of which is no longer with us) I appreciate you speaking out about this. I have seen first hand the destruction this type of abuse causes in their lives. So much respect for you and your commitment to justice Qasim.
As a therapist, for a number of years I worked with sexually abused children as young as three. In one case, a somewhat older boy had anal tears and fecal incontinence from the repeated rapes by his father. When reported by the mother, protective services declined to investigate because there was a divorce pending, and the CPS agent declared that the mother was reporting only to “get back at” the father. No amount of medical evidence led to an investigation. It’s not just that because boys “don’t have the right equipment,” Thant their rapists walk free. It is misogyny, as well. All too often, mothers’ reports of partners abusing their boys are seen as female pettiness, not genuine parental protective action.
I am from a family of hidden secrets and I am from the area in CA and generation that Erik and Lyle are from. These guys have served their time, physically and mentally in 100 ways. It is time to let them go. Allowing these two victims to finally live a free life and find out who they are and what their place is in the world now is completely necessary and the right thing to do. It has been proven that they are and have been really helpful and caring to others in prison for these last decades.
I can/can't believe that it is taking this long to do the right thing.
Signed. I hope you succeed.
This is an excellent argument, Qasim. I recall being very frustrated with Dominick Dunne’s ‘90s coverage of the Menendez trials in Vanity Fair because he so completely dismissed the brothers’ allegations of childhood sexual abuse. Dunne, who died in 2009, said that he’d been frequently beaten as a child by his surgeon father, who’d also called him a “sissy.” He insisted that he was never sexually abused, or tempted to kill him.
I went to high school with Erik & Lyle, a small enough school that we knew who everyone was. I was never comfortable with the trial and sentencing, and have been sickened by what I've been learning in the last few months' articles about their childhood abuse. Can't tell you how relieved I am to hear about their healing despite being in prison. Thank you for speaking up about what they deserve, QR.
That would be Princeton Day School, right?
What you said in this section "A Legal System Built to Ignore Male Abuse Survivors" And I remember when Terry Crews came forward and the rapper 50 Cents mocked him.
But another case also comes to mind is the trafficking victim that killed her abuser. And still was sentenced to jail. Chrystul Kizer. Even though the court acknowledged that she had been sexually abused and trafficked and was still a minor. The court believed her story, but they decided that she planned the murder.
Thank you! Anyone who is abused deserves the utmost consideration. And we can’t, as a society, be too rigid and self-righteous to correct our mistakes. Witness the current “administration.”
While my doctors say I'm still not supposed to be watching or reading anything news-related, I couldn't help but sign this. Thank you for bringing it to people's attention. I hope you are doing well! 🕊️♥️🤲
Done!
On the subject of boys being moleseted, what about the boys who were abused by priests who never should even gotten into the seminary? The Menendez brothers were abused by their own father which was inexcusable. The fact that nobody believed them, and their own mother didn’t protect them, made it even worse. They almost had no choice but to kill their parents to make it stop. Their parents were rich. If they ran away, they would have been caught and abused even more. They need psychiatric care, victims of abuse, when left untreated can often grow up to be psychologically messed up, and even commit the same kinds of crimes. You have to wonder about their father’s childhood. He was probably mistreated, as well.
Their mother didn’t just “not protect them” - she molested Lyle when he was a preteen, and displayed a lot of “covert incest” behaviors around both sons. She was also physically and emotionally abusive.
Jose, the father, was a wild and spoiled kid whose mother was obsessed with him and sexually abused him. Jose’s sister Marta saw their mother sexually stimulating him when he was a very young child.
Then the whole clan is VERY sick & twisted. This kind of behavior is learned.
Kitty, Jose, and Maria (Jose’s mother) were pretty twisted, but lot of the extended family seem to be really good people, who have supported Lyle and Erik’s release for years. Between both sides of the family, there’s something like twenty-six relatives who are officially on the record as supporting their release.
Then it seems that one branch of that family is very messed up, and they may have hid their sick activities from the others.
Qasim,
As a CSA survivor who's never thought Erik and Lyle were treated justly, thank you for this opportunity.
In addition to ignorance, stupidity, callousness, etc. around the way SA survivors have always been treated, the neuroscience research findings from the early 2000s has cast a new, more reasonable and more humane light on what happens to the mind and bodies of survivors--it would be nice if the legal community and public understood these findings, too.
QR, the country was shocked when this happened. But, if they were abused by their own Father, this should be revisited. The Law requires it. It should take place. Keep fighting for right!
This was really triggering and heavy to read. As someone who has multiple men in my family who were abused as children (one of which is no longer with us) I appreciate you speaking out about this. I have seen first hand the destruction this type of abuse causes in their lives. So much respect for you and your commitment to justice Qasim.
I agree. And sent the email via the link you provided.
Thank you, Deborah.
Thank you for this. I'm a CSA survivor myself and very much support their resentencing. I appreciate the attention on the issue
I'm so sorry for your struggle Tai, and am grateful for your compassion.