Friday, January 2, 2009

Rape Victim


Was she really raped? Did she just use the incident to capture the guy's attention? How can she be raped by her boyfriend, knowing that in the first place, she wasn't forced to enter a secluded room? She's already used to them doing their thing, how can she defend that she was sexually abused? Is she lying? Has she created this story? Is her boyfriend the true culprit? Or is she the real antagonist?”


Most of my friends asked me why I didn't persue the law profession. I am a Legal Management graduate and instead of getting myself into a law school, I chose to be in ePLDT.


My dad's a lawyer. Everyone expects me to be like him. He's someone that I look up to and my standards are high because I have the best basis.


I was seven (7) that time when my “yaya” went with my mom in the market and there was no one at home except my dad. Papa's rushing into a court trial since he was defending the alleged rapist. Since he can't leave me alone, he asked me to dress up in my best attire since we're going to court. I remembered, I was wearing a white-ruffled dress and I was carrying my baby bear when I had a glimpse of the cold bars in the prison. I was not suppose to be placed inside since there were men wearing orange shirts. I just can't define the emotions that I saw in their eyes- combination of nervousness and depression, I guess. When it was about time for my dad to occupy the stage ( i called it “stage” before), I saw a girl, covering her face with a green cloth. An old guy was protecting her, embracing her so tight. My dad's on the right side and the girl's on the left. The doors were shut, after.


I was sitting at the back when I heard this conversation:


Dad: “Do usually go to the accused house? For how many times?”

Girl: “Yes. For about six (6) times already.”

Dad: “What do you usually do when you get in?”

Girl: “We eat and watch TV in his room.”

Dad: “In his room, just the two (2) of you?”

Girl: “Yes”.

Dad: “How is the accused reacting everytime you two were inside the room?”

Girl: “He's sweet and caring. He holds my hands all the time and we also kiss and hug.”

Dad: “Have you done “love act” with him before?”

Girl: {sobbing} “Yes”.

Dad: “How many times?”

Lawyer: Objection.


I didn't mind the rest of the conversation when I suddenly saw her lying down of the lawyers' table and demonstrating something.. an act.. actions.. where she looked helpless but combative. I pity her so much, that I can feel how heavy her loads were.


Three (3) years after, I saw my dad celebrating with the accused rapist. They won the case. My dad defended the innocence of his client. I heard the guy saying: “That girl's stupid to accuse me of rape knowing that everything happened at home and we usually do the thing. It became a bit rough since we wanted to try something new. Everything was under her consent. Then, I'll receive a subpoena one day accusing me of rape? What the hell?” My dad and some other guys laughed and drank wine thereafter.


Two (2) years later, I saw my mom comforting my dad in our living room. I heard him said, “I discharged a criminal, Mama. I felt so bad when their former driver went to me. He told me that he saw Mr.-- forcing M---- (the woman) to get inside the room and he heard that the girl was begging for mercy. This job's not Godly. I won over the eyes of men but had lost my soul from HIS compassion.”


I can be a good lawyer? Definitely. I am a good debater? Precisely. But, is being a lawyer something that I can be happy at? Maybe, for monetary and ego satisfaction. Would this make me complete? No. Is this the only job that I can be good at? No, I'm smart and I can do anything and can go anywhere God pleases me to be in.


I took a different path from my Dad's. I don't want to be the victim of my own choices. I don't want to undergo the same conscience-cleansing when I get old. I want to have a job where I can feel no regrets at all. I want to have my own identity. I want to prove that being a lawyer is not only the job that an expected-good-lawyer can be at. I made it here.. all for HIS pride and glory.. I made it far!

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