Punishment

Thank you for your opening entry, Sir. My opponents holds an interesting opinion which I had hoped held more intellectual prowess. 1. The severity of the crime My opponent subscribes this section to a "measurement of the effect on the victim," siting the unending torture that many rape victims experiencing following the vicious assault on their person. The statistics presented suggest that up to 33% of rape victims contemplate suicide, with 13% actually going through with the act. I would begin by reminding my opponent that 100% of murder victims end up very permanently dead as a result of their victimhood, a choice entirely taken out of their hands. Arguing that rape is worse or equivalent to death seems slightly fatuous, as none can experience both, nor can the experiences be compared. What we do know, however. is that to rob someone of their life is to mark the unalterable and irreversible cessation of their consciousness, not only severing all chances, hopes and dreams they may have possessed, but also having an impact similar to that of rape on the victim's family. It can, at the very least, be said that rape victims not only live, but are still there for the benefit of the victim's loved ones, including children and spouses. It has been argued, a point which my opponent briefly makes, is that since murder victims are dead, they are not condemned, as rape survivors are, to a lifetime of misery and trauma. The primary reason that this argument falls flat is that rape victims are given a chance to overcome the wrongdoing; murder victims have no such opportunity to survive and get over their traumatic experience. Instead, they are forced by the hand of a villain to leave all they loved and all they could have loved, destroyed in every sense of the word. While a massive percentage of rape survivors report permanent damage as a result of the rape, 18% happily announce a full recovery. (1) Many others, while still subjected to the painful memories and reminders, live a happy, healthy, and productive life. Meanwhile, the percentage of those murdered who can impart similar news remains at a flat )%; they never have a chance at recovery or reconciliation. This is why rape is worse than murder. 2. The perpetrator and their personality A common argument, my opponent dictates that as there is no justification for rape, whereas there might be for murder, rape is therefore a more heinous crime, committed by more monstrous individuals. I would put this to my opponent and readers as a simple falsehood. To murder someone is to willingly and knowingly brutally rip from the victim their sole chance at life, and to damn their families and loved ones to endless grief and pain. It is the most heinous crime of all, because to commit it is to intend harm in the worst way imaginable. To put it simply, one can rape and intend no permanent harm, knowing the cruelty of the crime but ignorant of the results, but one cannot murder without the full knowledge of what they do and its impacts, not only on the deceased, but on the living as well. My opponent seems slightly confused over the definition of "murder". Dictionary.com defines homicide as "The unlawful killing of one human by another, especially with premeditated malice." (2)My adversary, on the other hand, finds murder synonymous with killing. Indeed, self-defense and killing on necessity is not murder and often not particularly heinous, and does not require depravity of soul. However, premeditation does in almost all circumstances. And no, the majority of homicides are not "random acts of cruelty". They are often very personal, heartless acts of violence that displays a stunning lack of empathy and reason. Despite the apparent fact that murder is far more despicable than rape, it ultimately makes little difference in how retribution ought to be distributed. Assault can be far more aggravated than an armed robbery, but that has no impact on punishment. One must look at the results. Following a rape, a victim is alive, if permanently damaged, and still may be happy with their loved ones. On the other hand, death is unconquerable and unsurvivable, and so is punished more liberally. With that said, I turn the discourse over to my opponent. With that said, I turn the debate over to my opponent.