# 30 days for Rape **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 28, 2013, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392 "2013-08-28T12:35:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zyanthia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Zyanthia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyanthia)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392/1 "2013-08-28T12:35:50Z")
Seriously? 😕 [Former Mont. teacher gets 30 days for student rape](http://news.msn.com/crime-justice/former-mont-teacher-gets-30-days-for-student-rape) Fine, he really got 15 years, but all but 31 days were suspended and he got credit for 1 day served. > [@](#): > > A former Billings Senior High School teacher who pleaded guilty to raping a 14-year-old student who later killed herself has been sentenced to 30 days in jail by a judge who said the victim was “older than her chronological age” and “as much in control of the situation” as the teacher. You’re telling me a young teenager was in as much control of a situation as a person placed in authority over her? This isn’t even statutory rape where she was a consenting minor. This was a man forcing himself unwanted on her. How is she in control of that? Can someone please explain how a right thinking person could ever say what that judge said, because I just can’t fathom how you can so flippantly blame a minor victim like that and still have the character needed to be a judge of others. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392/2 "2013-08-28T12:52:12Z")
> [@Zyanthia](#): > > This isn’t even statutory rape where she was a consenting minor. This was a man forcing himself unwanted on her. How is she in control of that? Can you explain where you learned this? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392/3 "2013-08-28T13:33:17Z")
Is it rape month _again_? ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392/4 "2013-08-28T14:10:08Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Is it rape month _again_? The trouble with this “oh what’s the matter, can’t take a joke about about rape?!” crowd is you have forgotten that jokes are at least supposed to aim in the general fucking direction of funny. I’m not offended by this nonsense because rape is a sacrosanct topic of conversation. I am, however, outraged by how goddamned stupid it is. Congratulations, you pointed out the subject matter at hand. Sweet joke bro. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392/5 "2013-08-28T14:11:59Z")
Well this thread escalated quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392/6 "2013-08-28T14:15:11Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Can you explain where you learned this? Do you often commit suicide after consensual sex? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392/7 "2013-08-28T14:17:06Z")
Even if it were an 18-year-old student and the sex were (superficially, at least) consensual, this would still be all kinds of wrong (and I’m pretty sure also illegal). Regardless of the age difference, the teacher is still in a position of authority over the student. And arguing the high maturity of a girl who went on to commit suicide is also bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![Zyanthia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Zyanthia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyanthia)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392/8 "2013-08-28T14:17:51Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Can you explain where you learned this? Well, it was the headline: > [@](#): > > District Judge G. Todd Baugh sentenced Stacey Dean Rambold to 15 years in prison for **sexual intercourse without consent** , with all but 31 days suspended. Bolding mine. If that is inaccurate, I apologize. ---
**Author:** ![crucible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@crucible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crucible)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392/9 "2013-08-28T14:19:44Z")
Perhaps the DA cut a deal to get a confession. Maybe, too, there was substantial witness testimony about the victim bragging about getting the teacher to have sex with her? God knows, I don’t. Sounds very very odd to me. Is this all confirmed? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392/10 "2013-08-28T14:20:33Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > Well this thread escalated quickly. So far I think it provides a proof of entropy. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392/11 "2013-08-28T14:22:45Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](#): > > The trouble with this “oh what’s the matter, can’t take a joke about about rape?!” crowd is you have forgotten that jokes are at least supposed to aim in the general fucking direction of funny. > > I’m not offended by this nonsense because rape is a sacrosanct topic of conversation. I am, however, outraged by how goddamned stupid it is. Congratulations, you pointed out the subject matter at hand. Sweet joke bro. You got it all backward. Someone is supposed to get outarged about my rape comment, THEN I’m supposed to respond with the “oh what’s the matter, can’t take a joke about about rape?!” response, THEN you’re supposed to weigh in calling such comments stupid. Please be more careful in the future. It almost seems as if you’re outraged at yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392/12 "2013-08-28T14:28:55Z")
Sure I am, but in my defense, I didn’t know what a boring post it was going to be before I read it. ---
**Author:** ![crucible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@crucible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crucible)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392/13 "2013-08-28T14:31:41Z")
> [@crucible](#): > > Perhaps the DA cut a deal to get a confession. Maybe, too, there was substantial witness testimony about the victim bragging about getting the teacher to have sex with her? God knows, I don’t. > > Sounds very very odd to me. Is this all confirmed? I’ve now read the reporting. NO doubt at all that the judge is ignoring all the law and precident, but there is an implication that the defendent had already been judged and sentenced to a sex offender treatment program as a ‘deal’, then, later, the girl killed herself, several years later, and people wanted him blamed for it. Perhaps the judge knew the legal grounds were shaky for reopening the case. The girl seemd to him to be completely able to decide for herself whether or not to have sex with the teacher three years earlier. he took that into consideration as to whether the teacher was to blame for her death. still, a very screwed up situation that demanded a heavy hand 5 years ago and one wasn’t used. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392/14 "2013-08-28T14:34:17Z")
It’s not just 30 days for rape-it’s thirty days for rape _after_ this > [@](#): > > In July 2010, Rambold entered a three-year deferred prosecution agreement with prosecutors that said the charges would be dismissed if Rambold completed a sex offender treatment program and met other conditions, including having no contact with children. He also admitted to one rape charge. > The case was revived last December when prosecutors learned Rambold had been terminated from the sex offender treatment program. and this > [@](#): > > Rambold was terminated from the program in November when it was learned that he had been having unsupervised visits with minors, who were family members, and did not inform counselors that he had been having sexual relations with a woman. happened. ---
**Author:** ![Zyanthia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Zyanthia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyanthia)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392/15 "2013-08-28T14:39:13Z")
Yes, the case was reopened because he was kicked out of his treatment program for not following the rules of the program. The part I can’t understand is how you can say a 14-year-old victim is as much in control of a situation as a 30-year-old offender? I just can’t imagine a scenario, unless you count the movie _ **Wild Things** _. But in that case, the guy wasn’t actually guilty of rape. If the judge had left that part out, I wouldn’t be all 😕. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392/16 "2013-08-28T14:47:34Z")
> [@Zyanthia](#): > > Yes, the case was reopened because he was kicked out of his treatment program for not following the rules of the program. One would think the fact that he could not successfully complete his treatment program would lead to a HIGHER sentence not a 30 day gift. Seriously, he was kicked out for having unsupervised visits with minors, if that’s not a red flag that he’s likely to re-offend I’m not sure what is. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392/17 "2013-08-28T14:51:56Z")
> [@crucible](#): > > there is an implication that the defendent had already been judged and sentenced to a sex offender treatment program as a ‘deal’, then, later, the girl killed herself, several years later, and people wanted him blamed for it. Perhaps the judge knew the legal grounds were shaky for reopening the case. The girl seemd to him to be completely able to decide for herself whether or not to have sex with the teacher three years earlier. he took that into consideration as to whether the teacher was to blame for her death. No, it appears the teacher had originally been placed in a treatment program as a legal condition and he had now been kicked out of the program for non-compliance. So he was eligible to be resentenced. And apparently the judge chose to give him a very lenient sentence. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392/18 "2013-08-28T14:53:24Z")
> [@Zyanthia](#): > > The part I can’t understand is how you can say a 14-year-old victim is as much in control of a situation as a 30-year-old offender? Nitpick but Rambold was 46 not 30. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392/19 "2013-08-28T16:01:31Z")
> [@Zyanthia](#): > > Well, it was the headline: > > > [@](#): > > > > District Judge G. Todd Baugh sentenced Stacey Dean Rambold to 15 years in prison for sexual intercourse without consent, with all but 31 days suspended. > > Bolding mine. If that is inaccurate, I apologize. “Sexual intercourse without consent” is just the title of the whole rape statute. In the case of statutory rape, it may only be without consent because the minor victim cannot legally consent. Not to say that this was the situation here, but that headline doesn’t give any indication one way or the other. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2013, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392/20 "2013-08-28T16:19:39Z")
Poor kid. No one cares about her or her death, just the teacher - can’t ruin his life, now. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-days-for-rape/667392.md?page=2)