Love, CharenLeigh

With all the politics, voting, etc. going on at this time of year, I thought it would be appropriate to tell you what pushed me to be more involved and more informed this go round. For one, knowing me, you know that I am not a fan of politics and I legit will refuse to discuss it with you. My views are my views and an opinion is something we all have. Lets just agree to disagree before I change my whole perspective of you as a person. That is my motto. (inserting the “throwing my arms up” emojii)

But, there has been one thing this election that has weighed on my heart heavily.  (I wrote this before the actual votes came back and the bill was passed by the way.) People who have been a victim of some type of crime have no specific rights in the constitution, but the convicted criminal does? They have a right to a fair trial, double jeopardy, etc. I am going to let you ponder on that for a quick second.

I was kidnapped, robbed, carjacked, and taken across state lines at gunpoint. The man who did all this to me, has more rights than I do. So pretty much…. I will not be notified if he is moved to a different location during his time in prison. I will not be notified if he is set free due to medical concerns. I will not be informed if he arrives or placed within a 10 mile radius of my home. I will not be informed if he has bail set. The only thing I know is that he received 20 years to serve with 10 years on probation. The man was 36 years old, the possibility of him making it out is highly. Is that something anyone wants to worry about 20 years or less down the road.

I know a lot of people may not see it as I have. I used my disaster as blessing, but it does not mean there is not still pain and hurt I have had to endure daily from decisions he made.  PTSD is real and still haunts me to this day. Not having the right to know what happens to the man who harmed me just adds extra anxiety into my life. I have stepped over boundaries I have had to face with ease, and some I have been drug through. I just want the peace from it all, and forgetting and ignoring it will never bring that. People who work in the criminal field will fuss of the paperwork and the extra mile that will have to occur to help these victims out, but until you are a victim you will never understand the peace and understanding it takes to move on from something like I have had to. I believe it is my right to choose to know. I believe if I could not of gotten the blessing out of the tragedy, would my rights actually protect me from harm that could come to me later on. I believe I was given the right to vote to be able to have a voice in the matter. This is my voice.

Marsy’s Law was created to help crime victims have rights and a say so in an act they had no control over. My thought process is : “How in the world can someone who did that to me have more rights and say so on what happens next than the person that was affected?” Yall that hit home for me. I started doing my research, I started finding out the real reason Marsy’s law was even started and I read the initial story that brought about this movement. I needed to know how in the world did we make it this far without something to cover the people affected by such terrible crimes.

UGHHH, cue all the questions of why, how, what, when, where…

Thank you Jesus that he covered me completely that day of being kidnapped because I have not gone through what some victims have. I still have my life and my will to speak, where some do not. Some victims are no longer with us and their families are having to fight for them. Thank you Jesus for your bubble of protection on January 13, 2014.

But here it is Marsy’s Law:

Marsy’s Law describes a set of constitutional protections for crime victims that have been proposed and adopted in some states. The model constitutional amendment released by the organization Marsy’s Law for All, which closely resembles amendments proposed and passed in several states, includes the following key provisions:

• The right to be notified about and present at proceedings;
• The right to be heard at proceedings involving release, plea, sentencing, disposition, or parole of the accused;
• The right to have the safety of the victim and victim’s family considered when making bail or release decisions;
• The right to be protected from the accused;
• The right to be notified about release or escape of the accused;
• The right to refuse an interview or deposition at the request of the accused;
• The right to receive restitution from the individual who committed the criminal offense.

The model amendment states that the Marsy’s Law definition of victim includes both the person directly harmed by a crime and “any spouse, parent, grandparent, child, sibling, grandchild, or guardian, and any person with a relationship to the victim that is substantially similar to a listed relationship.”

—— Now today as I add this to the end of my post; I realize how grateful I am that others saw what I saw and voted yes for the amendment in Georgia to be passed. I am not sure how effective it will be in the first few years, but it gives victims like me hope. Hope that we do not have to worry and fret with the days to come because there are now rights for us too. If you did not vote “yes” towards the Marsy’s Law amendment that was passed, I encourage you to do your own research each political season. What we all see on social media is not what is shown on the ballots the day you vote. To have clear understanding on any subject matter you have to put in the effort to learn to understand. I hope this gave some people the understanding and insight towards what Marsy’s Law meant to someone like me.