Marissa

I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to be heard today.

I am here to strongly oppose SL from being released early from probation.

It was just a few years ago I stood and gave a statement about the impact his actions had on me.

The impact of his crime against me is something I think about every single day and I will carry for the rest of my life.

What happened to me was not just a single night.

It has changed every part of who I am.

Not only was I raped, but throughout the investigation and in the time that followed, I was subjected to ridicule, gossip, and persistent attacks on my character by his friends and family.

Because of the rape, I still live with fear, anxiety, sleepless nights, and flashbacks.

I am in intensive therapy that takes up several hours each week.

This takes away from cherished time with my husband and two-year-old daughter.

It has affected my relationships, my ability to feel safe in my own community, and my ability to trust others and even myself at times.

I share this to emphasize that while I continue to live with the ongoing consequences of his actions, he too should be required to live with the accountability of his sentence for its full duration.

Two more years of probation is not excessive when measured against the lasting impact I carry.

During the course of plea negotiations, there were extensive discussions on both sides before a resolution was reached.

Ultimately, both parties agreed to a plea agreement in which SL accepted a sentence of four years probation.

I believe it is important that the agreement be upheld.

Granting early release would not only minimize the seriousness of harm he caused, but it would also send the message that my pain and safety do not matter as much as his convenience.

SL stated that substances were a large part of the context behind his assault against me.

For as long as I have known him, he has consistently struggled with substance abuse.

I do not believe there has been meaningful change.