Most of the time when there is a Victim of a Crime who attends the trial of an accused they are given the opportunity to write and then read an impact statement.
Impact-have a strong effect on someone or something:
-to strike forcefully
This is so impactful. Because the violator of that crime took away the victims power during and after the crime. They have struggled to make sense of what happened to them. They have had to analyze and realize the strong effect this crime has had on them and those around them.
Yet they have not had the opportunity to vocalize it. Even in the trial, the defense lawyers have strived to paint the violator in a positive light. The victim has had to sit there and hear how great of a person they are, how they were framed or that they did not even commit the crime.
So usually the sentencing hearing is the first time that their voice and feelings are being heard. No one will interrupt them. The violator is pretty much enforced to listen to what they have to say. For once the violator has had their choice and freedom to scurry taken away.
An impact statement, in my opinion, is such a strong and powerful opportunity for the victim to have. Because I have never prosecuted any of my violators I have not had the opportunity to write an impact statement and read it to my violators.
But just like my forgiveness letters. Just because I will not be able to ever look face to face with most of them (I could choose to do this with Wilber but at this point, I do not feel the physical need to do this) does not mean that I can’t or am not able to write these letters. So over the next few weeks, I plan to write impact letters to each of my violators that I could imagine reading in a Court of Law if they had ever been prosecuted and found guilty of the crime or Sexual Assault/Trauma.
Unlike the Forgiveness letters, I have not ever written an impact statement. I can foretell that this might be hard to complete in one sitting. And it is totally okay if I have to push back my posting date. Healing does not have a deadline. Sometimes it takes longer than anticipated and that is totally fine.
Take Care. Much Love
