Mary's Affair, Ended

Whether or not a prosecution would have took place I can't comment on as I'm not a lawyer or a judge or police. Personally I doubt it which made the story a bit of a fantasy for me. But what really spoiled things was at the start. Mary comes back into their lives and tells the husband that she had an affair with his wife who up until then he'd never considered her to be unfaithful. The husband and Mary then tell the daughter about the weekend it started and how it was set up by the wife. Both husband and daughter immediately are angry with the wife/mother for cheating (understandable) but both agree that Mary must have been raped. At no time did they have any evidence of this being a rape bit just decided that Sally must have done that. Sorry people don't act like that ever. Oh and Sally admitting in court she drugged Mary and got her drunk but didn't tell her about the drugs because she knew Mary would object. Really???? If you are going to write a story please try and have some form of believable plot and character actions. Sorry this is just a remarkably silly story. BardnotBard

Wife way too stupid.

Repeat, This is just a story... Again, Repeat; "This is just a story". Keep repeating until it's realized it's really just a story... Fiction.

Good story but sadly a woman would never be sentenced. There was a case in England where a med student stabbed her boyfriend/fiance and the judge found her not guilty to protect her being a doctor. Women are never sentenced to anything like 6 years for rape she would have gotten probation at worst

It seems some readers forget that this story takes place in a jurisdiction designed by the author. It follows laws of his design, not necessarily the same laws we are bound by. Remember, these stories are FICTION.

Powerful piece, and an original approach, but I have to agree with a lot of other comments that it doesnt quite land right. Im not sure if you're uninformed, overly optimistic, or just naive, but if you're going to write a story involving a rape trial, you should really read up on them before you do. Sadly, rape is a notoriously hard crime to prosecute, and in the real world, 4 years after the fact, no physical evidence, only the victim's word to go on, and with a massive elephant in the room (the 3 month affair) to cast doubt, chances are this wouldn't even have gotten to trial let alone gotten a guilty verdict.

I truly admire what you were aiming for when you wrote this, rape and sexual assault needs to be discussed more openly so that victims don't feel as "guilty" coming forwards. I've been on the sidelines watching a friend go through it happening to them, and I'd like to think I helped in some way getting her to the point where she felt comfortable coming forwards and reporting it and then supporting her afterwards. What I remember most about that time was her insisting that what happened was "normal" and that regardless "you didnt talk about it" after it happened, so I truly admire your attempt to normalise the discussion by making it part of your story, but to make it worthwhile, you need to do it right. Sadly this wasnt the right way.

3* You write well, but the way you handled the subject matter in this one just falls flat.

Difficult subject.

Bold approach. Missed the landing.

If the victim was under the age of 16 then its my opinion the sentencing would've been appropriate.

However, she was 18, and she still a had a choice considering she was the one to break it off, and she also continued to see her on her own accord.

Whats interesting is the reason for the guilt and shame she feels, is it because she was vulnerable and she was taken advantage of by someone of the same sex or is it because of the guilt she feels towards the husband....

Although she mentions the latter, I can't help feel it's because of the former, being because it was of someone of the sam gender.

Bi-curious for just three months? Nah she probably tried again with someone else serial cheater. It was a flimsy case against her but texts and photographs were mentioned but not directly linked to the rape. OK she blew her own foot off in Court mentioning illegal drugs but still very thin.

I'm an electrician and I know that I could have defended the mother and gotten her off with the only evidence of any wrong doing being just the girls memory. Why would Sally admit to drugging the girl with no proof, a woman with her education would have known there was no way to prove any forced use of drugs was involved. Mary admitted to finding it difficult to sneak around and not get caught by the daughter and husband which means she was compliant and a willing participant in the affair. In fact, by sneaking around and willfully hiding the relationship she did her part to ensure the affair continued. A he said, she said scenario would have never gone to court in the first place.

The prosecutor's offices in your stories need to hire some better ADAs who at least have passed the bar, and are aware of the 801(d) hearsay exception for things such as the statement of party opponent.