Survivor of rape had a girl and the Justice orders him to hand her over to the alleged aggressor

Outrage causes the decision of a United States court of Justice after it sentenced a rape survivor to hand over custody of her daughter and the payment of alimony and legal fees in favor of the alleged sexual aggressor.

Crysta Abelseth was sexually abused at the age of 16 by a 30-year-old man identified as John Barnes, who suggested taking her home after they had met at a party. “Instead of taking me home, she took me to her house. Once inside, she raped me,” she told the New York Post.

In that year, the young woman did not file a lawsuit against the aggressor. Weeks after what happened, she took a pregnancy test and it came back positive. “Everyone assumed that (the pregnancy) was from a boyfriend, and I let them believe that,” she noted. Soon after, she gave birth to her baby: a girl.

However, the man who had abused her came before her when he found out that the baby could be his daughter. Abelseth says that, as soon as he was aware, she sought to take custody of her and resorted to a DNA test, which proved 99.9% that the man was her father.

“When my daughter was 5 years old, she found out about it; and once she found out about it, she sought custody of it and wanted to take it from me,” she stated.

Abelseth confirmed that a court awarded joint custody of the minor, “even though (the girl) was caused by rape.” Because of this, the woman filed a complaint against Barnes for the rape committed in 2015.

However, he says that the case was not taken into account, since a detective was never appointed for its proper investigation. The complaint was filed with the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana.

The rape survivor, now 32, said that in the course of her fight to get her daughter back, she lost full custody over allegations recorded on her mobile phone. She also indicated that the man constantly threatens her claiming to have contacts in the judicial system.

“He has threatened me several times saying that he has connections in the justice system, so you better be careful and he can take her whenever he wants. I didn’t believe him until it happened,” she maintained.

Lawyers defending Abelseth say the story moved them and, at the same time, outraged. They indicated that, quite apart from having lost custody of his daughter, he will have to pay “to its perpetrator”.

“(She was) forced to pay alimony, her rapist’s legal fees and to relinquish custody of the girl who is the product of the rape. It doesn’t make sense,” said Stacie Triche of the nonprofit organization Save Lives.

Likewise, Sean Cassidy, of the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault, defense of the rape survivor, indicated that, if the rape claim is not proven, the law in Louisiana establishes that the minimum age of consent is 17 years. Crysta Abelseth was abused when she was 16.

“It seems pretty straightforward that not only was a crime committed, but as a result of the crime, this person should not have custody of the child,” he said.

Source-larepublica.pe