Assault victim: apology not enough

Re: Jimmy Audlakiak (Man pleads guilty to assaulting hospital staff, Nunatsiaq News, May 15, 1999)

One year ago, this same person assaulted me. I pressed charges with the RCMP. Statements were taken, and pictures were taken of the physical damage that Jimmy caused.

I kept asking the RCMP what the status of the charges was and what the status of the pending court case was. It took a very long time, months, before anyone responded.

In December of 1998, a very apologetic constable finally contacted me. The outcome or sentence was that Jimmy had to write a letter of apology to me.

Well, let me tell you that simply does not cut it. A letter of apology does not even begin to heal the emotional scars. I had indeed received a written apology, but did not know why. A letter of apology does not teach Jimmy that assaulting others is not acceptable. A letter of apology can be photocopied by Jimmy and sent to the people who he assaulted recently.

Why not? It would mean about as much to him this time as last time. The point is that as long as Jimmy does not feel the full effect of prosecution by the justice system and fully understands that he cannot continue to hurt other people, that it is futile to even put Jimmy in jail.

What for… another letter of apology?

I hereby request that neither my name nor my e-mail address appear at the end of this letter should it be published.

(Name witheld by request)