Double Standard Is An Injustice
It’s safe to say that if Shelly Varnell were a man, there would be considerably more public outrage over her crime and punishment.
First, the crime. Varnell embarked on a three-day sex spree with a 15-year-old boy who was entrusted to her care. One would hope any adult would know better than that, but Varnell’s crime is even more rank because she’s a counselor for troubled youth. She was also serving as his trial foster mother.
The 31-year-old Spokane Valley woman had consensual sex with the boy twice in her home before going with him to Seattle, stopping at motels along the way. Since the boy was under 16 her conduct amounted to third-degree rape, and eventually she pleaded guilty.
If Varnell had been a 31-year-old male counselor who took advantage of a 15-year-old girl, you can bet the outrage would be palpable. The offender would be painted as a predator, the victim as a vulnerable conquest.
Instead, this case seemed to inspire snickers and the assumption that the boy was no worse off for the experience. The double standard is harmful to both genders. Society assumes the young boy is less a victim than a girl would be, yet he will surely bear emotional scars from the incident, as would any child whose trust had been betrayed.
So now, the punishment. Varnell was sentenced Tuesday to 14 months of sex-offender treatment. No jail time. Her tearful apology and the testimony of her husband helped convince Superior Court Judge Richard Schroeder to suspend a 14-month prison sentence. There was no debate over punishment, unlike most child-abuse cases.
Afterward, prosecutor Dave Hearrean explained the light sentence by saying Varnell’s crime was “just a devastating mistake.”
Well, that’s obvious, but the court’s feeble response to it is an even larger one. Varnell admitted her mistake and says she’s sorry. But since when does a criminal’s boohooing substitute for jail time? What about the victim, and the countless other potential victims out there? What sort of message do would-be predators receive when someone with the education to work with troubled youth exploits one and gets away with it?
In this case, at least, it says “Go for it.”
, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Anne Windishar/For the editorial board