Rapper Tory Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Tuesday for shooting rap star Megan Thee Stallion in the foot during an argument after a party at Kylie Jenner’s residence on July 12, 2020.
Lenz, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, He remains innocentbut was convicted in December 2022 of three felonies: assault with a semi-automatic firearm, grossly negligent discharge of a firearm, and carrying a loaded and unregistered firearm in a motor vehicle.
His sentencing marks the end of a high-profile, tumultuous ordeal that has subjected Megan Thee Stallion, whose real name is Megan Govon Ruth Pitt, to “repeated and outrageous attacks,” according to Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gasconwho praised Meghan’s “bravery and vulnerability” during the trial.
“I consider myself a survivor,” Megan told Elle in April, A few months after the verdict. “She really survived the unthinkable,” which, in addition to her injuries, included skepticism cast upon her story and attacks from the public and peers.
The 28-year-old used the violent incident and its aftermath to draw attention to the lack of support for Black women dealing with interpersonal violence.
“Black women are very unprotected and we reserve a lot of things to protect other people’s feelings without considering our own. It can be funny when you all talk on the internet and this is just another messy topic for you to talk about but this is my real life and I am real life hurt and traumatized,” she said. I wrote on Twitter.
Sure, Meghan’s path to justice hasn’t been smooth, but this moment may offer a glimmer of hope for other victims of abuse.
Domestic violence and the justice system
Although Linz will serve time (Jose Baez, Linz’ attorney(He does not believe the rapper received a fair trial, and plans to appeal the verdict), many abusers never face prison.
in Study conducted by Psychology TodayLess than 2% of domestic violence offenders receive any jail time. In 90% of cases when the police are called, the offender does not go to jail.
Marriage and family therapist Natalie Gambazian He told Yahoo Life that these stats, along with fear of retaliation, can make victims reluctant to report abuse altogether. “There are two reasons why survivors don’t tell police officers right away,” she says. “Offenders may threaten their lives or reputation, and create fear and panic.” Gambazian notes the large gap between the number of offenders serving prison sentences and the number of women experiencing interpersonal violence.
“There are not many people (oppressed), however 1 in 4 women suffer from this Gambazian says.
For black women, that number is over 40%. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Reports that black women are three times more likely than white women to be killed by domestic violence. It is also one of the leading causes of death for black women between the ages of 15 and 35.
Black women may also be less likely to report domestic violence, though A strained relationship between blacks and the police plays a role. according to Data compiled by The Washington PostBlacks are killed by police officers at more than twice the rate of whites.
in Interview with Gayle King on CBS MorningAnd Megan explained this fear of mistreatment by law enforcement on the basis that she initially lied to police when asked about the shooting, telling officers that she had “stepped on glass”.
“I was just trying to protect all of us, because I didn’t want (the police) to kill us. Like, even though this person did this to me, my first reaction was to try and save us,” she said, adding that she “didn’t want to see anyone die.” “.
How can this high-profile case help other victims?
The data suggests justice is scarce in domestic violence cases, but even though Meghan enjoys fame and fortune, her victory may be seen as a “healing” experience for other victims — an unsurprising reaction, according to Gambazian.
“There’s a sense of relief and celebration in seeing someone else get justice,” Gambazian says. “It’s a kind of release from the trauma they’re going through.”
She also says that this may encourage others to seek justice. “Being famous or not, it’s a great way to prove to survivors that justice can be done. The truth prevails, and when the truth comes out – the justice system can work for them.”
And while it’s unlikely that the average person dealing with the aftermath of an abusive situation would deal with indirect insults from a rapper or hordes of comments from crazed fans, Gambazian says Megan’s candor throughout the case further destigmatizes her abuse-related experiences.
“Meghan talks about her truth validating survivors, to talking about their trauma, to sharing their story, and to realizing that this is an epidemic that has been silenced for far too long,” Gambazian says.
For anyone affected by abuse who needs support, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or if you are unable to speak safely, you can log on. thehotline.org Or send LOVEIS to 22522.