joanna wrote:
>
> A very close friend of mine was raped and severely beaten (her arm was
> broken) by her boyfriend. Somehow or other, first offense, yadda yadda,
> he more or less walked. But my friend's ex-husband found out about it,
> uenarthed the guy and gave him a sound beating.
>
> I was very glad that he did that. I'm not sure how this translates on a
> more abstract plane nor even if I trust that translation because, in
> this case, it seemed to me that the punishment fit the crime.
>
I would agree, but there need to be some distinctions (in addition to some already made) in this thread.
He beat him up.
He did not lynch him. He did not beat him to death. He did not cripple him for life. He did not burn him alive. These acts are more typical of what we call vigilantism, and I think we need to differentiate among forms of 'extra-legal' retribution, and of particular importance extra-legal retribution for rape, spousal abuse, and other forms of abuse of women which are not merely personal crimes (though that may be the perpetrator's own view of what he is doing) but are part of a huge web of activities, customs, etc. which "keep women in their place."
To many instances of these abuses the law either does not respond or it responds extravagantly (lengthy prison sentences -- which (a) probably make conviction more difficult, (b) _should_ make conviction more difficult, and (c) run the risk of unjust convictions.)
An organized and narrowly focused 'vigilantism' may be the actual solution. By organized I mean an organization of women acting (a) within the context of a larger left movement such as existed in the '60s and the '30s, (b) committed to limited response -- namely _nothing_ more than a good beating. The importance of a limited response are many, two of extreme importance: (a) excessive retribution is almost always corrupting (whether that retribution be of 'vigilantes' or the State (as in the death penalty or lengthy prison sentences); (b) since the safeguards of a court trial, appeal, etc. are not present, and leaning too far over backward to be fair would weaken the effects, the 'punishment' must be mild enough so that it may be applied to the innocent without unacceptable consequences.
Carrol