The defendant got the victim, whom he had met for the first time through a chat app, to drink, and once she was heavily intoxicated he committed quasi-indecent assault and quasi-sexual assault by penetration, seized her phone, confined her, and beat her. When the victim tried to call for help, the defendant became even more brutally violent and forced sexual acts on her, inflicting serious psychological and physical harm. Worse still, the very next day after being questioned about this incident, the defendant committed a similar crime against another victim. Both victims were in extreme fear of his reoffending and petitioned for his severe punishment. Weighing the gravity and repetition of the offenses, the victims' suffering, and the risk of reoffending, the court sentenced the defendant to two years and six months in prison, ordered him to complete a sexual violence treatment program, and barred him from employment at institutions serving children, juveniles, and persons with disabilities for seven years.

Representing two victims, I actively advocated for them at every stage, from the initial filing of the complaint through the investigation, organization of the evidence, and testimony in court. In particular, I emphasized that the defendant's offenses were not a one-off impulse but a deliberate, sustained pattern of sexual crime, and persuaded the court to impose a heavy sentence. The defense submitted a partial settlement agreement in an attempt to secure a reduced sentence, but I pointed out that the settlement was incomplete and, given the defendant's reoffending, that any leniency would be unwarranted, an argument the court accepted. In sex crime cases, victims' rights are difficult to protect without a professional strategy. All too often, a settlement with the perpetrator ends with a single letter of apology and an absurd sum. To secure not only the settlement amount but also the sentence and compensation, the assistance of counsel is essential. As an attorney whose strength lies in striking the right balance between criminal punishment and civil settlement, I will continue to put victims' voices first.