Ngaphezu kwesigamu sabantu abasohlwini lweSex Offender Registry yaseLouisiana - eyahlelelwe abadlwenguli nabanukubezi bezingane - ngabesifazane abahlwempu abalahlwe amacala ocansi.
UTabitha ubesebenza njengomqwayizi eNew Orleans kusukela eneminyaka engu-13. Manje uneminyaka engu-30 ubudala, uvame ukutholakala esebenza ekhoneni elingaphandle nje kwe-French Quarter. Owesifazane omncane nomhlophe omncane, uye walwa kokubili umlutha wezidakamizwa nokugula futhi uzama nsuku zonke ukuthola ukudla noma indawo yokulala.
Kulezi zinsuku, uThabitha, owacela ukuba igama lakhe langempela lingasetshenziswa kule ndaba, usenomunye futhi umthwalo: isitembu esinyatheliswe elayisensi yakhe yokushayela simbiza ngokuthi yisigebengu. Ubugebengu bakhe? Ukunikeza ucansi ngemali.
Amaphoyisa edolobha laseNew Orleans kanye nehhovisi lommeli wesifunda asebenzisa umthetho wesifunda obhalelwe abanukubezi bezingane ukuthi bakhokhise amakhulu abathengisa ngomzimba abafana noThabitha njengezigilamkhuba zocansi. Umthetho, owahlehlela emuva ku-1805, uthi kuwubugebengu obumelene nemvelo ukuzibandakanya “ekuhlanganiseni okungekona okwemvelo”—igama elithi amaphoyisa aseNew Orleans kanye nehhovisi lommeli wesifunda alihumushe ngokuthi lisho ucansi lwendunu noma lomlomo. Abadayisa ngomzimba abalahlwe yicala lokwephula lo mthetho babekwa amacala, bakhiphe izigwebo ezinde ejele futhi baphoqwe ukuthi babhalise njengezigilamkhuba zocansi.
Ezigebengwini zocansi ezingu-861 okwamanje ezibhaliswe eNew Orleans, ezingu-483 zilahlwe amacala emvelo, ngokusho kukaDoug Cain, okhulumela amaphoyisa aseLouisiana State. Kulabo abalahlwe amacala obugebengu obumelene nemvelo, abangamaphesenti angama-78 ngabaMnyama futhi cishe bonke ngabesifazane.
Imithelela Ezimpilweni Zabesifazane
Umthetho uthinta abathengisa ngomzimba ngezindlela ezincane nezinkulu. UTabitha kufanele abhalise ikheli kusizindalwazi sabahlukumezi bocansi. Ilayisense yakhe yokushayela inelebula elithi “sexfender” ephrintiwe kuyo. Kufanele futhi athenge futhi athumele amakhadi okuposa anesithombe sakhe kuwo wonke umuntu osendaweni ebazisa ngokugwetshwa kwakhe. Uma edinga ukubalekela endaweni yokukhosela ngesikhathi kunesiphepho, kufanele aphume aye endaweni ekhethekile yabahlukumezi bocansi, futhi le ndawo yokukhosela ayinazo izindawo eziphephile ezihlukene zabesifazane. Unqatshelwe ngisho nemisebenzi evamile eNew Orleans njengokugqoka imvunulo eMardi Gras.
"Lo mthetho uwakhipha ngokuphelele amalungu omphakathi wethu kulokho okusele kuyinetha yokuphepha komphakathi," kusho u-Deon Haywood, umqondisi we-Women With A Vision, inhlangano ekhuthaza ukuphila kahle nokuvinjelwa kwezifo kwabesifazane abampofu. Iqembu likaHaywood selisungule umfelandawonye omusha wezishoshovu zaseNew Orleans kanye nabasebenzi bezempilo abahlela ukulwa nendlela amaphoyisa asebenzisa kabi ngayo umthetho we-1805.
Izishoshovu ezinjengoHaywood zikholelwa ukuthi ukusebenzisa umthetho ngale ndlela kuyingxenye yenqubomgomo jikelele yoMnyango Wamaphoyisa aseNew Orleans yokulandela amacala amancane. Ngokombiko we-Metropolitan Crime Commission, amaphoyisa aseNew Orleans abopha abantu abangaphezu kuka-58,000 minyaka yonke. Kulabo ababoshiwe, cishe amaphesenti angu-50 angamacala omgwaqo nawomasipala, kanti amaphesenti amahlanu kuphela angamacala obudlova.
"Lokhu kumayelana nokubopha ngokweqile imiphakathi empofu nengenambala," kusho uRosana Cruz we-VOTE-NOLA, inhlangano yokuguqula amajele nayo eyingxenye yomfelandawonye omusha.
UHaywood, uCruz nezinye izishoshovu bakholwa wukuthi banethuba ngokhetho lwemeya nomkhandlu wedolobha oluzoba ngenyanga ezayo lokushintsha uhlelo. Njengoba bonke abangenele ukhetho bezama ukuziqhelelanisa neMeya uNagin, ovinjwe imingcele ukuthi iphinde isebenze, imeya entsha kungenzeka ivuleleke ekwenzeni izinguquko. Lokhu kuhlanganisa nokuqasha isikhulu samaphoyisa esisha, njengoba bonke abaqokiwe bezibophezele. Abameli banethemba lokuthi leli yithuba lokushintsha ukugxila komnyango. “Uma kukhona isikhulu samaphoyisa esisha, singabafundisa,” kusho uHaywood.
Abaningi beqembu likaHaywood labesifazane abasebenza nabo basezingeni eliphezulu kakhulu lomsebenzi wocansi. Bahlangana namakhasimende emgwaqeni nasezinkantini. Iningi libhekene nokulutheka nokuswela amakhaya, futhi abaningi abakwazi ukuthola izitembu zokudla noma olunye usizo lomphakathi ngenxa yezinkolelo zabo ezimbi eziserekhodini labo.
“Ngiyethemba ukuthi isimo sizobukeka sihlukile ngenxa yalo mfelandawonye,” kusho uHaywood. "Angikwazi ukukutshela ukuthi sikhungatheke kangakanani ngenxa yezidingo zalaba bantu."
Kulahlwa icala
UMiss Jackie ungomunye walabo besifazane. Owesifazane omnyama oseminyakeni yawo-50, waboshelwa ukudayisa ngocansi ngo-1999 futhi wabekwa icala lokuhlukumeza ngokocansi. Igama lakhe lengezwe ebhukwini iminyaka engu-10. Kwathi sekuzophela isikhathi sokubhalisa wabe eseboshelwa ukutholakala ne-crack. Uthi iphoyisa eliboshiwe alizange lithole izidakamizwa kumuntu wakhe, kodwa ijaji lanquma ukuthi kwakudingeka aqhubeke nokubhalisa njengesigebengu socansi eminye iminyaka engu-15 (imfuneko entsha yenhlangano yabenzi bocansi) ngoba ukuboshwa kwakhe kwakuwukwephula umthetho. isikhathi sakhe sokubhalisa.
"Buphi ubulungiswa?" ebuza ehlengezela izinyembezi, "Balindele ukuthi ngilungise kanjani impilo yami?" Ezabalaza nezidingo eziyisisekelo njengezindlu, uNkosazana Jackie wanezela: “Ngizizwa ngilahliwe.”
Abameli kanye nabamangalelwa bangaphambili bathi isinqumo sokuthi ubani obekwe icala ngaphansi kwasiphi isijeziso esikhishwa ngokungafanele, ngokubona kwamaphoyisa kanye nehhovisi lommeli wesifunda, nokuthi umthetho uthinta ngokungafanele abantu Abamnyama, kanye nabesifazane abashintsha ubulili. Lapho ebuzwa ngezinsolo zokusebenzisa kabi ubugebengu esifanekisweni semvelo, umkhulumeli woMnyango Wamaphoyisa aseNew Orleans uBob Young waphendula: “Abantu babekwa amacala ngokwecala abalenzayo.”
Indaba kaWendi Cooper, nokho, iveza isithombe esihlukile.
Ngo-1999, u-Cooper wayesanda kuphuma njenge-transgender. Owesifazane Omnyama, wazama ukudayisa ngomzimba izikhathi ezimbalwa futhi washeshe wathola ukuthi kwakungafanelanga yena. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba ayeke, waboshwa. Ngaleso sikhathi, u-Cooper wayejabule ngokufaka isicelo esimvumela ukuthi aphume ejele futhi akazange acabange kakhulu ngokuthi ukugwetshwa “kobugebengu obumelene nemvelo” kuzosho ukuthini kurekhodi lakhe. Lapho ekhula futhi eqala ukusebenza njengochwepheshe bezokunakekelwa kwempilo, isisindo selebuli yobugebengu bocansi saqala ukumcasula kakhulu. “Akumina lo,” kusho yena. "Angiyena lowo muntu umbuso ongibize ngokuthi...uyanginyundela."
U-Cooper unxuse umbuso ukuthi irekhodi lakhe licinywe futhi akhulume nabameli ngezinye izindlela, kodwa kusafanele abhalise okungenani eminye iminyaka emihlanu nangaphezulu. “Ngizizwa sengathi ngikhohlisiwe, uyazi, ukuvuma leli cala...Futhi kunzima, ukwazi ukuthi ubizwa ngento ongeyona,” kusho yena. Usesaba manje ukuthi ukugwetshwa kwakhe kuzomvimba ekutheni athole ilayisensi yakhe yokuba unesi obhalisiwe noma aqashwe.
Nakuba abanye besifazane bezamile ukulwa namacala ocansi enkantolo, baye baba nempumelelo encane. Izijeziso ababhekana nazo zaba nzima nakakhulu ngo-2006 ngenkathi iCongress idlulisa isenzo sika-Adam Walsh, esidinga ukuthi abahlukumezi bocansi besigaba sokuqala (okuncane kakhulu) bahlale endaweni yokubhalisa yomphakathi iminyaka engu-1. Kuphinde kube nengozi eyengeziwe yokulwa namacala, ngokusho kukaJosh Perry, owayengummeli ehhovisi le-Orleans Public Defenders.
“Indlela osebenza ngayo umthetho ojwayelekile waseLouisiana, uma uphonsela inselelo isigwebo sakho enkantolo futhi ulahlekelwe, futhi kuyicala lesithathu, ubuncane obuyimpoqo yiminyaka engama-20. Okuphezulu yimpilo,” echaza.
U-Perry ulinganisela ukuthi ngosuku oluvamile abantu ababili noma abathathu baboshelwa ukudayisa ngomzimba eNew Orleans, futhi cishe ingxenye yabo ibekwa amacala ngaphansi komthetho wobugebengu obumelene nemvelo. "Njengamanje, kunabantu abangu-39 abavalelwe ejele lase-Orleans Parish [ngamacala] aphikisana nemvelo," uPerry etshela ingqungquthela yabameli. "Futhi abanye abantu abangu-15 kuya ku-20 ... babekwe icala lokwehluleka ukubhalisa njengezigilamkhuba zocansi."
Abathengisa ngomzimba abasolwa njengabahlukumezi bocansi babhekana nokucwaswa kuzo zonke izici zesistimu. Ezimweni eziningi, abakwazi ukukhululwa ngebhondi, ngoba babonwa njengengozi enkulu yokundiza kunabantu abathweswe amacala obudlova. “Leli izinga lokucwaswa kanye nokungasebenzi kahle esikhuluma ngakho lapha,” kusho uPerry. "Eqinisweni, abaphumi."
Ukuhlelela Ushintsho
Abameli bathe isixazululo esikahle kungaba ukwenza abenzi bomthetho bombuso baguqule umthetho, kodwa banomuzwa wokuthi lincane ithemba lezinguquko ezinhle ezivela esishayamthetho samanje. Okwamanje, abahleli bafuna ukufaka ingcindezi emaphoyiseni kanye nehhovisi lommeli wesifunda ukuthi bayeke ukukhokhisa abadayisa ngomzimba ngaphansi kobugebengu obuphikisana nomthetho wemvelo.
Mkhulu umsebenzi okufanele wenziwe. UHaywood usebenzisana nabameli namadlelandawonye kazwelonke ukuthuthukisa isu lezomthetho, kanye nomfelandawonye wasendaweni obanzi ohlanganisa izinhlangano zokuguqula ubulungiswa bobugebengu njenge-VOTE-NOLA namaqembu ezishoshovu njengezahluko zaseNew Orleans ze-Critical Resistance kanye ne-INCITE! Abesifazane Abanemibala Emelene Nobudlova.
“Siyazama ukuhlela, kodwa sisebenza nangasohlangothini lwamalungelo abantu ngokuthi izithinta kanjani izimpilo zabo,” kusho yena. "Lesi yisibalo sabantu esisebenza esimweni esibucayi ngaso sonke isikhathi."
UJennifer, owesifazane omhlophe oneminyaka engu-23 ubudala owacela ukuthi igama lakhe langempela lingasetshenziswa kule ndaba, ubedayisa ngomzimba kusukela esemncane, futhi usebenza njengomuntu okhumula izingubo ekilabhini eku-Bourbon Street. Usanda kugqashula ekubeni umlutha we-heroin iminyaka eyisishiyagalombili. Ngaphandle uma umthetho ushintsha, uzoba namagama athi “umenzi wocansi” elayisensini yakhe yokushayela aze abe neminyaka engu-48 ubudala.
UHaywood uthe izindaba ezifana nalezi zikhomba ukuthi umthetho unomphumela wokuphoqa abesifazane ukuthi baqhubeke nomsebenzi wocansi. “Uma ukhokhisa abantu besifazane abasebasha ngalokhu—uma ubabiza ngezephulamthetho—yilokhu abayikho impilo yabo yonke,” usho kanje.
UJennifer uthe kuphazamise ukukhetha kwakhe umsebenzi. “Anginaso isiqiniseko sokuthi bacabangani, kodwa izindawo eziningi aziqashi abantu abahlukumeza ucansi,” kusho yena.
UHaywood uthe abesifazane ababonayo banezinketho ezimbalwa. Abaningi babo abanamakhaya. Balala ezindlini ezingasahlali muntu noma emgwaqeni, noma bahweba ngocansi ukuze bathole indawo yokuhlala. “Abesifazane esisebenza nabo, abawubizi umsebenzi wocansi,” kusho yena. “Abazi ukuthi lokho kusho ukuthini. Abayibizi nangobufebe. Bakubiza ngokuthi ukusinda.”
U-Jordan Flaherty uyintatheli, umhleli we-Left Turn Magazine, futhi usebenza e-Louisiana Justice Institute. Ubengumbhali wokuqala ukuletha indaba ye-Jena Six ezithamelini zikazwelonke futhi izethameli emhlabeni jikelele zibone imibiko yethelevishini ayikhiqizele i-Al-Jazeera, i-TeleSur, i-GritTV, ne-Democracy Now. Umbiko wakhe wangemva kukaKatrina weColorLines wabelane ngendondo evela ku-New America Media ngokubika okuhle kakhulu okuhlobene noKatrina emaphephandabeni ezizwe. UHaymarket Press uzokhipha incwadi yakhe entsha, IZIkhukhula: Izindaba Zomphakathi kanye Nokuphikiswa kusuka ku-Katrina kuya ku-Jena Six, ngo-2010. Angatholakala ku- [i-imeyili ivikelwe].
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