Unsatisfactory ruling in abuse case

Pervez Mahmud ["Sex offender at group home avoids jail term, gets probation," News, Jan. 4] sexually victimized multiple female residents in the local group home where he worked. We should be appalled by his actions, but we should not be surprised. Sexual exploitation and abuse of people with intellectual disabilities is sadly not uncommon.

Law enforcement too often seems stuck when it comes to assisting intellectually disabled sexual abuse victims despite what generally seems to be a sincere desire to do so. If individuals with a disability are unable to consistently recount details of their abuse due to fear or trauma or have a tendency to become overwhelmed or confused when under stress, they are generally seen as unreliable witnesses who will not be able to assist with the prosecution of the case.

Very often, despite strong suspicions on the part of service providers, families and the police that abuse has occurred, the case goes nowhere.

In other cases, even when individuals with an intellectual disability are able to clearly articulate that they were victimized and can provide potentially useful information to law enforcement, the question of their own willingness to engage in that sexual contact, or whether they said no and did so in a manner that made it perfectly clear to their abuser, is questioned.

Does the punishment of probation, counseling and classification as a sex offender fit the crime? Many think not, and I tend to agree. I suggest, however, that there is finally some level of justice for a group of citizens who too often get none at all. Law enforcement and the district attorney's office in Suffolk County deserve much credit for seeing this case through.

Pamela S. Boyle

Holtsville

Editor's note: The writer is a clinical consultant for sexuality services for the Association for the Help of Retarded Children of Nassau County.

Having worked with intellectually disabled adults for more than 25 years, I must say I find the sentence of probation, and what appears to be the benign resignation to this decision by the agency that employed the defendant, to be a sad miscarriage of justice.

We must never forget those who are most vulnerable among us, the disabled and dependent, particularly those who cannot communicate what may be major issues of concern. Long Island is full of these folks residing in nursing homes and residential facilities. To allow this man to walk free after multiple rape admissions is horrid and degrades our obligation to those in the most need.

If one man did this, how many also abused and never got caught because those assaulted could not speak? It appears the fear of bad publicity is the main factor in these types of issues for many agencies.

This man deserved harsher punishment to keep those who cannot advocate for themselves safe and cared for without undue distress and the theft of the most basic human gift, dignity.

Glenn Kaplan

Lindenhurst