Man Who Made Amends Gets 18 Months
A man who sexually assaulted a college student at a 1984 fraternity party and then tried to apologized 21 years later as part of his twelve step program of recovery, has been given a 10-year prison sentence with all but 18 months suspended. He was also ordered to perform 500 hours of community service related to issues of sexual assault and alcohol abuse on college campuses.
William Beebe, 42, was originally charged with rape in connection with the sexual assault of Liz Seccuro (pictured above) at a fraternity house at the University of Virginia in 1984. He was allowed to plead guilty to a lesser charge of aggravated sexual battery after prosecutors found evidence that Seccuro was attacked by more than one person at that frat party.
The case was reopened in 2005 after Beebe sent a letter to Seccuro apologizing for the attack as part of working a ninth step in his program of recovery. The ninth step says: "Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others."
Apology Was Not Enough
Apparently Beebe, who Judge Edward Hogshire said had shown remorse and had become a "leader" in the recovery community, apparently misjudged the harm his attempt at amends would cause his victim, even 21 years after the incident.
After an exchange of emails with Beebe in 2005, Seccuro contacted authorities and Beebe was arrested in Las Vegas. After his sentencing, Seccuro said an apology does not substitute for punishment and she thought the sentence was "very fair."
Seccuro started STARS - Sisters Together Assisting Rape Survivors - to raise money for rape victims and their families.
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The Twelve Steps
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Man Gets 18 Months in '84 Attack
Photo: Liz Seccuro
Comments
gee whiz, seems he would of been told to read the whole step before he made this amend. I think his actions were incredibly short sighted and self serving. I hope I learn from them. I have greater hope that AA is not further misunderstood by this mans actions.
Yes, I believe he should have thought about this amends a little more before he made it because he accomplished nothing but dredging up old, painful wounds for this woman.
I hope this does not make some people NOT make some amends for fear of legal action, because we do live with so much fear anyway.
Every circumstance is different, each amend must be made after careful thought and guidance from our sponsers.
I agree that he should have thought more about the possible ramifications of this amends (or perhaps discussed it with his sponsor? and a lawyer?). He should have been aware that he could still be charged for the assault, and that he might indeed have to go to jail. Then he could have made a fully informed decision - and he could have offered the woman his amends AND his willingness to pay the legal price for his actions if she wished him to do so - or have decided that the risk to himself and/or his family would create more harm than good.
As a rape victim, I don’t agree that he did nothing but dredge up old painful wounds for the woman. You never forget a rape - the wounds are part of you, even if you have moved on in a healthy way. I would want to have the choice of deciding if I wanted to pursue legal action, even after many years. I may not have chosen the same path as the woman in this case, but having the choice be up to me rather than the perpetrator would be preferable.
Rape is about power and control, and to have your perpetrator show up in your life again without allowing you to have any control over the outcome just reinforces the lack of control you had when the rape occurred, and is insulting.
Given the huge trauma of rape, many women might find “I’m sorry” - however heartfelt - just not good enough. The naivete of this man’s actions (and perhaps his lack of understanding of the seriousness of his crime), although obviously well-meant, do a disservice to the public reputation of AA.
Many of us did illegal things before sobriety, and part of the amends process is deciding if we are truly prepared to face ALL of the possible consequences of admitting to our wrongs. Amends is not simply about apologizing; it’s about doing whatever is necessary to repair the damage you caused.
His sponsor must also be incredibly self-serving also to allow him to ingnore the part about “injuring others”
I realise it must have been a great source of a past defect of drunken character it really has punished oyher people - possibly his own wife and loss of income. A really bad decision
I think Liz shouldv’e been a little smarter, she obviously was somewhat interested in those guys or she would have stayed out of their dorm~! Get over it! you probably have given it to many more men anyhow. I am very pleased the justice system has finally worked! So don’t be hating beyatches~!!!!!