Want to know why so many of us don’t report? THIS. RIGHT. HERE.
Michael called me one afternoon in February and asked if I had the headspace to hear something that may upset me. You know, just another normal conversation between two spouses. I thought I did, but I hadn’t anticipated the bombshell he was about to drop.
A bill discussing Colorado’s indeterminate sentencing for sex offenders was set to be introduced this session, and it would allow rapists just like mine to walk out of prison without receiving rehabilitation treatment. The thought made my blood boil and I immediately wondered how anyone could think this was an acceptable proposal.
Fast forward to March 6th. Kara sent me a quote from Maya Angelou: “Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.”
Michael and I along with many others traveled to our State Capitol to bring light to this attempt at a gross miscarriage of justice. We were outnumbered by the public defenders, sex offenders, and their family members (let’s just call them what they are–enablers). Though the tension was high, I remained seated for the hours it took for my name to finally be called. It was my turn to stand up for myself.
As I took my place at the table before my state’s elected officials, my heart was in my throat. I had scribbled a few bullet points in response to what other witnesses had previously said, but instead of referencing my notes, I felt a strong sense of conviction. As words so many are forced to choke down traveled from my heart past my lips, they caught fire.
And just like the first time I found my voice to speak out as a survivor, I did so not for myself, but for all of those who could not.
I want to share my full testimony here with the intention of helping other survivors and advocates should you find similar legislation proposed in your state next. Your voice and your story matter, and while we should not have to share our trauma to be taken seriously, when we choose to do so, I can only hope our elected officials will listen.
CO SB24-118 Indeterminate Sex Offender Sentencing
Concerning changes to lifetime supervision of sex offenders to increase access to sex offender treatment for high-risk sex offenders in the Department of Corrections.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
<
p style=”text-align: left;”>
“Thank you, Mr. Chair and committee members. My name is Kimberly Corban. And I am here today, as a survivor of sexual assault.
I want to make it very clear that the person that is speaking to you today is not the same person who survived when a stranger broken my apartment at 20 years old, held me captive for two hours, and raped me on the morning of May 12, 2006. I became a shell of myself, my life was forever changed. And it wasn’t my choice.
My offender had no criminal history whatsoever. I realize that I am statistically insignificant because not only did I immediately report, but he was found. He was charged. He was convicted after a jury trial. And he is currently serving time in the Department of Corrections.
He also classifies as not a high-risk offender and has an indeterminate sentence. So while I realized that the bill that’s being proposed would not be retroactive, it would impact offenders just like mine.
He was sentenced to 24 years to life in the Department of Corrections and I have had to attend now, three different parole hearings so far. I know that he has not started any kind of rehabilitative treatment until just a few months ago when he came back to the Assessment Center here in Denver. And what I also learned is that he still refers to raping me as “having sex”.
He shows no remorse, he does not understand the impact. And I want to make sure that you all do. Because you’re going to hear from a lot of people who are going to tell you that they’ve changed, that it’s been 20 years, how are they supposed to remember something that happened so long ago?
It’s been almost 20 years for me, too. And I absolutely remember everything about that day. I remember the smells, sounds, I remember him holding me down and covering my face and ejaculating on my upper left thigh. I remember him stroking my back and laying down next to me to try to calm me down. I remember him kissing the top of my head before he told me to stay put. And that he’d come back for me.
I remember all of those things. Because for me, that was the day that my life as I knew it ended. And for him, it was a random Friday.
So yes, when you hear that survivors are sentenced to a lifetime of trauma. Please, please keep that in mind.
The horrors persist, but so do I.
When I read this bill–and I’m sorry, I will try to be as respectful of your time as possible–but when I read this bill, the first thing that crossed my mind is why weren’t we asked? I’m not hard to find. I shouldn’t have to come down here and secure childcare. And sit here and talk about the absolute worst thing that has ever happened to me just so that you might take me seriously, just so that you might recognize that the trauma that was inflicted by one man’s choice.
What we are doing here today, and this legislation that’s being proposed, impacts us even more greatly. I am one of the few victims who have an offender who is in the Department of Correction and still wish to be as active as possible with parole hearings, with follow up, with coming down here and making sure that people like this stay in prison. I shouldn’t have to do that. I shouldn’t have to. This bill, when I heard that it’s created for survivors? I can tell you as one–it’s not. This does nothing but retraumatize us.
I am more than willing to answer any of your questions. Because there are so many victims who aren’t going to sit in front of you and talk about this. There are so many of us who are struggling to find our voices.
If you want to know why more of us don’t report, this right here is why.
Because even if we do–even if we can’t overcome all those statistics, this is still where we have to end up to make sure that we stay safe, and that our community stays safe.
So I want to answer those questions. I can answer them on behalf of myself. But I want you to know that it’s not just me. This is on behalf of so many survivors right in your own communities. Thank you for your time.”
You can learn more about the bill and read it in its entirety HERE.
Thank you to Cadence Marsolek, Marley Tremmel, and Nick Morton for capturing the video of our testimonies.
