Gofundme for Des Moines trafficking victim

[jsb]

I'm putting this in Off-Topic, but if it needs to be moved to Politics, a mod can move it.

I feel like this story didn't get a lot of coverage locally (or if it did I missed it). In June of 2020 a 15 year old killed a man that had raped her. This week she sentenced to probation only, but Iowa law requires that she pay $150,000 to the family of the person that was killed. A teacher started this gofundme for her both to repay the money and to help her get some education and start her life. I think it is a worthy cause.

Pieper Lewis GoFundMe reaches $500,000; she must pay $150,000 to estate of accused rapist she killed

Iowa law requires people convicted of homicides to pay $150,000 in compensation. Pieper Lewis, then 15, killed a 37-year-old man she says raped her.

www.desmoinesregister.com

Donate to Help Pieper Lewis, Survivor of Sex Trafficking, organized by Leland Schipper

Today, my former student, Pieper Lewis bravely took the microphone duri… Leland Schipper needs your support for Help Pieper Lewis, Survivor of Sex Trafficking

www.gofundme.com

 

[ISULibrarian]

I'm putting this in Off-Topic, but if it needs to be moved to Politics, a mod can move it.

I feel like this story didn't get a lot of coverage locally (or if it did I missed it). In June of 2020 a 15 year old killed a man that had raped her. This week she sentenced to probation only, but Iowa law requires that she pay $150,000 to the family of the person that was killed. A teacher started this gofundme for her both to repay the money and to help her get some education and start her life. I think it is a worthy cause.

Pieper Lewis GoFundMe reaches $500,000; she must pay $150,000 to estate of accused rapist she killed

Iowa law requires people convicted of homicides to pay $150,000 in compensation. Pieper Lewis, then 15, killed a 37-year-old man she says raped her.

www.desmoinesregister.com

Donate to Help Pieper Lewis, Survivor of Sex Trafficking, organized by Leland Schipper

Today, my former student, Pieper Lewis bravely took the microphone duri… Leland Schipper needs your support for Help Pieper Lewis, Survivor of Sex Trafficking

www.gofundme.com

While it only got more attention locally after national orgs and advocates started talking about this case, it's been heartening to see the GoFundMe take off. It was at like $10K yesterday, and has now passed the $150K mark. I hope it keeps going to allow Pieper to be able to attend college and get the support that she needs to continue rebuilding her life. I hope that she has good people supporting her, because it sounds like her mother isn't one, based on what I've read about her case.

 

[jsb]

While it only got more attention locally after national orgs and advocates started talking about this case, it's been heartening to see the GoFundMe take off. It was at like $10K yesterday, and has now passed the $150K mark. I hope it keeps going to allow Pieper to be able to attend college and get the support that she needs to continue rebuilding her life. I hope that she has good people supporting her, because it sounds like her mother isn't one, based on what I've read about her case.

The odds certainly seem to be stacked against her. But getting that restitution off her back is a start.

 

[3TrueFans]

So she got raped multiple times as a child, then she spent 2 years in juvenile detention, and now has to pay her attacker's family $150k? What a world we live in.

 

[JP4CY]

So she got raped multiple times as a child, then she spent 2 years in juvenile detention, and now has to pay her attacker's family $150k? What a world we live in.

I'm curious when this $150k thing started? Does anyone know?

 

[isufbcurt]

The fact that she was even on trial shows how ****** up our Judicial system is.

 

[MJ29]

Her whole story is tragic, but the statements her teacher has made show, if given a chance, she can have a good future. The GFM already has over $160K, which makes me very happy to see.

 

[3TrueFans]

I'm curious when this $150k thing started? Does anyone know?

One article said 1997.

 

[isufbcurt]

Just an FYI - A safe harbor law for sex trafficking victims passed the Iowa House this year but the ******** in the Iowa Senate stalled it out.

 

[Bewilderme]

Hopefully the "victim's" family will return that restitution to her. Nice garbage laws, Iowa!

 

[cycloneG]

I'm curious when this $150k thing started? Does anyone know?

1997

https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/iactc/77.1/CH0125.pdf

 

[jsb]

Just an FYI - A safe harbor law for sex trafficking victims passed the Iowa House this year but the ******** in the Iowa Senate stalled it out.

Infuriating but not surprising.

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

Her whole story is tragic, but the statements her teacher has made show, if given a chance, she can have a good future. The GFM already has over $160K, which makes me very happy to see.

It's gone up nearly $10,000 since I first saw the link less than an hour ago, including one single donation of $5,000. The word's getting out, and people are good.

 

[ISULibrarian]

The fact that she was even on trial shows how ****** up our Judicial system is.

This is why prosecutors make all the difference, as it was prosecutors that chose to seek up to 20 years in prison for Pieper. Luckily she had a judge that recognized that Pieper didn't deserve to go to prison for what happened to her.

 

[Boxerdaddy]

Does anyone know anyone that knows Ashton Kutcher? Isn't he heavily involved with trying to stop sex trafficking? I tweeted at him but doubt he'd see it? He could get it a lot more eyeballs if he hasn't already. Maybe tweet at him? Or post in the hawk boards?

 

[isufbcurt]

This is why prosecutors make all the difference, as it was prosecutors that chose to seek up to 20 years in prison for Pieper. Luckily she had a judge that recognized that Pieper didn't deserve to go to prison for what happened to her.

I'm not 100% sold on the judge. He still gave her 5 years probation "so she wouldn't get back into drugs and trouble". Hello she was a rape and sex trafficking victim which is most likely why she got into drugs in the first place.

 

[BCClone]

I'm not 100% sold on the judge. He still gave her 5 years probation "so she wouldn't get back into drugs and trouble". Hello she was a rape and sex trafficking victim which is most likely why she got into drugs in the first place.

Thought I read somewhere that by doing that, it gave some support that would not have been available otherwise.

 

[Clonefan32]

I wonder how this money winds up managed? At 17 she can't even set up her own bank account. I'm not sure how GoFundMe rules work on this, but I hope the money is managed in a way she can get out of her restitution and put it towards something beneficial to her future life.

 

[JM4CY]

Does anyone know anyone that knows Ashton Kutcher? Isn't he heavily involved with trying to stop sex trafficking? I tweeted at him but doubt he'd see it? He could get it a lot more eyeballs if he hasn't already. Maybe tweet at him? Or post in the hawk boards?

He has a website or software that detects and assists law enforcement in finding child pornography. I believe it is called Thorn or something. I detest the guy's antics but he is a ******* saint for spearheading something like that.

 

[ISUTex]

So she got raped multiple times as a child, then she spent 2 years in juvenile detention, and now has to pay her attacker's family $150k? What a world we live in.

Could be worse. She did kill a person on purpose. Not that he didn't have it coming.