KAPLAN, La. ( KLFY ) — A Kaplan woman is wanting answers after she learned the case of her alleged rapist was dismissed. According to sexual violence statistics there are over 2,000 victims in the U.S. every year.
Melissa Istre said in July of 2021 she was allegedly raped by a Kaplan man. She said the trial was set for January, and court records showed the man was charged with second-degree rape.
“For a victim to have to walk to that mailbox every month and open it and see that letter that says, Oh, well, we’re not going to do anything this month. Let’s wait another month. That’s hard for a victim, especially since I have PTSD. So it’s triggering every time I walk to that mailbox and open it. There’s that letter. Okay, well, here’s another month. He’s going to walk free. Here’s another month. They’re not going to do anything,” Istre said.
She says she will do whatever she needs to do to advocate on behalf of rape victims.
“I have no problem showing who I am. I have no issue with that whatsoever. I’ll put myself out there if it’ll save your child. If it’ll help a child, I’ll do whatever I have to do because it’s not right. It’s not right for an adult and it’s not right for a child. It’s not right for a man or woman, anybody to have to go through something like that,” Istre explained.
She said she called the DA’s office and was advised over the phone that the case had been dismissed. The assistant district attorney on the case said she could not reach Istre which is why the case was dismissed. However, Istre said that was not true.
“The grand jury found that there was cause to up his charge from what originally was. She had everything she needed, even if she didn’t have me but she didn’t and that’s the point I’m trying to make,” Istre said. “When you have a willing victim, why not prosecute it? Why not go through with it?”
Istre believes other rape victims are not getting justice within the court system.
“I’ve left my home in Kaplan because this man lives in Kaplan. I’ve come face-to-face with him quite a few times. I chose to leave my home and come stay here because I don’t feel safe,” Istre explained.
Istre said there is a difference between adults who deal with their rape victim versus minors who have to do with it.
“As adults, we learn to deal with things as we grow older. Children, don’t know how to express themselves sometimes. They don’t know how to tell people how they feel. It’s very hard for a child,” Istre said. “I was raped, at four years old. At four, I did not know how to express how I was feeling. So, you know, a lot of children don’t push it to the back of their mind exactly what I did. They don’t face it till later in life and it’s hard for a child. You think this person is supposed to take care of me. This person’s supposed to be there for me. It gives children trust issues. They don’t know if they can trust people. It’s very hard for a child.”
Shrimper urges community to support local markets Istre said she will keep pushing forward and hopefully, it will give others the courage to come forward with what’s going on so that it can come to a stop.
“If I have to put myself out there and put my story out there, open up my life, my skeletons that I may have in my closet, I’ll do what I have to do to save a child, to help a child,” Istre said.
District Attorney Don Landry sent a statement:
“This case was dismissed reserving our right to refile because new information was presented to us. We are investigating that new investigation.”
News 10 will continue to follow if the charges will be re-filed by the district attorney.
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