I love Maine. I will always Maine. I have a long family lineage in Maine and I have extended family here as well. There is a lot to love about Maine, but there is a major problem in this state that I absolutely abhor and I am sickened and ashamed of. This is something that would take so little cure.

I have been reading the newspaper and every week there are multiple stories of children being sexually assaulted, mostly by old men.

I have family members who have been attacked and raped, and it is time for Maine to enter the 21st century. Men need to know and believe that women and girls have the same rights as any man. Women are not their possessions.

The first step is teach children the difference between a good touch and a bad touch, and to tell an adult right away if something happens. Mandate it in school so every child knows what to watch for. Even a 5-year-old can understand that if they are taught properly.

Second, these courts have to get with the times and start handing down real sentences. Keep these creeps away from children forever, not a slap on the wrist.

This has to stop. It’s against the law, it’s against God’s laws, and every parent should be fighting this loud and clear. Don’t wait until your child is attacked and has to live with horror for the rest of their lives.

Wake up, courts. Wake up, LePage. You care about kids so much? Do something that really matters. I am so sick of reading these stories over and over. We are on your way to a state of victims. This should never happen. Women and girls deserve better — they are not second-class citizens.

Lynne M. Spencer

Smithfield

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