Rock Climber Gets Life in Prison for Sexual Assaults at Yosemite

Rock Climber Gets Life in Prison for Sexual Assaults at Yosemite  The New York Times

Rock Climber Gets Life in Prison for Sexual Assaults at Yosemite

The Climber Sentenced for Sexual Assault in Yosemite National Park

Summary:

The climber was sentenced on two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of abusive sexual contact in the 2016 assault of a woman during a weekend trip.

A professional rock climber who repeatedly sexually assaulted a woman during a weekend trip to Yosemite National Park in 2016 was sentenced on Tuesday to life in prison, prosecutors said.

The climber, Charles Barrett, 40, was given the maximum penalty for his conviction in February on two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of abusive sexual contact, Phillip A. Talbert, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of California, said in a statement on Tuesday.

Mr. Barrett “used his status as a prominent climber to assault women in the rock-climbing community,” Mr. Talbert said. Three other women testified that he had sexually assaulted them, though their cases were not federally charged because they fell out of the prosecutors’ jurisdiction. “Barrett’s long history of sexual violence supports the imposition of a life sentence,” Mr. Talbert said.

Timothy Patrick Hennessy and David A. Torres, the lawyers for Mr. Barrett, said in a joint statement on Tuesday: “We believe that imposition of a life sentence was excessive. Nevertheless, we will file an appeal.”

The case illustrates growing concerns about the risk of sexual harassment and abuse faced by women increasingly engaged in the sport of mountaineering, as more of them have shared their stories of harassment or worse.

In August 2016, Mr. Barrett was living and working at Yosemite National Park when a 19-year-old woman visited the park for a weekend of hiking, prosecutors said in court records. The park encompasses more than 747,000 acres along the central western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in east-central California.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDGs Targets Indicators
SDG 5: Gender Equality Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres Indicator not mentioned in the article
SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children Indicator not mentioned in the article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 5: Gender Equality

The issue of sexual assault and harassment faced by women in the sport of mountaineering connects to SDG 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

The case also highlights the need for strong institutions that can address and prevent sexual violence. SDG 16 focuses on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, providing access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres

The article highlights the sexual assault of a woman by a professional rock climber, indicating the need to address and eliminate violence against women in the context of mountaineering.

Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children

While the article does not specifically mention children, Target 16.2 addresses ending all forms of violence against children. This target can be connected to the broader issue of addressing and preventing sexual violence in the mountaineering community.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article does not mention any specific indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. However, potential indicators could include the number of reported cases of sexual assault or harassment in the mountaineering community, the conviction rates for such cases, and the implementation of policies and measures to prevent and address sexual violence in mountaineering organizations.

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Fuente: nytimes.com

 

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