UK Father Takes Teen Son To Police After Finding Out He Is A Rapist

A father in the United Kingdom brought his own son to a police station after he read a text message in which the teenager confessed to raping a girl. His son has now been sentenced with prison time and has to register as a sex offender.

Jonathan Evans from Pontypool, South Wales, was shocked after reading a text message wherein his son, Jack, was apologizing to a girl for a rape that happened in January 2019. According to a report from The Mirror, Jonathan then brought his son to a police station where the 18-year-old confessed to the rape.

However, Jonathan explained he "did not march" his son to the police station, saying that he believed his son had to own up to his actions.

"So I had to make it his choice. I am really proud of him for coming to the conclusion that the right thing to do was admit to it," Jonathan told The Mirror. "He was a bright lad, he just made a mistake. I'm hoping being in prison will give him time to reflect."

At the time of the rape, Jack was 17 years old and was studying in college. The victim did not report the rape, but confirmed to police she had been raped after officers tracked her down.

Jack has now been sentenced to two years in a young offender institution and would have to register as a sex offender for 10 years.

"I would do the same thing again, I would have to because that is my moral standing on it, it is painful but it is right," Jonathan said. "You cannot get on with your life if you live your life under a lie, as much as this hurts it is the right thing to do."

According to Rape Crisis England & Wales (RCEW), the first ever joint official statistics bulletin on sexual violence released by the Ministry of Justice in 2013 revealed 85,000 women and 12,000 men between the ages of 16 and 59 face rape, attempted rape or sexual assault by penetration in England and Wales each year, and about 90% of the victims knew their perpetrators before the assault.

However, only 15% of the victims report to the police.

In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported nearly one in five women and nearly one in 38 men have experienced completed or attempted rape during their lifetime.

However, just like in the U.K., the agency noted this is likely an underestimate because many more cases remain unreported, whether because the victims are embarrassed or afraid to tell the police.