Guest Post: A Survivor Of Childhood Sexual Abuse Speaks Out

According to Dr Lawrence Steinberg, 18-year-
olds display similar characteristics of immaturity
and impulsivity as juveniles.

I share the following as one of many heartbreaking stories of individuals I have grown to appreciate and trust over years of correspondence. Had Ric committed his crime prior to his 18th birthday, he would have been tried as a juvenile, based on widely accepted research that shows that the part of the brain that has to do with impulse control, especially in males, doesn't fully develop until in the early to mid-twenties. 

Ric was 18. 

My name is Richard Webb. My friends and loved ones refer to me as Ric. I am serving a life sentence without parole in Virginia.

I am a survivor of childhood sex abuse and of being bullied when I was a child. I know that I am not alone and that most never take things to the extreme that I did. I understand, and for anyone hearing my story for the first time, I own my crimes, acknowledge the terrible harm I caused, and I am truly sorry for what I did.

For years I didn't know how to talk about what I went through nor did I know how to handle hearing that the reason I went through some of what I did was because my aunt and my mom were also both victimized as children by the people I shot, their parents (my grand parents).

These were among the very people who didn't try to help me when the one and only time as a five year old I tried to let them know I was being molested, nothing was done but to tell me to be quiet. Over the next several years I would deal with other sexual traumas from outside of the family, and all of these went unreported and were left unchecked. They finally boiled over after over 12 years of pain and depression.

I committed my crimes when I was 18 years old, still young and immature in so many ways. Emotionally I was still a little boy, and had no clue as to the longterm ramifications of my actions.

I hit rock bottom in prison. But without any hope for freedom I set out to help people who have been, or still are, dealing with trauma. I became a mentor to my peers, creating and teaching my own version of a conflict resolution class as well as a communication class. I've completed just about all classes offered to prisoners over the years.

I've remained institutional infraction free for the better part of the past 23 straight years. I've been in honor pods at multiple institutions, I've had the sensitive area jobs in prison that are normally reserved
for those of us who are not trouble makers.

There is so much more. but I'm trying to keep this as short as possible.

Should you be willing to help me and many others like me in our fight for freedom, it would be deeply appreciated.

Thank you for you for taking time to read this.

Respectfully submitted,

Richard "Ric" Webb 1174188

Buckingham Correctional Center

P.O. Box 430

Dillwyn, VA23936