Victims of crimes: Beware Molly Martin-Labay
I’m writing today to inform, but mostly to warn, any fellow victims of crimes about the potential danger that is the “facilitator” by the name of Molly Martin-Labay. Any sexual assault victims, or victims of any crime for that matter, should be wary of this woman. I am a rape victim. I was assaulted in September of last year. My rapist was just sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to second degree rape.
I considered the perpetrator a friend for months before the assault. I eventually went to the police and his family spared no expense in hiring him the best defense team they could. They called one day to offer me something called ‘restorative justice’ in which I sit down with the defendant and an impartial facilitator in order to attain some answers or closure. I didn’t ask for this and was wary of it as defense suggested it, but went through the motions because I wanted to give it a chance. I felt obligated to since it was being offered to me.
I met with a woman named Molly Martin-Labay. She told me she was, technically, hired by the defense team, but only because this type of service was not typically offered in my county or state. We met with each other over the course of 2 days, about 6 hours total. She told me this is a normal process for other areas in the country. She opened up to me about her PTSD from enduring hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. She told me trauma gets better with work and time. She encouraged me to open up about childhood trauma and past sexual assaults. She told me anything I told her would be kept between her and I, save for specific questions I had for the defense team.
She lied. She saved and typed every word I said and presented it to the team defending my rapist on a silver platter. She wrote a 4 page long report, single spaced, that detailed how “erratic” I was. How mentally unwell I was. How I’ve been “institutionalized” in the past. When she wrote about my rapist she said “I saw him wipe the tears from his eyes and shake away his sadness”.
She blocked me after I refused to meet for the restorative justice meeting. I can’t help but feel that is because she can’t face the victims she re-victimized and violated in this process. She is a coward.
I was completely blind sighted, embarrassed, and ashamed by the things I shared in what I thought was a “safe space” (in her own words). I discovered all of this 30 minutes before I was prepared to go in front of the court and give my victim impact statement.
Molly Martin-Labay is not a victim advocate. She is only an advocate for whoever pays her. She is typically based out of New Orleans but was flown in by my rapists defense team. She endeared herself to me and lied to my face. She is not someone who any victims of crimes should ever trust. She is hard to find on the internet and I think that is by her own design.
I want her name out there. I want people to know the name of a woman who will lie to victims faces and get them to express and disclose their deepest emotions, just to turn around and use it against them. If you are a victim of a crime, especially a sexual crime, I highly, HIGHLY recommend you do your due diligence before accepting offers of restorative justice. Do your research on the supposed “facilitators” who will meet with you and lie to your face. Molly Martin-Labay is a liar and a manipulator and I hope no one ever falls victim to her again as I did.