As you say, not being believed is worse than the offense, because there was no justice for you. Adults are supposed to take care of children.

I agree there was most probably pressure on the girl to say she forgave her cousin, though she, at least, was believed. I have to wonder about the extent of her physical injuries at that young age. Perhaps the adults would have believed her in any case, but it could be the extent of her injuries made it impossible for them not to believe.

Another question I've asked myself is, is he truly sorry? Even murderers can be paroled for good behavior and sufficient proof of contrition. In Agatha Christie's Miss Marple mystery, Nemesis, a young lady answers a parson's question regarding her relationship with a reformed young man who had been a bad boy, "Don't you believe in the redemption of the individual?"

Education improves a man and gives him hope. If this scholarship will get him an education, it could cement his rehabilitation to a good man from the bad boy that he had been. Maybe as part of the condition of his scholarship he should have to take a course or two dealing with violence toward women.

Nothing can give the girl back her innocence, but something can take away the boy's ignorance.