15-Year-Old Girl Gang Raped: Witnesses Watched and Did Nothing
posted by: Ximena R. 29 days ago
When I heard about the story I'm about to share with you I was sick to my stomach and my eyes filled with tears. I literally couldn't believe the words as I read them across my computer screen. As my brain registered the reality I found it harder and harder to assuage my rage.
Last Saturday night after a high school homecoming dance in Richmond, California a 15-year-old girl was brutally gang raped by at least four assailants. As many as 20 people watched or became involved in the attack and not one person did anything to help the young girl or call the police. For two-and-a-half hours she was raped and beaten while onlookers laughed and took photos – some even joining in.
It wasn't until a female student at a local house party overheard people "reminiscing about the incident" that someone finally called the police to report the crime.
The victim was found unconscious under a bench in a secluded area near the school in such critical condition that she needed to be helicoptered to a nearby hospital.
Two teenage suspects have been jailed, but police expect as many as 20 additional arrests.
"She was raped, beaten, robbed and dehumanized by several suspects who were obviously OK enough with it to behave that way in each other's presence," said Lt. Mark Gagan, a patrol supervisor in the city's Northern Policing District. "What makes it even more disturbing is the presence of others. People came by, saw what was happening, and failed to report it."
The fact that a group of men watched and were entertained – laughing and taking pictures – by a woman being repeatedly raped and beaten at their feet is outrageous. This wasn't a television set or movie screen they were watching (not that that would make it OK either), but a real live human being within their reach who was being brutally attacked.
Why was their instinct to watch and enjoy and not call the police or intervene? Were they afraid their masculinity would be in question if they did? Did they not view the attack as a crime?
Anna North at Jezebel said it best:
"This isn't a case of people turning their heads away and saying 'none of my business. It's a situation in which 15 boys and men (one suspect in custody is 19, the other 15) treating public, brutal assault as a form of entertainment."
And what about the rapists who were so unashamed by their attack that they proceeded even after a crowd formed? Did they assume that no-one would call the police? Did they enjoy having an audience?
These are questions to think about as we dissect this inhumane and disturbing crime.
Luckily, police have reported that the victim is in stable condition – physically at least – but I can't image the road to recovery she will soon embark on. For this survivor – and all women who have survived rape – I wish you justice.
Watch a video of Lt. Johan Simon, Richmond, CA, Police Department describe what happened the night of homecoming.
Read more: homecoming, rape, violence against women, womens rights, sexual assault, gang rape
comments
To KATARINA : I am so, so very Proud of you girl for the struggle and the long journey that you have had to walk thru to acquire self-respect, dignity and integrity. As a 9yr. clean Recovering Addict myself..I know all too well just how long that road can be, especially when you have to deal with self-acceptence and insecurity that has been beaten out of you and torn to shreds year after year. It is hard and it is a long hard climb back up the ladder. I must never forget where I came from and that I am an addict and alway will be and must continue on with treating my illness of addiction with an ongoing program of Recovery. That means...going to meetings, having a Sponsor, working Steps over & over, H&I and Service Work, and have a home group. Remember.....we are never cured but we do Recover. BUT no matter WHO WE ARE or what walk of life we come from, what our bacground is or isn't, our nationality, sexuality, gender, sexual identity, race, creed, or color - ALL HUMAN BEINGS DESERVE TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT, DIGNITY & INTEGRITY. NO ONE DERSERVES TO BE MISTREATED OR ABUSED.....PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY, OR SPIRITUALLY! Once again, I am proud of you, Just for Today, I will have faith in someone who believes in me - and I believe in you! "Dusty D."
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
As a nation we need to educate men of all ages and race that women are HUMAN BEINGS and they need to be respected and revered as creators of life and teach men that they SHOULD NO LONGER BE DESTROYERS OF LIFE. I was an addict, I was abused, I have been raped and yet I live an extremely respectable fulfilling life helping those in need, like fellow women. There is no reason that justifies a man to humiliate a woman. Our society needs to change immediately and permanently, I will die trying to succeed in just that.
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Hey Jewels, I know what you mean there. I've noticed with a few acquaintence friends of mine (observing their interraction with their kids) that when I am with my friend over at their house.....the father will be watching T.V. and the mother will be either on the phone or the computer and the three kids will be running thru the house unsupervised argueing and fighting each other.Then when they get scolded...the kids scream and talk back ugly at their parents and they just tell them to stop doing what they were doing and go back their computer or phone or T.V. and I just stand there and shake my head. I wouln't allow my children to act like that nor would I allow them to talk back to me like that. I would attend to my childs behavior before I worry about the person on the other side of the phone call or the computer and my children ALWAYS come BEFORE a T.V. program. My child always came first. While it is true that Morals & Values, Integrity & Respect should be taught first at home and hopefully it will carry on from childhood into adolecence and then adulthood.......unfortunately, that is not always the case. We can only hope that will be the case but unfortunately it doesn't always turn out that way. (*wanted to add more, but someone's at the door.....gotta go folks. Talk to ya later. Have a good evening! )
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
con't having a different opinion. I just see our jails growing and growing till it feels like there will be more prisions than people on the outside at some point unless we take a different approach.
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Dusty, I understand what you are saying. I just think we need to start teaching children coping skills so they know that it is their choice. There are many different levels of understanding and those that don't have an understanding of how their own brain functions do blame others for their own problems. I am speaking from my own experience as well. Luckily for me when I was on the wrong track I somehow landed in psychology classes. Once I learned what my emotions were making me do I learned how to control them. I couldn't do that without the knowledge I received. I believe criminals should be punished as well. I don't think their past can excuse them but I believe if we educated our children better that this type of behavior can be prevented. I see how some raise their children and it is no surprise they are behaving this way. We are being distracted by tech, tv, money, politics etc when raising a child should be a priority. I think we are unrealistic in how we raise our children. I have seen it in my own family as well. In my view it starts with the people getting pregnant in the first place are unprepared to raise a child in the world we live in today. We don't have the luxury of raising our child is the simplier world of last century. A lot of these parents are too imature. I guess it is the difference of being reactionary or proactive in my opinion but I am happy to agree to disagree. I would never put anyone down for having a different opinion. I just
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
THE GREAT THING ABOUT THESE POST IS THAT WE CAN ALWAYS AGREE TO DISAGREE.....AND THAT IS OK ! love you all and hope you all are having a good eveining! "Dusty"
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
NEXT: Do you understand where I am coming from now? I was born to addicted parents, a father who molested me over and over from the time I was 5 to 11yrs. old, mother committed suicide, killed my identicle twin sister, my best friend who was only 10yrs. old and I lost track on one brother and one sister, then got adopted into a wonderful family & went to College & became an E.M.P.T. then got married,divorced & pregnant then the child got killed in a car wreck when she was 5yrs. old, I got caught drinking & driving and got sent to boot camp, then decided to make a career of the Military but then ended up being sent to Desert Storm where I was injured, got addicted to pain killers, discharged from the Army still addicted and the hunt was on for more drugs. It was off to the races. The things that I did to get my drugs I am ashamed of but I knew what I was doing and I can't blame my drug addicted parents (that were no longer in the picture), I cant blame my ex- husband ( he's not around) I can't blame my adopted parents......I can't blame anybody because nobody had me stealing and committing those crimes but me. I had a drug habit to support and that was all that mattered to me at that time....but I KNEW that stealing was wrong and I knew full well what I was doing. I heard someone once say that a person can do anything that they wan't to do as long as they are willing to suffer the consequences for what they do. I say, as long as it doesn't hurt someon
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Hi Jewels=How you doing girl? I think that you may have misunderstood me or maybe I said it wrong.....I wasn't trying to say that I didn't CARE or that it didn't matter, what I was really trying to say (cuz I do care) is that we tend to blame this or we tend to blame that -BUT-what if we never find the "reason" as to why a person acts a certain way? Each person that commits a crime seems to have a different "excuse" to so call....justify as to why he/she committed that crime {ie, I was poor, I was abused, I am a addict, my parents divorced, yada, yada, yada,} the excuses are as many as the stars are in the skys. So instead of allowing people the luxery of getting off of offences by putting the blame on others - don't you think that it it time that we put the blame where the blame is due and that is with the person committing the crime? Don't you think that it is time to hold them accountable for the choices that they make. When do we stop blaming others for the choices that we make?!? At some point in time we have to grow up. I have shared in my post before that I am a 9yr. clean recovering addict. BUT, when I was in ACTIVE ADDICTION.....there was a time that when I could not come up with money, I would steal merchandise from stores to sell on the streets to get money. I KNEW THAT STEALING WAS WRONG AND YET I STILL CHOSE TO STEAL KNOWING WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES COULD BE IF I GOT CAUGHT.....YET I STILL CHOSE TO DO SO. It was all about choices ! (SEE: Next Post 2)
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
"Whose fault is it.....who knows and who cares! Thats not even important." I CARE because we need to prevent this type of behavior not just react to it after it happens.
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Anyone who chooses to do such a horrible act such as rape or molestation deserves to be torchered within an inch of thier lives! I mean the most cruel and inhumane things done to them such as seen on movies like Saw or Hostil then left alone to die in utter anguish with a reminder that this is the karma they brought upon them selves for laying a filthy finger on anyone!
But that is just my opinion.*g*
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Facebook account:
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
1289205