Police: Gang rape outside school dance lasted over two hours [Archive] - MysticWicks Online Pagan Community and Spiritual Sanctuary

Caitlin.ann

October 27th, 2009, 02:39 PM

(CNN) -- A California high school student who police said was gang raped in a two-and-a-half-hour assault outside a homecoming dance remained hospitalized in stable condition Monday, two days after she was flown from the attack scene in critical condition.
As of late Monday, two suspects had been arrested in the case and a third was being questioned.

(...)
"Based on witness statements and suspect statements, and also physical evidence, we know that she was raped by at least four suspects committing multiple sex acts," Gagan said.
Investigators said as many as 15 people, all males, stood around watching the assault, but did not call police or help the victim, a 15-year-old student at Richmond High School in suburban San Francisco.

"As people announced over time that this was going on, more people came to see, and some actually participated," Gagan said.

CNN (http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/27/california.gang.rape.investigation/index.html)

Appalling.

Kraheera

October 27th, 2009, 02:50 PM

Sweet heavens. Mob mentality at its best.

Caitlin.ann

October 27th, 2009, 02:50 PM

I've seen similar in porn..didn't honestly think this sort of thing would happen to a 15 year old girl.

ETA: I guess what I should be saying is that I shouldn't be surprised anymore. I mean I REALLY shouldn't.

Kraheera

October 27th, 2009, 02:52 PM

From what the report says so far, she went outside with ONE person of her own will...

And I bet someone is going to say she did it all willingly. >> I'll be interested to see the toxicology results... because I am having a hard time stomaching the idea that NO ONE tried to help the girl.

I'm betting date rape drug.

WitchJezebel

October 27th, 2009, 02:55 PM

Sickening.

Caitlin.ann

October 27th, 2009, 03:03 PM

Found this from Fox:

The victim left the high school homecoming dance about 9:30 p.m. Friday and was heading to meet her father for a ride home when a classmate she knows invited her to join a group drinking in the courtyard.

Shortly afterwards, police said, the 15-year-old girl was robbed, beaten and gang-raped for more than two hours. Police theorize the attack was not only watched by up to 12 others but may have been videotaped with cell phone cameras, according to KTVU.com.

The victim had consumed a large amount of alcohol by the time the assault began, police said. Officers came to the scene after getting a call about a possible attack on the high school's campus. They found the teen semi-conscious near a picnic table.

Link (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,569725,00.html?test=latestnews)

Of course its much easier to rape someone who is under the influence. Disgusting.

BelovedDru

October 27th, 2009, 03:07 PM

And people wonder why I have little faith in humanity in general...

I really hope this girl finds the strength to recover.

Sun_and_Saturn

October 27th, 2009, 03:07 PM

OMG, I am in absolute shock. That is horrible! I'm hoping the authorities are able to catch the scumbags that are responsible.

Caitlin.ann

October 27th, 2009, 03:09 PM

OMG, I am in absolute shock. That is horrible! I'm hoping the authorities are able to catch the scumbags that are responsible.

They already have two suspects in custody. I'm saying that "hopefully" there is a video so they can catch the others as well as those who failed to call authorities. Of course the spectators could have thought it was consensual.

Terra Mater

October 27th, 2009, 05:36 PM

Why is anyone surprised by this? A group of kids will stand around watching some skinny kid get his ass beat by several others cheering "Fight Fight Fight" and laughing the entire time.

There have been numerous cases over the last four decades of people who were killed, raped, beaten, with plenty of people around who could have interfered and didn't. They didn't want to get involved, it wasn't their business, they didn't think it was real, etc. In short, they didn't care until the cameras were on.

This is why they teach you to never yell "rape". No one will help, no one will come unless they want to take a turn on the victim or watch a free sex show. Yell "Fire" and everyone comes running.

Guarantee there are videos, but they are looking in the wrong places for them. With a gangbang video you don't check Facebook or Youtube, you check porn sites that allow viewers to upload their own amateur videos. Or you check the "Rants and Raves" section of Craigslist for a posted link from someone who thought the girl deserved what she got.

As for saying it was consensual, the girl wasn't just raped, she was beaten as well. http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_13644237

Almost ironic, that the school where it happened, Richmond High School, is considered one of the safest in the district. There were the three administrators and four police officers both inside and watching the surrounding parking lot and street, so what were they doing for two hours while this girl was getting tortured? Why did none of the people paid to notice such things notice this until a report was called in by someone at a nearby party?

ShadowcatX

October 27th, 2009, 07:09 PM

I'd like to be shocked and horrified, but honestly, I'm not surprised. As Terra Mater pointed out, this isn't the first time something like this has happened.

I can see a bunch of kids standing around watching thinking "free drunk girl sex show" except for the fact that she was also beaten. Surely if her injuries were bad enough that she was and is hospitalized, they'd be visible. I'd go after everyone who stood around watching as accessories if they didn't immediately come forward and agree to testify.

Finally, I'd charge everyone who took part in the rape as adults. I'm sorry, if you're old enough to force yourself sexually on someone, you're old enough to know better.

As to not yelling rape and yelling fire instead, this was outside and at a school, probably would've just brought more people to watch. IMO this is a teach your children about the dangers of alcohol and make sure they're armed, situation. If she'd been able to taser the first one to assault her, the second one wouldn't have done so.

WitchOfEndor

October 27th, 2009, 07:23 PM

Oh that poor girl :(

Terra Mater

October 27th, 2009, 07:27 PM

As to not yelling rape and yelling fire instead, this was outside and at a school, probably would've just brought more people to watch. IMO this is a teach your children about the dangers of alcohol and make sure they're armed, situation. If she'd been able to taser the first one to assault her, the second one wouldn't have done so.

Good point. It seem these days yelling anything just draws a bigger crowd of spectators.

thatdude

October 27th, 2009, 08:48 PM

That just freakin craziness man.
They watch this poor young woman get raped and join in.
I bet if they had been raping another guy like that somebody would have stopped it.
Cause in thier twisted minds,
"Raping another dude would gay and sick an stuff."
But they think beating and raping a female is all natural.
I need to stop now befor I feel a HEX coming on.
I am so MAD right now.

memnoch

October 27th, 2009, 08:56 PM

There have been numerous cases over the last four decades of people who were killed, raped, beaten, with plenty of people around who could have interfered and didn't. They didn't want to get involved, it wasn't their business, they didn't think it was real, etc. In short, they didn't care until the cameras were on.

I just learned in psychology not too long ago that if you are in need of help you are more likely to get help in a group of 5 vs a group of 100. Basically with more people around there are several ways of reasoning not helping. Insecurities about your own ability, believing someone else will help, believing someone else has already called for help, ect.

Kraheera

October 27th, 2009, 09:06 PM

Those 15 should be grateful I wasn't around. I have walked in on someone raping a girl, and I HAVE beaten him to within an inch of his life before calling the cops.

Fortunately the cops looked the other way when it came to the assault on the guy... since she was in even worse shape.

And I'd totally do it again. I detest rapists of any age, any sex.

Terra Mater

October 28th, 2009, 12:08 AM

I just learned in psychology not too long ago that if you are in need of help you are more likely to get help in a group of 5 vs a group of 100. Basically with more people around there are several ways of reasoning not helping. Insecurities about your own ability, believing someone else will help, believing someone else has already called for help, ect.

Yup, the bigger the group the larger the SEP (Somebody Else's Problem) justification quotient. This holds true whether its a group aware of each other, or heavily populated areas (apartment dwellers).

dandalion

October 28th, 2009, 05:01 AM

The police now have put out an award update here (http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/27/california.gang.rape.investigation/index.html?eref=ib_topstories)
This just breaks my heart :heartbrea, poor girl and her family! If I was her mom I would be wanting blood!

Iris

October 28th, 2009, 05:45 AM

I can see a bunch of kids standing around watching thinking "free drunk girl sex show" except for the fact that she was also beaten. Surely if her injuries were bad enough that she was and is hospitalized, they'd be visible. I'd go after everyone who stood around watching as accessories if they didn't immediately come forward and agree to testify.

^ this.

I actually AM shocked and horrified by this.

I just don't understand how no-one tried to help her.

I truly hope that everyone who stood by and let this happen is someday in a situation where they are hurt, scared, and helpless, and no-one lifts a finger to help them. Seriously, how can those people even LIVE with themselves?

Kraheera

October 28th, 2009, 11:32 AM

I truly hope that everyone who stood by and let this happen is someday in a situation where they are hurt, scared, and helpless, and no-one lifts a finger to help them. Seriously, how can those people even LIVE with themselves?

Because they are young, and in the back of their little pea-brains they think that she probably deserved it for some reason. I've always noticed that when something bad happens to a girl involving sex (whether it be pregnancy or rape, or some other issue) it is always the girl's fault somehow.

But if a guy is sexually molested or raped, then it isn't his fault. Oh no.

Somehow, some way, they'll rationalize what happened, and they'll rationalize why they didn't help.

"I thought someone else had called the cops.
I thought that she was having a good time.
I thought that she was CHOOSING to do that.
She didn't fight very hard."

The excuses will fall like snow in january, I promise.

ShadowcatX

October 28th, 2009, 12:04 PM

Because they are young, and in the back of their little pea-brains they think that she probably deserved it for some reason. I've always noticed that when something bad happens to a girl involving sex (whether it be pregnancy or rape, or some other issue) it is always the girl's fault somehow.

But if a guy is sexually molested or raped, then it isn't his fault. Oh no.

I don't think them being young had anything to do with it, actually. I suspect the exact same thing would have happened had they been 35. Case in point, the woman in NY who was murdered in plain daylight in front of I don't know how many witnesses. Somebody Else's Problem applies to people of all ages.

Off topic but:

There's a difference between saying that we should wait and see what the evidence turns up about a supposed rape case and saying that the girl deserved to be raped. I greatly suspect if you'll point out where anyone on this board has said an innocent girl deserved to be raped, moderators would be happy to take care of it.

That said, I do agree there's a different perspective in guys and girls looking at rape cases, and in their rape cases in general. Guys are brought up knowing that if any girl says we rape them, even though we didn't, we're in deep, deep trouble, and that accusation can easilly follow us for all of our lives, so yeah, alot of us are generally "lets wait and see what the evidence shows" type of people about rape cases. You know, innocent until proven guilty.

That said, many guys are also brought up to brag about sex, to think of it as a conquest, so when a male says "I was raped" instead of "I banged the hell out of her" it is going against the popular cultural attitudes towards males and sex. Popular cultural attitudes towards women and sex are different, if women have sex they're often said to be whores, sluts, and a whole slew of hateful names so sometimes, rather than face that, some girls say they've been raped.

That aside, rape is a horrible, horrible thing rather it happens to a male or a female and when a rapist is found guilty they should have the book thrown at them, hard.

Somehow, some way, they'll rationalize what happened, and they'll rationalize why they didn't help.

"I thought someone else had called the cops.
I thought that she was having a good time.
I thought that she was CHOOSING to do that.
She didn't fight very hard."

The excuses will fall like snow in january, I promise.

Yup. And most of them will actually believe their excuses, because, they don't want to think they're the type of person who stands around and watches a 15 year old girl get beaten and raped so them not helping isn't really their fault.

ShadowcatX

October 28th, 2009, 12:38 PM

California police investigating the alleged rape of a 15-year-old girl have arrested five people, a police spokesman said Wednesday.

Three juveniles and two adults are in custody in connection with the assault, said the Richmond police spokesman, Lt. Mark Gagan. Authorities have described the incident as a 2½-hour assault at the Richmond High School campus in suburban Oakland.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/28/california.rape.investigation/index.html

Its a start.

Lunacie

October 28th, 2009, 02:53 PM

Quote:
The victim left the high school homecoming dance about 9:30 p.m. Friday and was heading to meet her father for a ride home when a classmate she knows invited her to join a group drinking in the courtyard.

Shortly afterwards, police said, the 15-year-old girl was robbed, beaten and gang-raped for more than two hours. Police theorize the attack was not only watched by up to 12 others but may have been videotaped with cell phone cameras, according to KTVU.com.

The victim had consumed a large amount of alcohol by the time the assault began, police said. Officers came to the scene after getting a call about a possible attack on the high school's campus. They found the teen semi-conscious near a picnic table.
Link (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,569725,00.html?test=latestnews)

So ... :huh: ... what happened to the father who was supposed to be picking her up? When she didn't show up, did he go looking for her? Did he check with her friends? Did he talk to the chaperones? Did he call the cops when he couldn't find her?

She was supposed to meet him at about 9:30 but she wasn't discovered until midnight. I would have been totally frantic if I was picking up my daughter (or granddaughter) and couldn't find her for two hours. I know I have GAD (anxiety disorder) but still, I'd be trying to find the kid.

Terra Mater

October 28th, 2009, 03:13 PM

Yup. And most of them will actually believe their excuses, because, they don't want to think they're the type of person who stands around and watches a 15 year old girl get beaten and raped so them not helping isn't really their fault.

Are many of us all that different? We all have our own areas where we should stand up for what is right and we often fail to. We think we are that much better than these people because we would never have stood around and let it happen.

Ask yourselves the following:

How can you stand up to a crowd of strangers committing a violent act if you cannot tell your own family that you practice witchcraft?
Why do you think you would have been the first person to call the cops if you fail to call CPS on the person you suspect is abusing their children?
What makes you so sure you would have defended this girl if you failed to defend the pet your family was supposed to take care of and failed to?
How are you going to save a girl from abuse by strangers if you cannot save yourself from abuse by the people you know?
Like I said, it doesn't surprise me that this happened and it doesn't surprise me that so many think they would have made a difference had they been there. We all want to believe we are good and strong and ready to save the day when the reality is that many of us seldom do more than pay lip service to the concept.

At one point or another, we have all been guilty of falling prey to the idea that something is none of our business or somebody else's problem.

We all have our weak moments, we all have our excuses for them, and we all like to pretend that we don't.

Lunacie

October 28th, 2009, 03:19 PM

Are many of us all that different? We all have our own areas where we should stand up for what is right and we often fail to. We think we are that much better than these people because we would never have stood around and let it happen.

Ask yourselves the following:

How can you stand up to a crowd of strangers committing a violent act if you cannot tell your own family that you practice witchcraft?
Why do you think you would have been the first person to call the cops if you fail to call CPS on the person you suspect is abusing their children?
What makes you so sure you would have defended this girl if you failed to defend the pet your family was supposed to take care of and failed to?
How are you going to save a girl from abuse by strangers if you cannot save yourself from abuse by the people you know?
Like I said, it doesn't surprise me that this happened and it doesn't surprise me that so many think they would have made a difference had they been there. We all want to believe we are good and strong and ready to save the day when the reality is that many of us seldom do more than pay lip service to the concept.

At one point or another, we have all been guilty of falling prey to the idea that something is none of our business or somebody else's problem.

We all have our weak moments, we all have our excuses for them, and we all like to pretend that we don't.

I've had my weak moments, mostly personal, but I have called authorities to check things out when I suspected the neighbors of child abuse.

Iris

October 28th, 2009, 03:25 PM

ShadowcatX

October 28th, 2009, 04:23 PM

Are many of us all that different? We all have our own areas where we should stand up for what is right and we often fail to. We think we are that much better than these people because we would never have stood around and let it happen.

Ask yourselves the following:

How can you stand up to a crowd of strangers committing a violent act if you cannot tell your own family that you practice witchcraft?
Why do you think you would have been the first person to call the cops if you fail to call CPS on the person you suspect is abusing their children?
What makes you so sure you would have defended this girl if you failed to defend the pet your family was supposed to take care of and failed to?
How are you going to save a girl from abuse by strangers if you cannot save yourself from abuse by the people you know?
Like I said, it doesn't surprise me that this happened and it doesn't surprise me that so many think they would have made a difference had they been there. We all want to believe we are good and strong and ready to save the day when the reality is that many of us seldom do more than pay lip service to the concept.

At one point or another, we have all been guilty of falling prey to the idea that something is none of our business or somebody else's problem.

We all have our weak moments, we all have our excuses for them, and we all like to pretend that we don't.

It comes down to core values. Telling people that I care about things that are none of their business is not one of my core values. Stopping violence against children, is.

How do I know it? Because I've stopped it before. Not a rape, but violence none the less. Got a very good friend out of the deal. Of course, I'm a very big guy, so i'm able to use the threat of violence more effectively than someone who may not have my size (even if they would be more physically able).

ShadowcatX

October 28th, 2009, 04:25 PM

I have in the past called the cops when I saw a man and woman fighting one night (I was worried for her safety - in the end it turned out that she had done a lot more damage to him than he had to her!)

Been there, done that. Turned out she was a friend of mine's ex and a girl I'd wanted to get with but didn't have the opportunity to. To top it off she was pregnant so the guy couldn't really fight back, even if he'd wanted to. Police ended up taking her to jail.

Terra Mater

October 28th, 2009, 04:31 PM

VERY good post, Terra Mater. However I would say that not telling your family you are Pagan, and not standing up for someone being violently attacked, deals with two different types of courage. Telling people stuff about your own life is your call, nobody will get hurt if you don't tell your family you are Pagan/Gay/a transvestite/whatever.

I see your point about not being able to stand up to a group of people who are behaving violently...then there are two victims, not one, and what purpose does that serve?

You did demonstrate the point quite effectively. You offered a justification for not standing up to the group. This is what happens in these situations. People give themselves all sorts of justifications for not getting involved. For not standing up to the group and saying "Stop this, its wrong!"

Each person in that group did the same thing. The men who joined in told themselves she wanted it. The men who watched told themselves that they were only watching the show. The people who ignored her cries and pleas told themselves they were hearing things, or it didn't sound that bad, or any of a thousand other things, each as unique as the person feeling it. Those with cell phones did not walk away from the group and call the cops or go inside to get the people who were paid to prevent this very incident. They did not go to the door of the dance and yell to the crowd that a girl was being raped.

They don't mean to be bad people, nor do most of them really believe that what they are doing is all that bad. Its someone else's problem, they are just aware of it. Its someone else's job to stop it, they could get hurt. Its not their business, they aren't cops after all. It can't be that bad because no one else is trying to stop it either. They must be overreacting, they don't know all the facts. They can tell themselves this because each and every one one of them has their own secrets they keep, their own lies they tell, their own pain to cope with, and their own disloyalty to themselves.

After its over and done, then they realize they were wrong and that they made themselves part of Somebody Else's Problem. They analyze it in their minds and find more justifications so they can live with the guilt. Not a challenge really, because they are already living with their own secret guilts so they just add this one to the pile.

Now maybe you understand how these things happen. And how the pain that we inflict on ourselves can prevent us from protecting someone else from a greater pain.

kingcanine

October 28th, 2009, 08:25 PM

I can say, with every fiber of my being, that once it became apparent that she was being raped, and not some exibitionist(sp?) thing, I'd have my knife in hand. The man on top of her would've been searching rather quickly for two new kidneys, and maybe a lung. Any of the others would more than likely immediately back up once they noticed the blood pool. They might charge back in, but I know I'm gonna take down as many as I can before I go down. Thats simply the way I am, I don't bullshit.

I can kinda see how if you just walked up on it, you might stop and watch. If only the sex is happening, no yelling or beating, then it may be very possible to mistake it for just another outdoor orgy. However, once the fists start flying, I would've been cutting someone. There is NOTHING in my brain that would let me stand by while something like this happened right in front of me. But, I also had the "southern gentleman, you do not hit a woman, period" mentality taught to me from a very young age. I'm sure the majority of people could come up with a variety of excuses, but I am not one of them.

Neville

October 28th, 2009, 08:46 PM

TeamTwig

October 28th, 2009, 11:16 PM

One thing I have never been accused of, is keeping quiet. I am overly-opinionated (to a fault sometimes), and if I think that something is wrong I can't NOT do something about it. My mouth has gotten me into some interesting situations, and apparently, when I'm angry, the "cautious" part of my brain shuts off. Fortunately for me, my SO is the body-building type. :)
I would have called the cops in a second, without a doubt. The fact that so many people could stand around and watch something like this go on for 2.5 hours is insane to me.

ShadowcatX

October 29th, 2009, 09:18 AM

I often wondered why the Police who are charged with keeping the Peace and arresting people suspected of acts of Violence or Breaking in to Homes , Are in the execution of such duties allowed to commit Acts of Violence and break into Peoples homes...It's a funny Old world and no mistake :)

You're missing certain things.
1) Cops are only allowed to do what you mention in a very specific set of circumstances. For violence, only when the person they're arresting starts violence and then only the minimum amount required to end the situation safely. For breaking in to a person's home only when there is probable cause (and urgency) or they have a warrant.
2) Correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I know, cops have that much power, or more, throughout the whole world. Maybe they don't carry guns everywhere, but violence is violence and in America guns are a last resort.
3) There are circumstances where it is perfectly legal for a normal, every day citizen to do what you mention. Violence in self defense, defense of one's property, or defense of another (thank you "make my day" law) and breaking and entering when there's a clear and present danger (ie. you see your elderly neighbor lying on the floor inside and they don't respond to calls)

Caitlin.ann

October 29th, 2009, 07:56 PM

(CNN) -- She had come alone to the Richmond High School homecoming dance, gorgeous in a sparkling purple dress and faux diamond baubles. The DJ played salsa, meringue, rap. When the teenager disappeared, her friends thought she had gone home early.
Except she never said goodbye.
"We were going to go look for her," said Kami Baker, 16, a junior at the school.
The next day, Baker learned the ugly truth about what had happened to her friend.
According to police, she had been gang raped and beaten for almost 2½ hours and left unconscious under a bench shortly before midnight Saturday night.
"I busted up crying," Baker said.

Link (http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/29/california.rape.victim.friend/index.html)