She is a 15-year-old honors English student, attends church three times a week, and has a long-distance boyfriend. She chose a sparkly purple gown and silver shoes to wear to her homecoming dance, which she had looked forward to for weeks. She and close friend Kami Baker, 16, walked into the dance together, no doubt expecting a fun night filled with music and friends.
Before the night would end, the 15-year-old would be in the hospital, victim of a horrific 2½-hour gang rape by as many as 10 young men. While the rape went on, a group of bystanders apparently watched, cheered and took cell phone photos and video. The victim was left half-naked and unconscious, found by police only because another teenage girl heard two young men bragging about the crime.
Instant attention was focused on the school, the security, the community. The most blistering criticism has been leveled toward those who stood by and watched as the crime took place. We simply can't understand how fellow humans could stand by and watch this young girl be brutalized.
There have been some developments. Thursday evening, police made a sixth arrest in the crime, an 18-year-old man. He was being held on $1.3 million bail. Four other teens were arraigned in open court Thursday, all wearing bulletproof vests – they are 15, 16, 17 and 19. A 21-year-old has also been arrested, and investigation is ongoing.
The victim has been able to leave the hospital and go home. Students – including Baker – and teachers spoke out about security at a school board meeting on Wednesday night.
“I looked outside of the gym and I saw 12 to 15 guys, sitting there, with no [school] IDs,” Baker told the meeting, according to CNN. “The officers, not only did they not check the IDs of those students or men sitting outside of our campus, but the security officers who are employed here did no checking either,” she said.
An ABC World News story says that the victim’s family is devastated and scared, according to Baker. She hadn’t yet been able to speak to the victim.
“A lot of people are actually scared about what’s going to happen to her,” Baker said. “There is a lot of empathy and a lot of people who are scared that it went on for so long and that it could have been them.”
It’s a crime that leaves us feeling angry, sad and, in some ways, hopeless. We think about this young girl, whose life has been irrevocably changed, and we want justice. We think about bystanders who did nothing to help her, and we want punishment. We think of our own daughters being treated in such a way, and we want to be sick. There is no understanding it, really.
One thing is certain, though: There is love, empathy and support flowing toward the young victim from her own community, from the nation and from the world. Hand-painted signs against violence have gone up at Richmond High. Other women who have survived rape are writing with understanding and wisdom on blogs and web forums. Community members, stunned and disbelieving, vow that things will change.
And the victim’s school, Richmond High, is accepting cards and donations for the girl and her family.
If you would like to send a card or a check, send them directly to Richmond High School, Attn: Victim Fund, 1250 23rd St., Richmond, CA 94804-1011. Checks should be made out to the Richmond High Student Fund.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h00xc9pigMisvuJ08uARa2FR8gQgD9BL78G80
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/gang-rape-victim-devout-christian-english-honors-student/story?id=8945716
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNews/bystanders-teen-raped/story?id=8948465
How to help: http://www.examiner.com/x-27745-SF-Headlines-Examiner~y2009m10d28-How-you-can-help-the-15yearold-Richmond-California-gang-rape-victim
Will you send a card? What would you say to this girl and her family?