A reflection on the gang rape in California

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Monkciate

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I’m sure by now that most of you have heard the tragic story about the young 15 year old girl who was gang raped at a high school in California. This event makes me so angry (for a number of reasons), and I feel so terrible for the young girl whose life is now shattered. All I can do is pray for her full recovery, physically, emotionally and mentally, but I wish I could just extend a loving hand to her and tell her, “You’re worth more than that!”

It’s interesting that this event was broadcast only a few days prior to Nell Scovell releasing her statements regarding the workplace environment at “Late Night” with David Letterman. In her statements, she alleges (and I think truthfully) that there are zero female writers on the “Late Night” staff and what female staff is allowed is perpetually sized-up for their the abilities in the sack and little more. So, I find it interesting (on a tragic and pathetic level) that these two news events have hit the airwaves at almost the same time since it seems to exemplify the effects of the hypersexualized culture we live in.

Some people might say that the 15 year old girl might have “been asking for it” based on the people she was hanging out with, perhaps what she was wearing, or even her body language. None of this is known, however. Based on current reports, there is no evidence supporting that she “invited” any sexual advances. Regardless, even if she had been wearing next to nothing, to be raped and to be raped and assaulted for two hours by multiples assailants is almost unforgivable.

The first thing I thought of when I read this story was Porn. This is something which you find in porn movies. There’s a wide array of porn movies which glorify gang rapes. There’s movies where people have sex with many observers. There’s movies where women are gang raped to the enjoyments of observers. And yet, while it cannot be said objectively that any of the participants had ever watched such pornographic films, the dirty stench of pornography lurks underneath.

Objectively, all we know is that she was attacked and mercilessly attacked for two hours while a bunch of horny teenagers treated her like a sack of meat.

The truth is, such evil lurks within all of us. And that frightens me. As I do suffer from a sex addiction, I can’t help but shake my head in disappointment when things like this happen to girls like her. It makes me want to kick my own occassional pornography viewing, it makes wish women would stop trying to please men by dressing in tight clothes and dressing scantily for magazine photos, and it makes me wish all of us men could get our heads out of our pants…because she’s the result, she’s effect, she’s the carnage done. I’m not saying I would ever rape anyone. No, I wouldn’t. I’m not a violent person, and I do try to respect all women. I know that my own pornography viewing isn’t any attempt to be malicious toward women, but because I’m suffering on the inside with something very large which I’m just now starting to realize and approach.

This event breaks my heart. And I’m full of anger at the guys who did this to her, and I’m angry at myself because I, in some ways, see myself as no different than them. That’s a hard, frightening admission. And I pray that God have mercy on my soul for it. And I pray that integrity of both sexes be restored.

Pray for her. Pray for me. Pray for all of us who suffer with addiction. Pray for those who have hurt others. What a sad, sad situation it all is.
 
I had not heard of this incident, but I feel very sad to know about it. I agree with your reflection on it. The capacity we have to hurt eachother is so big. We are truly fallen and it is only when we realize this that we can begin to understand why we need God or else we are doomed. It is so hard to grasp why or how someone could have the need to harm someone in this way…such depravity and yet they are human just like you or are, created in the likeness of God. It shocks me. It makes me feel ashamed for humankind, but also joyful that God has promised never to abandon us even though THIS is how we act.
I will be praying for this girl.
Monkciate, I will alsp be praying for you to defeat your addiction.
 
When people turn away from God, they will do anything that pleases them.
 
What is really sick is the group that stood around and did nothing. 😦
 
Disgusting! My hope and my mission in life is to ensure the safety and protection of teenage girls. I am disgusted by the lack of control from some youth to behave in such a manner, ohhh my adreneline is pumping just thinking about this, so I’ll bail.
 
Some people might say that the 15 year old girl might have “been asking for it” based on the people she was hanging out with, perhaps what she was wearing, or even her body language. None of this is known, however. Based on current reports, there is no evidence supporting that she “invited” any sexual advances. Regardless, even if she had been wearing next to nothing, to be raped and to be raped and assaulted for two hours by multiples assailants is almost unforgivable.

I just want to say, the definition of rape is nonconsensual sex. As in, you do not want to, but you are being forced. No one EVER “asks” to get raped, male or female, half-naked or wearing a burka, no matter what group of people they’re with. The definition of the word makes it impossible to “ask for it.” I’m not saying you were implying that you agreed with those people, but I just want to put that important point out there.
 
So far five arrested…one Caucasian, one African American, three Hispanic. More arrests are expected. Richmond police are looking for perpetrators, participants, and bystanders (who did nothing to stop this horrible crime). All will be charged with various levels of sex crimes.
 
Dear monkciate, in no way are you on the same level as these people. If you are, then so are the rest of us, because we’re all such sinners 😦 Don’t take it all out on yourself, like you said, the evil lurks within all of us.
 
I read this morning that there were up to ten bystanders. Ten people who witnessed and just stood there watching :mad:
I hope a parade of angels comes to comfort this girl.
 
MercyMia said:
I hope a parade of angels comes to comfort this girl.
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I read in an article today that she is an avid churchgoer. I pray that her pastor reaches out to her and prays with her. I know she’s hurting horribly. I can’t even imagine the isolation and shame she must be feeling.

I want to say so much about the whole affair, but I lack the words because it truly makes me so angry.
 
That poor little girl. I pray that she will be allowed to study at home with her family and the sickos who attacked her will go to prison, where all of them will be converted, and she will never have to fear them again. Or whatever God’s will is for the good of all. It makes me sick that this kind thing happens in the schools all the time yet a child who stays home is taken away and forced into school as if kids were safe only in school.
 
Catholic1954 said:
What is really sick is the group that stood around and did nothing. 😦
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Yes that is true.

I have an abuse history that includes going through an assault like this, when I was 12. and one of the abusers eventually thought things had gone “too far” but he refused to intervene in any way to try to stop things. Instead, he told me to be brave and put up with it. Nobody else helped either. They had weapons and so some of these bystanders were too afraid to do anything themselves. Of course these people were about 20 and I was 12. They were white like me.

Standing around and not helping, when you know the assault is wrong, is a sign of cowardice. That is what I’ve been told.

Two of the things that some people have trouble with after an assault like this are: agoraphobia (fear of being outside/leaving the house/crowds, etc.) and the fear of judgment from other people b/c this is a pretty taboo topic. The agoraphobia comes from having been abused by a group of people, especially if that abuse happens outside which some of mine did. That can make leaving the house pretty threatening. It can also feel dangerous to be around people you don’t know, especially in groups.

The fear of judgment comes from the fact that assaults by groups of people are still pretty taboo for many people to discuss. It is frightening. So one of the most important things that helps is for people to listen without judging.

It is possible to recover from this stuff but I think that requires therapy in many cases. Fortunately, many therapists are a lot better at treating abuse survivors than they used to be. Also I think the Church is much more sensitive about this issue than it was a few decades ago, when I was young.
 
The truth is, such evil lurks within all of us.
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Nonsense. If this were the case, then gang rapes would be more common. This behaviour is an abberation. It is pure evil on so many levels, right down to the cowardice of the observers who did nothing to intervene.Calling them cowards might even be too lenient, because if they didn’t intervene then their moral outrage didn’t kick in. If they weren’t morally outraged, then they are as guilty as the actual perpetrators.

It is easy to blame porn, but remember, gang rapes have been around a lot longer than the proliferation of porn on the Internet. It is a gang mentality, power issue. If anyone has ever read the book Lord of the Flies, they will understand how morality and common sensibilities can be so easily eroded given the right circumstances. It fails when no-one with the strength of character to say “no” is present. Raise your children carefully.
 
Whenever I read of situations like this I just wish that I could be near such a situation so I could actually stop it happening, for some reason, people who wish to stop such things are never there.

It’s disgusting, they deserve jail time in a state penitentiary so they go through the exact same thing they did to this girl.
 
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