This showed up on my news alert.
"Police say as many as 10 people attacked the 15-year-old Richmond High School student after a homecoming dance on Oct. 24 while others watched. The girl was "brutally attacked and raped, beaten and robbed over a two and a half hour ordeal," Gagan said.
The victim spent five days in the hospital.
I don't even know what to say - and even if I did, none of it would be good.
All I know is that it made me cry.
I hate crying.
And then it made me glad that this is my daughter's last year of high school.
And then it made me sad.
And then it made me want to shake people.
And now I'm beside myself again at the idea that 20+ people could stand around witnessing this and not do a thing about it.
What's worse is once a damn is broken, it will be repeated.
You'll see this again, it's the law of human nature.
When you see something so much, it becomes common place - which is why it HAS to be stopped dead in its tracks with swift and sure punishment.
15.
Forever changed.
15.
The hardest age for all kids as it is, let alone adding something like this to the list.
15.
And she will never ever fully trust anyone in her life again or ever fully feel safe as long as she lives.
And nothing is ever going to change that.
Ever.
Not a good job, not financial security, not a good husband, not a good family, not owning weapons - nothing. There is no status or state or title that will ever give that back.
If there is a shred of human decency left to the press, they will NEVER mention her real name. The rest of us do NOT need to know it.
The line is crossed though and the damn has been broken and mark my words, you'll see this happen again - and that makes me want to cry once more.
There are days I truly hate human beings.
This is one of them.
I read an article last week that indicated that all the bystanders were male. Whether it is true or not, we know that children and teens have a tendency to stand by and do nothing rather than act, and we, as parents, have to be the ones to teach them to ACT, not watch, when cruelty to others (and animals!) happens within their midst. And we have to be specific as to how to act safely in such situations where intervention is needed.
ReplyDeleteLois and I have talked about this. It is really effed up. How people can be so savage says a lot about us as a society. Gang violence grows in larger communities because it is fed by the masses. Even if your not a participant, you inadvertently become one by looking the other way. I cannot imagine the scars this young woman will carry with her through life.
ReplyDeleteIt is times like this I scream at God and say WTF? And that pisses me off even more. I don't want to have to scream at God. It just makes me feel bad.
This is heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteBetween this and the boy I just posted about - today is going to haunt me forever.
ReplyDeleteI am with you about hating people. I do not understand how anyone can stand by and let something so horrible happen.
ReplyDelete