Are we turning into spectators?

I guess many of your heard about the "Homecoming Gang Rape in Richmond, California".

A very tragic and brutal incident. What bothered me even more is that, media reported there were more than 20 spectators while this was happening. Yes, while a 15 year old was being gang-raped. Many even captured this "incident" in their cellphones. No 911 call, no interruption, nothing.

Where is this world going? We longer see that another human getting hurt is just like us - a life - Flesh and blood. As long as its not us or our family, we don't bother?

Many things that upset me :

(1) LAW

A 1999 California law makes it illegal not to report a witnessed crime against a child, but the law applies only to children 14 and under. “We do not have the ability to arrest people who witnessed the crime and did nothing,” Gagan said. “The law can be very rigid. We don’t have the authority to make an arrest.”


Shouldn't there be some law to arrest such losers as well?

(2) BLAME GAME

Both the school administration and police were playing blame game, as to who should have watched this place. The tragedy took place in a dimly light area in the school campus. The police were asked to help the school during this homecoming dance which took place in the gym. Thus police say, the were not supposed to be monitoring all of the grounds and it was the school administration's responsibility.

On the other hand, the school administration says, the incident happened near the school(the back alley next to school - more or less inside school) and not actually in the school campus. "Once children leave the school, we cannot walk everyone of them home" It is not our responsibility.

Both later admitted they should have been more responsible.

End of the day, the poor 15 year old is scarred for life.

(3) LETHARGIC ATTITUDE

6 months back, it was reported by the local community media that 8 of the ~20 camera's in this campus were not functioning as expected and to avoid such incidents, school administration should work on it fast.

6 months later -

Cameras are still not working
A young girl was gang raped in the dark alley.

Where are the taxes going?

I feel very sad for the young girl. To go through so much agony both physically and mentally. Poor soul has to live with this trauma for her life. I pray God that she fights all this and emerges out, a more courageous and bold lady.

As for all the criminals, both who did the act and viewed it, I hope they rot in hell in this life.

For those who are not aware of this incident:

Investigators say as many as 20 people were involved in or stood and watched the gang rape of a 15-year-old girl outside a California high school homecoming dance Saturday night. “We will be making arrests continually as we develop probable cause,” said Richmond Police Lt. Mark Gagan. “With this number of people implicated in the incident we’re going to be making arrests on an ongoing basis.” As many as 10 people were involved in the assault in a dimly lighted back alley at the school, while another 10 people watched without calling 911 to report it, police said.

Charles Ramsey, a member of the Richmond school board, said the school district bears some responsibility for the attack. School administrators and police apparently weren’t watching the area as they should have, Ramsey said.

The school said it would hold a safety meeting for parents and students Wednesday evening to address the assault.

The victim was found unconscious under a bench shortly before midnight Saturday, after police received a call from someone in the area who had overheard people at the assault scene “reminiscing about the incident,” Richmond Police Lt. Mark Gagan said.

The girl was flown by helicopter to a hospital where she was admitted in critical condition. She was in stable condition Tuesday, police said.

“There is one individual in custody who has made some spontaneous statements that have led me to believe that he is culpable for what happened,” Richmond police Lt. Johan Simon said.

Nineteen-year-old Manuel Ortega, described as a former student at the school, was arrested soon after he fled the scene and will face charges of rape, robbery and kidnapping, police said.

A 15-year-old was later arrested and charged with one count of felony sexual assault. A third teenager was being interviewed, Gagan said.

“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.

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

The attack occurred on school grounds as the annual homecoming dance was under way inside the school Saturday night, authorities said.

Really feel bad for the poor girl.... definitely GOD is there to punish those 15 even if not by the police...they will realise

I read such incidents in chennai school thread(how far it is true GOD only knows) but still makes really scared especially moms having girls like me...

I hope GOD saves that girl and give her a good future...

Yes nandhu..

Heard this in the news the other day and i couldn't stop cursing those people for a long time.. Seriously .. I cannot understand how people can be so heartless... I blame the people who witnessed even more because for a minute they did not wonder what the girl would be going through..

Today in the news i saw people lighting candles... Wish they had done something fruitful when this happening..

I also wonder how the girl wound up alone behind the school... May be its some kind of trick by a boy friend or any other kids she know of...

Laws should definitely made strict in these kinds of Aspects...

Another news i heard recently is that of a SEX Offender... Who raped afro american women and hid them in his house... People in the neighborhood went to government authorities thinking there was a sewage problem in their area and it was stinking like hell.. But it was dead bodies rotting inside the house..

I guess this is what is called the Kali yugam .. where people do not think from heart or brain... Or may be they are thinking with a different part of the brain ...

For the girl to come out emotionally strong from this cruel torture is really going to be hard.. And i feel sad that we can just pray for her..

After hearing this news, I too felt totally shocked.

I didnt expect that many were watching that act instead.Even they announced 20000$ for those students who come forward to help the authorities find the culprit.

Hello,

Something like this happened in New York City a few years ago. Women were being attacked in public in a crowded park. Nobody got involved. There were even police there looking at it happen and they did not do anything either. It was all caught on video and shown in the news.

Guru

this news ( i came to know just now) has made me even more anxious about my daughters. such incidents make me so nervous. i just can't rest till my kids are back from school. i have become so suspicious about each and everyone ,including teachers,auto driver,all...!!!! there seems to be no safe place for women.

Nandu;
I am so shocked reading this!!! OMG, what mob psychology is this, I cannot fanthom. These sick men should be castrated.
We (India) also has a history of these incidents. The Godhra incident, where a pregnant woman was raped and her womb split open and the fetus was pulled outside. I still wonder what was running through the mind of those criminals. Aren't they son of some unlucky woman?
Also do you remember the incident where a teenager was raped in train by army jawans(in mumbai) I guess. It is so ironic, Jawans who are the custodians of our country are doing to this to its people and another irony, one of the passenger in the coupe was a journalist of a leading newspaper. What social obligation he has???

Ohh I am so sorry to go off topic. I couldn't hold it back.
-Nitha