Gang rape raises questions about bystanders' role

[tinpra]

(CNN) -- For more than two hours on a dark Saturday night, as many as 20 people watched or took part as a 15-year-old California girl was allegedly gang raped and beaten outside a high school homecoming dance, authorities said.

As hundreds of students gathered in the school gym, outside in a dimly lit alley where the victim was allegedly raped, police say witnesses took photos. Others laughed.

"As people announced over time that this was going on, more people came to see, and some actually participated," Lt. Mark Gagan of the Richmond Police Department told CNN.

(Read the rest at CNN.com Read this article for backstory and further developments.)

Comments

[lieueitak.livejournal.com]

I saw that two days ago, and I'm still just speechless and outraged by the whole thing. If you have any sense of morality involved, how the FUCK do you not do something? All of those people should be tossed in jail.

[jeymien.livejournal.com]

I know, I read about this yesterday. It's so horrible! I wish there was a way to prosecute those that just watched.. but legally, they can't unless they can prove they participated in some way, like stopping her from leaving etc.

[(Anonymous)]

I'm curious as to how many of the bystanders actually knew she was being raped. Is it far fetched to assume that many of these bystanders may have thought that they were just having a gang bang orgy? Just saying, let the facts come out, many witnesses may have thought it to be consensual.

[jaguarx13.livejournal.com]

There was a story on Genovese Syndrome on NPR today.

Faith in humanity? Lost.

[tinpra.livejournal.com]

Apparently there's a law, but it doesn't cover anyone over 14. I could have sworn there was a national bystander law that covered everyone for all sorts of crimes, but maybe it's on a state by state basis? Sounds like something to bring up before Congress or whomever.

[tinpra.livejournal.com]

Even if it was consensual...not the kind of thing you should watch. And a public gang bang is not legal anyway. At least I can't think of a state where it would be, considering public decency laws. It just seems wrong, up down and sideways.

[tinpra.livejournal.com]

That's how I feel, w/o the cussing. But I can also see how easy it is to get caught up in crowd/herd mentality. I am not agreeing with or condoning those people who watched at all, but it made me wonder if in some other crowd-situation would my automatic reaction be "Screw you people, I'm callin' the cops!" or would I have to work myself up to it? So I'm praying for the first.

[tinpra.livejournal.com]

People are perverse. Individual maybe not as much. But as a group? We're perverse. Sometimes we let it show. I remember learning about Kitty Genovese in school and being totally and completely floored by ppl not doing anything.