DAILY BEAST: Richmond Rape – It Could Have Been Your Daughter
October 31, 2009
by Amy Siskind
|This article by The New Agenda’s Amy Siskind is posted in full at The Daily Beast.
You’ll be curious to know how I first learned of the gang rape of a 15 year-old girl in Richmond, California.
A few days ago, the blog for The New Agenda, a women’s advocacy organization that I helped co-found, got hundreds of hits from search engines looking for “gang rape teenage girl.” Regrettably, our stories show that the Richmond attack, while horrific, is not an anomaly. Young women are more vulnerable to violence than any other age group.
Parents beware: Our daughters are in danger and the statistics are staggering. And as details emerge about the two-and-a-half hour episode, we must use the Richmond case as a teachable moment on gender-based teen violence.
Here’s what the Richmond case signifies, plain and simple: Gender-based assault has become an acceptable norm in our country.
Of course, as usual, our media screwed it up. A major cable network grouped the Richmond case with other attacks on teenagers—males and females—and attempted to make this a youth-violence issue. The print media set out on its victim-blaming mantra: “Sure, the victim was sober during the dance, but had she been drinking before the attack?” “She asked for it, right?” “It’s like the college girl who goes to hang out with one guy and ends up getting raped by eight…well, she chose to go to the fraternity.” Or like the media’s search for what the pop star Rihanna could possibly have done to upset her mild-mannered ex-boyfriend Chris Brown that would make him almost strangle her to death.
Here’s what the Richmond case signifies, plain and simple: Gender-based assault has become an acceptable norm in our country.
A not-for-profit group called Parents Television Council released a report this week titled “Women in Peril.” The shocking findings: From 2004 to 2009, incidents of violence on prime-time broadcast television increased 2 percent; in the same period, scenes of violence against women increased 120 percent. And, the kicker: There was a 400 percent increase in the depiction of teen girls as victims.
No wonder the rape onlookers in Richmond were enjoying a free look-see while they filmed with their cell phones. It’s just like sitting at home in the den—watch a few broads get knocked around on the tube, then run down a few “whores” in a video game, glance at a few half-naked girls in a magazine, and then pick up the cell phone for some afternoon sexting.
This is a wake up call, parents: Our teenage girls are in danger. Nearly half of teen girls who have been in a relationship say they have been victims of verbal, physical, or sexual abuse by their boyfriends. And if you are reading about the Richmond case and thanking goodness that your daughter is home safe, think again: One in five girls will be raped by time they are 24 years old. Richmond’s church-going honor student, who was attacked on her way home from a homecoming dance, could be your daughter next.
So here’s a challenge to the White House: Let’s use the Richmond case as a teachable moment. Wouldn’t it be incredible if our President would give a speech on escalating gender-based teen violence—just as he pounced on Gates’ Gate for a teachable moment on race? Or perhaps our First Lady or Valerie Jarrett, Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls, could open a national dialogue on what is happening to our teenage daughters.
In the interim, here’s a call to action for moms and dads: It’s time to talk. It’s time to sit down with our sons and daughters and explain what is, and what is not, acceptable behavior (and there are many references to help). And next week, send a letter to the principal at your children’s middle school or high school to make sure teen dating violence is in the curriculum. This we can do immediately and become our own grassroots force of change.
And the longer-term solution is this: Elect more leaders with a sensitivity to the issues surrounding gender-based assault. A state senator in New York told me in a radio interview that the best way to tackle the crisis would be to elect more women. As if to underscore her point: When NY State Senator Hiram Monserrate refused to step down after being found guilty of misdemeanor assault connected to slashing his girlfriend’s face, it was NY State Senator Liz Krueger who led the charge to try to force his resignation. And she was followed closely by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who was also an early voice for Monserrate’s resignation.
Silence is the great enabler of gender-based assault. As our country notches yet another gang rape, we must all start talking.
“Richmond’s church-going honor student, who was attacked on her way home from a homecoming dance, could be your daughter next.”
Should the fact she was a “church-going honor student” be significant?
The suggestion that the young girl brought this on by drinking with the guys is unbelievable, but expected in a society that has no regard for women or girls. What they are saying is that gang rape is the punishment for exercising poor judgement. If that happened to be the case, wouldn’t as many men be gang rape victims?
I have to say from what I have seen of the Richmond Police Department, they seem to be handling this case well. Unlike the DeAnza College baseball gang rape case where the DA did not file charges because they claimed they didn’t have enough evidence, even though those creeps took pix and they had three credible witneses that rescued the girl. Oh, and the DA is female.
Perhaps if rapists were sued in civil court if they did not get their just rewards in criminal court might be a good option. Different standard of evidence and perhaps the stigma could be shifted to the criminal; a big scarlet “R” and financial ruin. Or perhaps rape could be pursued as a federal civil rights violation–???
If my health was permitting, I would like to go up to the courthouse steps and scream at those creeps. Perhaps if raptists everywhere knew that run a gauntlet of angry women–
I think this is a watershed moment and Susan Brownmiller was right.
AMY this post is spot on … WHY isnt the RICHMOND RAPE a teachable moment?? Have you read HALF THE SKY you absolutely MUST !!!
I e-mailed the president about this. So deeply upset about it.
Dear Mr President,
I am sure you are painfully aware of the recent crime that took place in Richmond, California. I refer, of course, to the gang rape of a 15-year-old girl.
Attacks of this nature take place in countries in Africa. We read that violence so depraved occures because of the breakdown of society; a consequence of decades of civil war. Forive me, but I am not aware of any such war in California.
This attack was beyond brutal. We simply must do something.
There is something you can do for mothers like me. For mothers like your wife. For girls like ours. For that poor girl.
If you could find it within yourself to speak to the nation about this crime and to address the young people of the United States about the inexcusable and horrifying nature of this attack, it would surely help set us on a better course?
It is about time television violence toward women be curbed. A study by the Parents Television Council found that television violence in general had increased 2% from 2004 to 2009, but incidents of violence against women on television increased 120% during that period. Equally shocking, there was a 400% increase in the depiction of teen girls as victims across all networks from 2004 to 2009.
Source: http://www.parentstv.org
Television has done much harm. Let it do some good. A television address from you would send a powerful message. It would be unprecedented and I believe, deeply reassuring to the people of America who have been upset by this crime.
As parents, we do our part, but we need your help. I worry about my little girl and the world in which she is being raised. Is it enough that we teach her that she is valuable, strong, worthy, beautiful, smart and courageous? What defense is self-esteem in the path of 10 angry young men with no concern or respect for female human life?
I strongly urge you to send a clear message to the young men of America that women and girls are not on this earth for their amusement and use; women and girls are the ones who bring us into this world. It is not acceptable to rape and beat them, whether it be in the Nazi death camps, in Darfur, in war-torn Bosnia, in World War II-era Belgium, or in Richmond, California, 2009.
You have my admiration and respect,
Sincerely,
–
W. Elizabeth Setterfield
Milwaukee
I am interested to see how our new ability to classify gender based violence, such as sexual assaults, and other gender based verbal assaults as hate crimes, can be punished. If we can punish men’s verbal harassment of women as hate crimes, and the effects of hard core pornography or even hard core pornography itself as a hate crime it could go a long way in ended rape culture, and men’s violence against women amidst their growing and rightful freedoms.
Yesterday I happened to see a discussion of this gang rape which was on CNN. They had a woman news reader interviewing 4 male “experts” on what they thought the problem was. They decided it was NOT media since media only reflects our society. Really I almost laughed it was so predictable and pathetic. Well corporate media does not actually reflect our society because the media companies decide what gets rammed into our homes when we sign up for cable, we do not choose. If we did have a free market in media most of their sexist garbage would die a quick death. So while media may reflect the culture of old, white, wealthy, primarily Jewish men it does not reflect the culture of the rest of us who have no voice in the system they designed and jealously maintain. If Media truly reflect our culture then the Media Cartel have nothing to fear from giving us all a choice in what content we subscribe to because we would of course freely pick what the old men choose to ram into our homes. So what are they afraid of?
You are right that Obama the “feminist” who was nominated for a peace prize 10 days after taking office should use this as a teachable moment and also his “women’s commission” should have long ago set out to tackle the degradation facing women and girls in our society. Don’t hold your breath while you wait for that to happen.
It is most shameful for a President who was elected on the basis that his mandate would be all-inclusive to have Obama now totally ignore, as well as Jarrett and Mrs. Obama, the gender-based violence in our society that’s threatening to unravel the very fabric of the society in which the President’s own two little girls will grow up in.
It is shameful that Mr. Obama has never at any time in his career deemed it fit to speak out against gender-based violence as he has so justifiably and forcefully spoken about and against race-based violence.
It’s a shame Obama represents only half of his constitutency!
“Periodically, the President, when feeling down in the polls, will undertake a token attack against a “minority” that threatens to hurt his ratings to boost his appeal”…
“Periodically, President Obama, when feeling down low in the polls, will speak up in support of a “minority” that will boost his appeal”.
Yes, let us Hope for Change from this President!
What?
“Obama The Feminist”
Are you dreaming in republican technicolor, sweetie?!
Obama The Race Baiter. Obama the prematurely and overly ambitious One. Obama the cagey politico from Chicago who punched out his mentor ALICE PALMER….
What did you expect? A miracle from this wishy-washy narcissist?
Or a Feminist Revolution!
A fairy tale is what brought him to us. George Sorros and GE and the boys from Wall Street and Blue Shield and the wonderfully feminist Mass Media. Praise the Lord for Geithner, Larry Summers “Girls are Dumb in Math” and the other media “leg thrillers”.
“Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition” — a famous 1939 song that the current presidnet should enliven his repoertoire on the Hill with….
Meantime, he’s created a 4-milion refugee mess in Af-Pak! gee, it took the Bushies 3 years to do this!
Bes,
I saw that CNN piece yesterday too and felt dismay. Four panelist, all male, being interviewed on the what the bystanders were thinking. Well hello! How about the woman getting raped and the men raping her. CNN is the cable network that I refer to in my piece that since the getgo has missed this story.
Here is a draft of the letter I am sending:
Dear President Obama,
I have been struggling to understand how something as horrific as the Richmond High School Tragedy that took place at Homecoming Dance on October 24, 2009 could actually happen. How could our schools be so irresponsible with the safey of children with regards to not only the conditions on school premises, but with the teaching of these children? This situation is particularly awful due to the ages of the persons committing this heinous crime, all under 25 years old. With each detail of the gruesome incident it gets even more revolting – such as the fact that this occurred for two and a half hours while as many as twenty young people watched and cheered these monsters on. The fact that not one person had the basic decency to seek help or call 911 for this poor girl is traumatizing. My emotions after hearing this horrible news have been a constant cycle of disgust, fear, anger, sadness, frustration, depression and distrust. I cannot help but fear for the fate of the young people in this world. As a newlywed, I am scared to bring children into such a violent world. I remember when children feared adult strangers, but now they must fear their peers, too? At what point do we stop and realize that we have an enormous problem. These 30 teens will be in their late 20s and early 30s when your daughters’ are graduating high school. It’s a very scary thought.
I am not asking you to make a new law or to start a new policy. I am begging and pleading with you to make a concious effort to emphasize to the people and most importantly the young people, the need for respect for women and above all else the sanctity of life. While we can see many different negative influences, such as violence in the media and video games, the reality is influences start with each and every one of us. Its in the way we treat each other.
President Obama, you have a voice. Please use that voice to communicate the need to teach our children to value life. Things can be very tough out there, how can children survive if they can’t depend on their parents, their teachers or their friends, will they have no one? Will we live in a society where all of our most dangerous criminals are children? Statistics say that one in five girls will be raped by the time that they are 24 years old. We must act for the sake of the future. We must act to protect these poor girls and to make sure we are raising the type of men that would never do this.
If this most recent act isn’t a blatant display of lack of respect among teens today I’m not sure what it will take! President Obama, please use this shocking incident as an example of what kids should NOT do. Please speak out against escalating gender-based teen violence and against all cases of escalating teen violence —just as you utilized the Gates’ Gate to teach about race and prejudice.
President Obama, for your wife, for your grandmother, your daughters and for the women of the world, please speak to the world about violence among children. As the leader of this nation, please call upon your citizens to protect women. You have the ability to reach many people and to teach the children. Please use your voice to protect your girls. I fear what will happen to us all if you don’t.
Sincerely,
Jamie
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