The Richmond High Gang Rape: Understanding the Unconscionable

by Mona Lisa Wallace, San Francisco NOW

Nightmare or news, the reality of last week's Richmond High School gang rape can be emotionally devastating to anyone who hears about it.  Reports that for more than two hours that Saturday night, as many as 25 people watched or participated as a 15-year-old young woman was allegedly brutally beaten and gang raped just outside a Richmond High School homecoming dance in a dark alley. Heartlessly, she was left there alone, unconscious under a bench.

Allegedly, witnesses took photos, laughed and some participated in the horrid violence.  Lt. Mark Gagan of the Richmond Police Department told CNN:  "As people announced over time that this was going on, more people came to see, and some actually participated."  What witnesses failed to do was report the crime.  Cell phones were used to take photographs yet not one call to 911 was made by anyone in the crowd observing the brutality.

Only two years ago, several members of the DeAnza College baseball team were accused of the gang rape of a 17-year-old.  But that night, two young women stepped up and rescued the victim.  San Francisco N.O.W. chapter leader, Jan Nordin, spent many days arguing and protesting to force prosecution.  Once again, N.O.W. is being called upon to take action.

Unlike the hesitation to make arrests encountered in the DeAnza incident, at least five arrests have already been made in the Richmond High rape case.  It is worth noting that the DeAnza College is located in the relatively wealthy Cupertino as opposed to the economically disadvantaged Richmond High School.  The California and local chapters of N.O.W. are following the prosecution of this crime carefully.

Yet regardless of demographics, this type of group complicity in violent crimes has occurred throughout history.  Why didn’t anyone call the police?  The leading criminological theory explains this complicated social phenomenon as the 'bystander effect.'  Also called the ‘Genovese Syndrome,’ after victim Kitty Genovese was stabbed to death in New York City in the 1964 with as many as 38 observers, violence against women is too often observed and ignored by many.  The larger the crowd, the less likely that the crime will be reported.  People assume someone else called the police, or that what is happening must be okay because so many others are also complicit.  Individual responsibility becomes diluted.

Women for Afghan Women, an advocacy organization, accused their government of being under the spell of the Genovese Syndrome when it legalized spousal rape.  Global accounts of institutionalized violence against women and girls, from Rwanda to Richmond High School, are well known and documented.  N.O.W. spoke up for Kitty Genovese and speaks up now for the Richmond High rape victim – “The political is personal and it is time for each of us to take responsibility.” 

N.O.W.’s role in speaking to legislation and political leadership calls attention to the Sherrice Iverson Child Victim Protection Act passed in 1999 making it a misdemeanor for a witnessed crime involving children to go unreported. The law does not apply here because this victim was 15, and the law only applies to victims 14-years or younger.  The question remains whether this is matter of public education, more legislation or both.  Regardless, these incidents demonstrate the dearth in education and social expectation:  that violence against women is not acceptable.  Emily Butterfly, East Bay N.O.W. member and edutainer, says: “it is essential to incorporate nonviolence and personal activism into school curriculums.”

Important links:
In Search For Common Ground
Challenge Day

Comments

[michelle]

I am disgusted (not only with the men involved in this crime), but with the Richmond High School staff and superintendent! They have shown no compassion for this poor girl attacked by 10 men and boys (cheered and photographed by 10 others). Sup. Marin Trujillo said "the dance itself was a successful event"... other officials said this is an isolated case, today the school is holding a rally with a teacher named Lorna McClellen announcing we are not a school of criminals, and a student getting on the microphone announcing we are the future leaders..... still no empathy or compassion for the girl who was raped on school grounds during an event, for 2 1/2 hours. There have been no firings, for complacent Asst. VP and security guards not questioning men sitting around near dance entrance on school property, no patrolling the school, no one is fired. I would like to see NOW partner with this school to arrange workshops on "what is at the root of violence against girls and women?"
This is a necessary opportunity for women's groups to arrange counseling in school about misogyny, sexual harrassment and rape. (1 in 4 girls and women are raped in their lifetime). Obviously the school is not going to instigate this... they are clearly going to move on, when still some of the suspects are still in the school.

[CA NOW]

Please see our other post on this horrific assault, here: http://www.canow.org/canoworg/2009/10/richmond-high-school-rape-case-shows-schools-need-zero-tolerance-on-sexual-harassment-assault.html

We are urging people to take action by contacting the school and attending the meeting at the school this Saturday, and we will continue working to get exactly the type of workshops and curriculum you mention into all of our high schools.