Delaware Pediatrician Is Accused of Raping Patients

A horrifying story.

Convicted

What concerns me about this, and many other sex crimes, is, "what would have happened if the defendant did not plead guilty?"  What if he would plead not guilty or tried to pull some "mental illness" card?  I can't stand the thought of guys like this getting away with sex with minors and wondering how this girl's life has been affected.

I am glad this guy was convicted.  I hope this trend continues although 150 days in jail seems like a slap on the wrist.  I think 2 years would have been more appropriate.

A former Mission Viejo Soccer Club coach was convicted Wednesday of having sex with a 16-year-old female player in his car and at the teen's home.

David Christopher Hernandez, 28, of Corona, pleaded guilty in the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach to two felony counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.

Its Not Your Fault!

Rape is forced, unwanted sexual intercourse. Rape, sometimes also called sexual assault, can happen to both men and women of any age.

Rape is about power, not sex. A rapist uses actual force or violence — or the threat of it — to take control over another human being. Some rapists use drugs to take away a person's ability to fight back. Rape is a crime, whether the person committing it is a stranger, a date, an acquaintance, or a family member.
No matter how it happened, rape is frightening and traumatizing. People who have been raped need care, comfort, and a way to heal.
What's the right thing to do if you've been raped? Take care of yourself in the best way for you. For some people, that means reporting the crime immediately and fighting to see the rapist brought to justice. For others it means seeking medical or emotional care without reporting the rape as a crime. Every person is different.
There are three things that everyone who has been raped should do, though:

1. Know that the rape wasn't your fault.
2. Seek medical care.
3. Deal with your feelings.

Polanski Bought His Freedom

He admitted to drugging and raping a 13 year old child.  He fled the country before they could sentence him.  He's been living a life of luxury ever since. 

What he did to this girl is too graphic for me to share here.

He was found GUILTY.  He admitted GUILT.  Then he fled.

Now she's in the media saying she "got over it a long time ago" but I guess the $600,000 he's giving her kind of helped her get over it.

I wonder how she really feels.  Its so sad.  Its a huge injustice.  And all the actors that support him are justifying a rape!  What if it was their 13 year old child?  I have a feeling that change their tune a bit.

So he'll be back in his Swiss Chalet by the weekend.

Police 'sceptical of rape victims from poor areas'

Here is an article from the BBC that discusses a report done in the UK by Sara Payne.  Ms. Payne uncovers evidence that  not all rape victims are treated equally.  I think this happens everywhere and its unfair and wrong.  There should not be a double standard for victims of any type of crime.

It found victims were often made to feel "ashamed and responsible" when they came into contact with official agencies and called for a campaign to change attitudes and educate the public about rape.

Victims of any crime need to feel that they are taken seriously and that they are supported to overcome the impact a crime has had on them Sara Payne

It also said women who do not appear visibly upset by their ordeal may also have their rape allegations questioned.
Some serving police officers said some of their colleagues did not deal with allegations in the way they should.
The report stated: "Officers... can be skeptical of victims for numerous reasons, such as when the victim had been drinking, had made previous allegations, were from a certain area, had an offending history themselves, or simply because they did not behave in the way they would expect a victim to behave."

Murder Charges Filed in Shaniya Davis Murder

I have lost track of how many little girls have been murdered in the last few months, I can think of four off the top of my head.  This precious angel was also raped.  Raped.  Then strangled to death.  I have nothing more to say, no words to express the horrors this innocent child endured.

Woman charged with lying about kidnapping, rape

I've written on this topic several times.  Each time I hear about a case in which the woman has lied about being raped, I feel its a step backwards for all women (and men, and children) who have endured this horrifying crime.

Whatever her reasons were, she was wrong.  I am glad she's been charged, the question is:  will they give her a strong enough sentence?  My guess is community service or parole.  I hope its much more than that.  I hope they make an example of her to remind others that it is NOT okay to make up stories or falsely accuse someone of a serious crime.

Rape is the hardest of crimes to report.  We all know why.  The victim becomes a victim twice - once when the attack occurs then again when she has to go through "the process".  She will file a report then be driven to a hospital (there is only one in Orange County that is set up with rape kits, St. Joseph's in Orange).  At that time she will be examined in every way imaginable, questioned by a police officer*, and have to relive the incident in detail.

If the rapist is caught and she has to go to trial, the defense will attack her character.  As I've also said before - it doesn't matter if you are a nun or a prostitute, rape is when a woman is forced to have sex against her will and it a CRIME.  The victim's background should have NOTHING to do with it, but it does.

Not only is her character attacked, but she is forced again to relive the humiliation and trauma of the event, this time in a room full of people that may include family and friends.  It takes a very brave woman to do that.

But there are brave and determined women out there that are motivated by catching the rapist before he strikes again AND making him pay for his crime.  I applaud them, they are my heroes.

Here is a book, true story, that has the perfect example of this:

Full article here in the OCR

**above when I said a police officer will question the victim, it is most often a male.  Surprisingly, from what I've learned through my training, the majority of male officers are more sympathetic toward rape victims than female officers.  I don't know what to make of that but its what I've heard.

Victim vs Survivor

Definitions:

Victim: a person who suffers from a destructive or injurious action

Survivor:  a person who continues to function or prosper in spite of opposition, hardship, or setbacks.

We don't have a choice in being victims....its something that happens to us.

But we do have a choice about becoming a survivor.  Its not easy.  It took me years to get to the point where I was ready to face the fact that I had been a victim and was no longer going to allow it to be a determining factor in my life.

I'd like to wish a Happy Birthday to Carrie, a survivor.

62 Year Martial Arts Instructor Molests Four Year Old Girl

John Patrick Harison, 62, of Anaheim pleaded guilty to one felony count of lewd acts on a child with a sentencing enhancement for substantial sexual conduct on a child.

John Harison

All I can say is that I am glad I am not raising a young child because I would not let her out of my site.  If you read national news you will see children being abducted, raped, and murdered on a weekly basis...and those are just the big stories....not the "little ones" like this.  And this scumbag sicko is only getting three years?  So he'll get out and molest more.  Great.

The crime occurred Jan. 19, when the victim was alone with Harison at his studio, prosecutors said.
Harison forced the victim to touch him, they said.
A week later, the victim told her mother, who alerted police.
At the time of the crime, Harison was a co-owner and instructor at United Studios of Self Defense in Costa Mesa, prosecutors said. He also has a pending child pornography federal case.

Here is the full story on OCR.

Pedophile from Mission Viejo Sentenced to 17 Years

This makes me ill.  Why on earth was this guy given such a light sentence the FIRST TIME?

Unfortunately there is not cure for pedophilia.  There isn't even a full agreement between the medical and law enforcement community if its a psychological problem or deviant sexual behavior.  I think its both, but the fact that its AGAINST THE LAW makes it pretty obvious to me where pedophiles belong.

Once again a man who has been abusing children (three of his own daughters included) for many years, has had an opportunity to lure yet another victim into his demented world.  He was coming through customs at LAX when they discovered photos of his naked 7 year old niece on his phone.  Nice job, customs officers!

"Shoot was convicted in 1963 of assaulting a girl he met at church. He was also convicted of molesting two of his daughters, but received sentences of only one year and 18 months for assaulting them – one for more than a decade – according to the Department of Justice.

A third daughter told investigators during the latest investigation that Shoot assaulted her for years, but no criminal charges were ever filed, prosecutors said."  Full story in the OCR.

 As long as we let pedophiles run free they will keep sexually abusing children and perpetuating the growing population of people who suffer from this kind of abuse.  Sadly some of them turn into pedophiles themselves.

I don't have the answers but its only common sense that you don't allow someone like this Mr. Arthur Leroy Shoot character to have the freedom to continue on his merry way.  Who knows how many victims he's left in his trail?

Of course I think castration is one way to stop this - medically induced or surgically....it may even get a few pedophiles and sexual offenders to think twice before acting on their "uncontrollable impulses".

I hope this guy never sees the light of day again....

Investigation Reveals that Rape is "Easy to Get Away With" and "Not Taken Seriously by Authorities"

Here is an eyeopening report.  I wish I could say it surprises me but it only confirms what I have been saying here all along.  The entire article is good and there some excellent links/videos also.  I feel like that voice crying out in the wilderness - no one hears me, and if they do they don't seem to care.  I am gearing up to do SOMETHING more than sit here and write about it.  Not sure what but I feel called to make a difference.  RAPE is not OKAY.

CBS NewsNearly 90,000 women reported they were raped in the United States last year. It's estimated another 75,000 rapes went unreported. But while rape convictions are up - a five month CBS News investigation raises questions about just how many rapists are actually being brought to justice.

Rape in this country is surprisingly easy to get away with. The arrest rate last year was just 25 percent - a fraction of the rate for murder - 79 percent, and aggravated assault - 51 percent.

"When we have talked to victims, they very much so doubt that it was worth it for them to go to the police," said Sarah Tofte, US Program Researcher for Human Rights Watch. "They're incredibly disillusioned with the criminal justice system, and that sends a terrible message."

Excellent article from Maylasia

I ran across this article and nodded my head in agreement at every word.  Its very sad to know that the same issues plague rape victims internationally.

Please check out the article here:  Myths about rape and rape survivors.

In addition to the reasons she states in the article (see below in pink for the most important part of the article), I have a few of my own to add.

Many victims, especially younger ones, somehow take on blame for the rape.  As crazy at that sounds, its not uncommon for a girl to think "what did I do to make him rape me?"  This happens often in date or aquaintence rape.  Of course this is completely wrong thinking, but a traumatized young woman is not necessarily able to form rational thoughts and has probably been exposed to those exact accusations in some form or another (movie, book, lame commentators on talk shows).

All my life I have heard this type of sexist, misconstrued reasoning.  Its irresponsible and dangerous.  I can't comprehend how anyone can think that way, but apparently there are still a lot of  ignorant, unsympathetic, cruel-minded people that have a negative view of women in general.  Here is a prime example:  Bill O'Reilly.

First of all, the notion that a woman dressed in sexy clothes "asks for it" is ludicrous because rape has nothing to do with sex - its about control and violence and power.  When a woman says no, I don't care if she's a prostitute or a nun, she has a right to say NO, and if the man violates that right a crime has been committed.  That's the LAW.

Unfortunately for women everywhere,  the law is often not held up, an unfair trial finds the victim at fault instead of the attacker** because so many people still don't understand rape and sexual assault.  Often in court the victim is made to feel completely humiliated and disgraced.  The defense attorney will bring up things that have nothing to do with the crime committed and/or make her re-live the rape in horrifying detail in front of a room full of people (often including her family and friends and reporters).  NO WONDER SO MANY WOMEN WANT TO KEEP QUIET!

Some people still believe that a woman who dresses provocatively or puts herself in dangerous situations  deserves what's coming to her or is "asking for it".  Its hard to believe anyone would think that, you might be shocked by the number of people with that mindset. 

This is what I'd like to say to Bill O'Reilly about the remarks he made about a woman who was RAPED and MURDERED:

How would you feel if that woman were your daughter, sister, wife, mother, girlfriend?  How would you like that, Bill? 

There are many reasons why a woman chooses to delay reporting, including being incapacitated by the ordeal and not wanting to recount the trauma to medical officers, the police, etc, the fear of retribution by the perpetrator, the stigma of being a rape victim, the loss of privacy, and many more. The delay in reporting does not mean that a rape did not occur.
However, courts often infer the latter, as in this particular case as the judge’s statement would indicate.
In fact, the survivor had cited fear of tarnishing her family’s reputation as a reason for not reporting, which the judge found “unacceptable”.
Second, the judge stated that the lack of bruising or scratches on her body further damaged her credibility. Again, it is a myth that all rape victims must suffer from external injuries. In reality, the circumstances of rape are incredibly varied. Rapists can scare survivors into compliance through use of weapons or threats, or survivors have been so terrified as to completely freeze during the rape which would result in lack of visible injuries. In any case, the length of time between the rape and the reporting often results in these injuries healing.

**One of the most horrific cases I am aware of occurred here in my area.  Its known as "The Haidl Case" because the name of the main defendant was Greg Haidl.  His daddy just happened to be a big shot official in our local government.  Greg and his buddies gang raped an unconscious girl on a pool table.  The details are hard to talk about but they can be found on-line or in another post  on my blog if you want to be disgusted and appalled.

Here's the thing:  the first jury was unable to come to a verdict!  HELLO!?  They assumed the unconscious girl was having a great time being brutally attacked because she had previously had consensual sex with one of them and was bragging that she someday wanted to be a porn star.  So that made it okay for them to stick all sorts of foreign objects inside her body as she lay unconscious?  That's the conclusion the jury came to.  EVEN THOUGH the entire incident was FILMED and the jury was shown the recording!

THANKFULLY there was some sort of mistrial and upon the second trial they were found GUILTY.  But guess what?  Greg has already been let out and has already committed other sexual crimes.

UPDATE:  THEY ARE ASKING TO HAVE THE LABEL "SEX OFFENDER" LIFTED FROM THEIR RECORDS??????   If they allow that I am going to have a fit.  Gee, Greg, you should have thought about that while you were sticking a pool cue and lit cigarettes and Snapple bottles inside that girl.....FYI Greg and friends, most young men do not behave this way.  You are a convicted sex offender and the women out there deserve to be warned about you. 

I will be following this closely to see what the verdict is.  I will be protesting if they drop the label.  They already let these scumbags out of jail early for good behavior so who knows what they are doing since they obviously think they are ABOVE the law and ENTITLED to special treatment that your average sex offender does not get (unless his daddy is also a rich and powerful political type).

Gang Rape of 15 year old at High School - Bystanders Watch

This makes me ill.  Literally, I feel sick.
Bystanders where cheering on as this girl was brutally attacked for over two hours.

Her life will never be the same.  

WARNING:  This article is disturbing.

Two suspects were arrested and third is being questioned in the gang rape of a California teen outside a high school homecoming dance, police said Tuesday.

The 15-year-old Richmond High School student hospitalized in stable condition after the attack, which happened while as many as 15 people, all males, looked on but didn't help or call police, investigators said.

The sex assault took place on school grounds Saturday while the dance was under way inside the school, authorities said.

"She was raped, beaten, robbed and dehumanized by several suspects who were obviously OK enough with it to behave that way in each other's presence," said Richmond police Lt. Mark Gagan.
"What makes it even more disturbing is the presence of others," Gagan said. "People came by, saw what was happening and failed to report it."
Manuel Ortega, 19, a former student at the school, was arrested soon after he ran from the scene. He faces charges of rape, robbery and kidnapping, and was held on $800,000 bail.
A 15-year-old was also arrested and charged with one count of felony sexual assault. A third teenager was being questioned, police 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.
Police said a "full-court press" was under way, including reviews of Facebook and YouTube, to find other attackers and bystanders who witnessed the rape.
"We're looking in particular to see if anyone posted any video of the incident," Gagan said.
Several other individuals were detained but not arrested, Simon said.
The victim was found unconscious under a bench shortly before midnight Saturday after police received a call from someone who overheard people "reminiscing about the incident," Gagan said.
Police said the girl left the dance and was walking to meet her father for a ride home when a classmate invited her to join a group drinking in the courtyard.
"Right now, we're looking at toxicology reports to determine her blood-alcohol content and to determine if she was drugged."
"This just gets worse and worse the more you dig into it," Gagan told CNN. "It was like a horror movie after looking at the evidence. I can't believe not one person felt compelled to help her."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2009/10/27/2009-10-27_richmond_high_school_gang_rape_cops_arrest_2_in_attack_on_calif_teen_girl_bystan.html#ixzz0VBFSRxTg

Substitute Teacher Arrested in Anaheim

Marc Silberman

Well this is an interesting mug shot...maybe he's really short.   Sharing story after story like this is very depressing, but a comment left today spurs me on.  This blog does have value and as ugly as it is to know how many predators lurk in Orange County, CA, we need to know.

"The victim, who is under 18, told police she met Silberman on Thursday when he was substitute teaching at Savanna High School in Anaheim, Martinez said. The victim told police that Silberman had "sexual contact" with her.
Silberman is being held at the Anaheim Detention Facility on suspicion of sexual penetration with a foreign object and child annoyance, Martinez said. Silberman is expected to appear in court for an arraignment hearing later this week"

 The entire article can be found here.

Female teacher accused of sex with student, vandalizing his car

Naomi Perez, Saddleback High School

  

The full article was here.  I doubt she will get much jail time but its a reminder that female teachers are also capable of  this type of behavior with students.

Another Teacher Arrested for Sexual Assault

Christopher John Ontiveros

Teacher at top Orange County high school arrested in sexual assault case
Oxford Academy teacher accused of wrongful contact with student.  Read story here.

Recent Headlines from my Local Newspaper, The Orange County Register

17 year old girl raped in Santa Ana apartment complex.

Man accused of raping two women he met at bus stop.

Man charged of raping three prostitutes.

Woman sexually assaulted after accepting ride.

Woman reports she was kidnapped and raped by group of men.

These incidents have all occurred in the last few weeks. 

Predators Abound

Somer Thompson, age 7

I am ill as I listen to the news about yet again, another young girl abducted and most likely found dead. 

My questions for whoever the hell is in charge of making laws out there:

GET THE ____ ____ SEXUAL PREDATORS OFF THE STREETS AND LOCK THEM UP SO THIS WILL STOP HAPPENING!

I have sat in court for enough hours to see that MANY, MANY non-violent offenders are arrested and put in jail for MINOR infractions while murderers, rapists and other predators run around free killing and assaulting women and children.

WHAT THE ____ IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE THAT FOCUS ON PETTY CRIME RATHER THAN SAVING LIVES?

IT MAKES ME ILL.

I'm sorry.  I'm just really upset right now.  Actually, I'm not sorry, I'm pissed off and sick over it.

story on Somer here.

P.S.  Have you checked your local website for Registered Sex Offenders in your area?  Somer's neighborhood was littered with them....there is also something very wrong when we allow so many predators to conglomerate in one area, it puts our children at risk!  Who's in charge of this stuff?  I want some answers on this.

Think Your Kids are Safe at Youth Group

Youth leader admits to sex with teen girl in church parking lot
A 21-year-old Fullerton man is to be sentenced next month.

The Orange County Register

A 21-year-old youth group leader at a Cypress church pleaded guilty Thursday to having sex with a 15-year-old girl in the church's parking lot.
Timothy Han, of Fullerton, is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 12.

Han pleaded guilty to felony unlawful sexual intercourse and a misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Prosecutors said last month that Han took the 15-year-old girl to the Miracle Land Baptist Church parking lot, where he smoked marijuana and had sex with her.

Father Solicits Teen Daughter for Sex on Facebook

This level of deprivation is hard to comprehend.  A father is suppose to protect his children, not be the evil they need to be protected from.  Story here.

You Can't Trust ANYONE (so it seems)

Grandfather pleads guilty to molesting two young girls.

Victims included a 7-year-old girl who came to defendant's house in Orange to play.

By LARRY WELBORN

The Orange County Register

SANTA ANA – An Orange grandfather who watched neighborhood children after school until their parents came home from work pleaded guilty today to molesting two girls younger than 7.
Octavio Reyes Cortez, 59, a landscaper, will be sentenced by Superior Court Judge Frank F. Fasel on Friday to 18 years in prison for six felony counts of lewd conduct on a minor.
Deputy District Attorney Mark Birney said the molestations date back to 1995, and the victims included a 7-year-old girl who came to Cortez' home to play with Barbie dolls with his granddaughter.

Cortez also admitted to repeated acts of molestation on a girl who was younger than 6 between 1995 and 1997.

Lock Him Up Before His Behavior Escalates!

Tach Van Truong

 

Man Accused of Masturbation in Front of Toddler

"The behavior is so strange and deviant, it is possible there may be other victims," said Jim Amormino, spokesman for the Sheriff's Department."

Let's hope not, but there probably are :(

I am Strong but Fragile - What Rape Does to Your Life

My entire life has been full of tragedies and sadness.  I am not saying that for pity, PLEASE don't ever feel sorry for me, that would make me a victim again and it took years to get over.

This post is to try and explain how feeling unsafe as a child, being molested and raped and raped again as a teen, can cause a young woman's life to take a turn towards ugliness and sorrow.  It presents three paths:

- the path to hating men and sex
- the path to being strong and overcoming
- the path to believing that sex = love and becoming a slut promiscuous and looking for love through sex, never trusting men, always feeling used, never experiencing true intimacy


I walked down the third path until my late 20's when I chose to end that cycle and become strong.  Then at age 30 I accidentally got pregnant, and although I had had multiple abortions in my youth, this time it was never a question.  I was going to be the best damn mother in the world.

I didn't date for 11 years.  Met a guy, he hurt me and I fell right back into path number three, minus the sexual promiscuity.  I didn't think I would EVER be able to trust a man.  It took years to get to a place that I could open my heart and accept true love.  Then I was hurt again. 

So when people make light of sexual abuse and rape, I get furious.  Some of us are scarred for life by the events of our past, that does not make us weak, it makes us human.  Humans naturally do whatever they can to protect themselves, to cope.

So when you are talking to a woman who appears to be strong and handling her past sexual abuse/rape well, know that if she is, she's rare.  Inside she probably hurts to this very day.  She may wonder if she will ever be "normal" and experience relationships with men that are healthy.  She may find comfort reaching out to others, she may be in denial, she may just continue to look for true love.  I still believe it exists, I just don't know if it exists for me or not.

Pastor Accused of Molesting Girls in His Church

 Jose Campoverde

Arrested on suspicion of molesting four girls, according to police. Police said Campoverde is the pastor of Ministerio Cristo Vive, a stripmall congregation. Here is the rest of the article in the OCR

Polanski arrested in connection with 1970s sex charge

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER!
(see update)

Read full story Here
Someone pointed out this article on Salon.com that I agree with 100%.  Its unfathomable to me that anyone is defending him and calling HIM a victim after reading in detail what he did.  I think the girl's mother who allowed this (allegedly) should have been arrested too.
Warning:  graphic sexual content.
Here is the article.

Children Not Safe in Their Own Beds:

 Ernesto Parraguirre, 20

Police looking for man who broke in, molested girl
Police believe that a gang member climbed into a house in Orange and molested a 9-year-old girl and terrorized her teenaged sister.  Story Here.

Doctor Molests Child

This story bothers me on many levels, the obvious plus the fact that this dude probably has tons of money and is paying for the best attorneys possible.  So what if he's 82 years old, that's no excuse for lightening his sentence.  I have little mercy for people who molest children.


Prominent doctor gets 30 days in jail for molestation
Prominent surgeon also sentenced to 330 days' home confinement.


Dr. William Moore Thompson III, 82, was sentenced by Orange County Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals to 30 days in Orange County Jail and 330 days of home confinement.
Sentencing guidelines call for a three- to eight-year sentence in state prison for the crime.

Thompson pleaded guilty to two felony counts of lewd and lascivious conduct with a child under 14 years old, and one count of dissuading a witness from testimony.

The child in the first two counts was a family member, not a patient.  DOES THIS MAKE IT MORE ACCEPTABLE OR LESS?  WHAT'S THE POINT?

According to testimony at a preliminary hearing, Thompson had the girl rub his genitals on 15 to 20 occasions between May 24, 2003 and May 23, 2004. Investigators taped a call from the girl in which Thompson admitted, "I know it's wrong, absolutely," according to the testimony.  I LOVE IT WHEN THEY INCRIMINATE THEMSELVES AND MAKE IT EASY TO CONVICT WITHOUT A DOUBT.

Thompson has been the medical director of at least three PPOs, and was on the clinical surgery faculty of the UC Irvine School of Medicine for almost 40 years, according to biographical information posted on the Web sites of companies he has worked for.  JUST GOES TO SHOW SEX OFFENDERS COME FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.

Thompson is allowed to serve his home confinement before he goes to jail for a month.
"He's an 82-year-old in poor health; he's not likely to live much longer," Rackauckas said. "He's had two major heart attacks. He has a defibrillator and a pacemaker."  SO WHAT?

Thompson is required to register as a sex offender.  GOOD, he is one.

Read rest of story here.

This Girl Just Slapped all True Rape Victims Across the Face

Yesterday the media shared a story about five guys who gang raped a girl.  Then she says, "Um, I lied, it was consensual".  Does she have any idea how this affects women who have really been raped?  I am too pissed off to even go there right now...there is something wrong with this young woman and she needs to be evaluated and possibly punished.

Also SHAME ON THE POLICE DEPT. involved in this case - how dare them parade the accused men around on the media with no concrete evidence!  This is wrong for two reasons:

1) Obviously its had a negative affect on these guys and made them victims

2) IF this was a real rape they may not have followed protocol and the case could have been thrown out


I may rant on this more later, but for now, I just had to get this out.

Why Did She Drop the Charges?

The woman (18 years old is really a teenager) that said she was raped by five men in a college dormitory restroom is now taking back the allegations.  Story here.

This is very disturbing if its true, or if its not.

If its true - if she did make up the whole thing, then its a slap in the face to every real victim of rape that has to face the humiliating and terrifying act of reporting the crime and all that goes along with that (most rapes are not reported for this reason - that's why most rapists are not caught).  Why would she do this?  It makes no sense that she would consentually have sex with five men then turn around and report it as a rape.  What would her motive be?  What does she have to gain from that?  Wouldn't she be risking retaliation from these guys?  There names and faces have been linked with a brutal crime across the entire nation.  Is she trying to get revenge on them?  Did they pay her to do this?  Why would she lie about this?

If its not true - if she was indeed raped and is now taking back her statement the question  again is "Why?".  Has she been threatened?  Is she traumatized to the point that she doesn't want to be the center of a nationwide crime story that will affect the rest of her life?  Has her family pressured her to drop the charges?  Is it simply too overwhelming to deal with? 

I want answers.  I may never get them.  This is very frustrating and disappointing.  I want justice and at this point its hard to say who deserves it.

Would You Feel Safe Sending Your Daughter to College?

Me as a smiling, clueless young woman who would soon face the horrors of a rape that could have been prevented

IF I had followed my own advice that I give you here.

So last week a young woman is murdered at Yale University, now there is a story about an 18 year old college student being tied up in a men's restroom stall and gang raped by five guys.    Stop and think about that for a minute if you can stomach it, personally I can't.

While all the experts spend years doing studies on WHY this happens and analyze the hell out of it, I will share my thoughts and words of wisdom, its simple, and it could save your life:

FEMALES:  DO NOT GO ANYWHERE ALONE

No, its not fair that we are the more vulnerable sex.  No its not fair that we can be a black belt in Karate and still be overpowered.  Its not fair that we have to be inconvenienced by finding someone to walk us to our car, our dorm room or our home.  Its not fair that we can't go out alone at night and be safe.  Its just not fair at all.

But life has never been fair.  You can argue against your rights as a female, or you can be wise and careful and guard your life by not allowing yourself to be vulnerable to an attack.  Of course, even that is not enough - Annie Le was at work when she was murdered!  The girl that was gang raped followed a guy into a dormitory because he took her cell phone from her.  

I know people will have issues with what I am saying here, the main objection being "why should I, as a woman, have to inconvenience my life when men don't have to worry about their safety as much?  Its sexist!  Its wrong!"

Yes, it is.  But its also a fact of life that many more women then men are victims of random violent crimes.  Men should be careful too.  My boyfriend was attacked and beaten years ago when he was walking home late at night and jumped by several other guys.   In my opinion, this is no time to stand up for our rights as women or be politically correct.  Its time to look at statistics, read the news and see that there is an ongoing epidemic of women being raped and murdered, often by strangers.

I prefer to keep my own story private, but its times like this that I see the value in talking about it.

BOTH times I was raped, I had left myself in a vulnerable position.  If it were today I would think twice before agreeing to be in a home alone (as a 14 year old) with two men in their 20's.  If it were today I would not willingly follow a total stranger I'd just met in a bar out to his car to "smoke a joint".

In incident one I was repeatedly and violently raped for hours by the two men that I "knew" as they laughed and laughed (they were high on something, who knows what) Obviously I did not "know" them well.  I should have left with my friends when they left.

In the second incident I was abducted (no door handle on the passenger side of his van)  driven away, beaten and raped, and then dumped in the street to find my own way back to the bar.

Ladies, especially young ones who think you are safe where you live - PLEASE be careful.  Please don't be embarrassed to travel in groups, there truly is safety in numbers.  Please do NOT go anywhere with a guy you don't know, even if its just to the parking lot when your friends are inside the bar...it could save your life.

12 Year Old Girl Forced to Have Sex and Sell Drugs

Julio Louis Cortes

A  disgusting story.  I am glad he's caught.  Sometimes I wonder why I force myself to read these reports and learn of these atrocities, but I believe its better to shed light into dark corners and reveal what's really there than to ignore what's going on.  We need to protect our children.  No one - man, woman, or child, is safe these days, but mostly women and children.

Read the rest of the story here at OCR.

Tears of Anger - Annie Le's Body Found

I don't always get emotionally choked up over these stories...okay that's a lie, I do, over all of them, but some more so than others.

I am ANGRY.   I don't claim to have answers, but something has to be done about the frequency of murders against women.  This young lady wrote a paper about how women should stay safe, learn self defense, etc.  I say BS!  That is something very positive to do but its ridiculous to think that following safety tip or knowing self defense makes a difference, Annie's death proves that.

There are sick male predators out there - perhaps if they were punished more severely, if they were somehow weeded out?  I don't know.  It just makes me sick that NO ONE is safe anywhere.  This is why I advocate gun ownership.  Maybe we all need to walk around armed and dangerous to stay safe (yes, I am am being facetious...but I do support the right to bear arms and own firearms).

Rest in peace to this young woman, and my heart aches for her fiance, family and friends.

It Doesn't Look Good for Annie Le

The news reports are not saying her body was found, but they have found bloody clothes.  Its tragic.

This is wrong on so many levels

Cesar Martin Gomez

Man charged in murder of prostitute had been deported 3 times Police say that DNA material found at hotel after killing matches that of Cesar Gomez, 34.

full story here

Bible study leader charged with molesting boys

Man accused of sexual assaults on male relatives, who were 11.

By ANDREW GALVIN

The Orange County Register

A Westminster man who hosted Bible study meetings at his home has been charged with sexually assaulting two boys, prosecutors said today.

James Guerrero, 50, is to be arraigned Friday on seven felony counts of lewd acts upon a child younger than 14 and one felony count of distributing pornography to a minor, the Orange County District Attorney's Office said in a news release.

The two victims, who are relatives of Guerrero, were both 11 years old when the molestations began, prosecutors said. Both attended regular Bible study meetings at Guerrero's Westminster home, they said.

The molestations occurred between 2006 and 2008, prosecutors said. In July 2009, one of the boys disclosed the molestations to family members, who encouraged him to report the sexual assaults to the Westminster police. The police investigated the case and discovered the other victim, prosecutors said.

Anyone who might know of other possible victims is asked to call Supervising District Attorney Investigator Tim Craig at 714-347-8558 or Westminster Police Detective Allen Aoki at 714-898-3315.

Guerrero, who is being held in lieu of $1 million bail, faces a maximum sentence of 90 years and eight months to life in state prison if convicted on all the allegations, prosecutors said.

Why Was He Out in the First Place?

Well, here we go again. Another registered sex offender running around unsupervised doing whatever the hell he pleases. He raped a real estate agent when she was showing him a home. His past arrests did not keep him where he belongs: incarcerated. Thank God he did not murder this woman and thank her for doing the write thing and reporting this predator.

I also noticed the typical "MO" on this guy: he lives with his mother. Please be aware of grown men who live with their mothers, its a reoccurring theme in many sex offenders lives.

Good Work Dad and Daughter!

Alfredo Granados Canchola

There are two things that stand out to me in this story, which can be read in full here.

1) The 10 year old that was approached by this guy ran and told her dad who had time to run out to the alley and catch most of the license plate on his car. Brave little girl, fast acting daddy. They stopped this predator from abducting more girls.

2) The 13 year old girl got in the car with him and jumped from the moving vehicle to escape. The 16 year old girl got in the car with him and was not so lucky, she was assaulted but was rescued by a male friend at some point during the attack.

My questions:

Don't all parents teach their children NEVER to go anywhere or accept a ride with a stranger?
Assuming the answer to that is "yes', then why do so many kids/teens still do it?

When I was as young as 14 I hitchhiked alone frequently. It was stupid but back in the 70's it was not that uncommon. The only time someone pulled a move was when there were THREE of us in the car with him (he was stupid) we jumped out at a stop sign and ran. BUT in hitchhiking, I was ASKING for a ride. Would I have gotten in a car with a stranger? Probably. Why? Because kids think "it will never happen to me" or are truly naive enough to not even suspect the danger.

All we can do is keep warning them. I hate sharing negative stories like this one with children, but I think we need to do more to make them aware of the dangers. I do this with my son when it comes to drunk driving or motorcycle accidents, like it or not, he hears about every one I read to pound it into his head that it could happen to him if he's not careful.

330 Years Sounds Fair to Me

Jamie Martinez

From the OC Register (highlights mine)

BY LARRY WELBORN

The Orange County Register

SANTA ANA A Buena Park man was sentenced to 330 years to life in prison today for sexually assaulting four girls, ages 5 to 11.

Jaime Martinez, 37, pleaded guilty before Superior Court Judge James A. Stotler in July as his trial was under way on 32 felony counts – including rape – involving young girls in his family.

One of the victims reported the abuse in December 2006 when she was 9, according to a news release from the Orange County District Attorney's Office. The girl said she had been sexually abused her since she was 5, including in the restroom of her elementary school.

The girl told police that Martinez also hit her and showed her a gun, saying he would hurt her and others in the family if she told anyone about the abuse, prosecutors said.

Buena Park police investigated and identified three other girls, ages 6, 9 and 11, who were also being molested.

New Blog To Check Out:

I'd like to share you with you a brand new blog. It's written by a young woman that I've had the privilege (and fun) of getting to know recently, its not your average "what's going on in my life" blog,. Carrie courageously shares her about something that is both personal and painful. I will let you read it for yourself rather than try to explain it but I will say that we "met" via my blog, "A Place to Talk About Rape" when she found the newspaper article there about the man who has turned her world into a nightmare (at times).

Over the years I have met several young women that have overcome huge challenges, addictions, situations, etc. and have used the negatives in their lives to make them stronger. I always prayed that my past and the things that happened to me (or by me) would someday be used for good to help others. I can see that happening with Carrie, she's gusty, smart, determined and compassionate. As I get to know her I have to keep reminding myself how young she actually is because she is very wise for a teenager and already has some great goals and plans for her future (which there is no doubt in my mind she will accomplish).

I respect her for stepping out and writing a blog. I hope you will visit her:

My Life, A Not So Straight and Narrow Path

Bad, Bad Teachers - a new link on my sidebar

A friend sent me a link to a site she found and I've added it here.  The title of the site says it all but here is how they describe themselves:

As you probably guessed from the name of this site, its focus is upon educators accused of behaving badly and in various and sundry ways, usually criminal in nature.
Hardly a day goes by that the news media is not reporting on yet another teacher school employee run amok and often students are victimized in the process.
This site exists not to glorify bad behavior but rather to shed light upon a serious problem and one which appears to be getting worse with each passing month and year.

Its the same reason I have this blog - a place to talk about the ugliness of sexual crimes and abuse.  Its intent is to educate, warn and bring awareness to this growing problem.

Sadly, we have to protect ourselves at all times:

Adrian Montano Fuerte

Mechanic guilty of assaulting women in auto pit He abused five women after luring them into a service bay under the pretense of showing them where repairs were needed on their cars.

Full story in OC Register here.

A Reminder:

RAPE IS ABOUT VIOLENCE NOT SEX

I just read the story of an 85 year old Holocaust survivor that endured a brutal rape two years ago when she was 83 years old.  It reminds me of the day in my training class that we learned about rape not having anything do do with sex, and everything to do with violence.

This is hard for me to agree with because so often it does seem that men rape for some sort of sexual gratification, but experts say that is NOT the case.  The sexual gratification is based in violence and domination.  I can't believe this poor elderly lady who lived through so much as a young girl had to endure this horrific kind of violence.

My heart hurts when I read this happening over and over....

Aaron Westbook

Teacher gets 240 days in jail for having sex with students
Prosecutors had wanted prison time for
Aaron Edwin Westbrook, 26, of Irvine

I'll let you read the article if you want details. Two things about this infuriate, disgust and worry me:

1. Our children are not safe at school. This guy is a child predator. You may argue that the girls were old enough to know what they are doing. 17 year old girls are not adults and not mature enough to always make good decisions. I can guarantee this guy charmed and flirted to get what he wanted. He KNEW that these girls were underage. He did it twice. He would have kept doing it if someone had not stopped him. He is 26 years old, don't tell me that there aren't plenty of woman over 18 for him to date (hopefully over 21).

2. His sentence was bullcrap! I know that judge from sitting in his court for 48 hours over the last few months and he was wrong to let this guy off so easy. I'm very disappointed.

The "Not Rape" Epidemic

This article is long, its graphic in places and very disturbing, but its important.

From Post Secret Today:

 

  

 

He Tried To Get Away but this SLIME was not Slippery Enough

 

Brandon Louis Whitaker

This Lake Forest resident has lots of CHILD PORN and tried to get away from police.  Thankfully he didn't.

More Scum Cleaned up in Orange County

Taken from the OC Register


The Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement team, or SAFE, a multi-agency task force that investigates crimes against children, announced this morning the arrest of David Brown, 34, of Lake Forest; Richard Chaney, 23, Costa Mesa; and Brock Jackson, 21, of Rancho Santa Margarita.
Brown is accused of having a four-month-long sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl he met online.
Chaney is accused of having a 14-year-old girl engage in live video sex acts, and of later having sex with her. He is also accused of raping another woman who was unconscious.
Jackson is accused of possessing hundreds of videos and about 6,000 images of child pornography.
Chaney and Jackson are being charged in federal court.
Brown is being charged in Orange County Superior Court sex acts with a minor. He surrendered to authorities Wednesday, and is free on a $100,000 bail bond.

Neveah Buchanan Body Found?

DAMN IT!

 

I have been following this story.  The mother of this sweet little 5 year old has two "friends" who are registered sex offenders.  If they discover one of them killed this little girl I hope they throw her mother in jail too.

ANOTHER SOCCER COACH!!!!!

David Hernandez

These cases make me madder than any other kind: when we trust our children with adults that are suppose to be helping them or teaching them in some way; teachers, coaches, clergy.
Its doubly horrifying.

Soccer coach arrested on suspicion of sex with a minor
David Hernandez, 28, allegedly had sex with an underage girl he was giving private lessons to.

What About Craig's List?

I've written about the sad story of Donna Jou, a young woman from this area (Rancho Santa Margarita) who died of a drug overdose the night she agreed to go party with a guy she met over Craig's List. (turned out he was a sexual predator, which is why I wrote about this here).

Of course we have all heard about Philip Markoff, the guy who killed a prostitute he met on Craig's list and robbed several others.

I have used Craig's list myself to try to sell something and to look for something I needed to buy. BUT - even doing that gives me a creepy feeling because I know that I am on a site (unlike eBay) that is directly associates with ads for all sorts of nasty horrible things. That to me says: DANGER.

I am not judging anyone for using it as a place to find sex or whatever, I'm just saying it gives me the creeps. I you could take all the ads in Craig's list and put them in a room as real people, its a room I would not want to step foot in. Even if there is only one creepy person per every thousand nice people - that's still one too many creeps for me.

Another Dirtbag Off to Prison

Darren Scott Hulbert

OH good, this guy gets 90 years to life for molesting ten year olds. That sounds about right.

Rest of the story here.

Pastor Caught with Child Porn

I think pastors are in the lead in Orange County for being the worse offenders out of all public "jobs".

Story here.

Another Mission Viejo Child Predator

Charles Paul Dishno

Kudos to the citizen who was alert and concerned enough to call the cops after observing this dude checking out little girls at the local park! He is now back in jail where he belongs. This incident happened very, very close to wear I live (a five minute walk).

You know what's really worrisome? There is NO WHERE that our children are absolutely safe from this type of perversion. People move to Mission Viejo because its one of the safest cities in the USA. There are great schools here, low crime rates, a beautifully kept clean and healthy place to live. But that's not enough to keep the scum from infiltrating. Where there are children, there will be child molesters.

I know I am a broken record on this blog, that's the whole point. I can't say it enough:

Keep an eye on your kids and be suspicious of anyone you leave your child alone with.

Full story at the OCR

60 Year Old Man with 15 Year Old Girl

 

Iren Koster

I love how the article says he started talking sexually with her on myspace when she was 14 but WAITED TILL SHE WAS 15 to have sex with her.  Gee, that was considerate.  AND he had the nerve to meet her at her home (Fullerton).  I wonder how her parents would have felt walking in on that scene. 

I'm sure Iren will have this big smile wiped off his face when he's in prison with some real men and they teach him a lesson on why its wrong to mess with kids.  I am glad pervs are the lowest scum on earth in the jail system.  Duh, even a convicted felon recognizes the disgust of it.

Former Teacher - Molested Girls

Matthew Fahey

Another one from South Orange County.

Important Review of "Observe and Report"

Holly has this on her blog today, I think its deplorable that anyone would find this entertaining or "okay".

But, that's the way our society is these days.

And we wonder why women don't report date rape....

Former O.C. woman could face rape allegation in girl's death

This is highly unusual...read the rest here.

The Sunday School Teacher Did It?

Melissa Huckaby

I am not sure if there was any sexual deviancy involved - but this woman allegedly kidnapped and murdered 8 year old Sandra Cantu. It makes little sense that a woman committed this crime, what would her motive be? it will be interesting to see if she really did it or is covering up for someone. But in any case, this little girl is gone forever :(


I can not fathom the depth of pain, anguish and rage this little girl's family must feel.

Trigger Alert for New Movie

Marcella over at Abyss2Hope has a post today about a new movie that's out. Read her post, its important.

All I have to add is that for many people scenes in movies (and in books) can trigger a memory of a rape (or any other trauma) and the results can be devastating.

For me personally, I still feel sick, angry and humiliated whenever I see a rape scene in a movie or watch a TV show that has it as a theme (I would torture myself watching CSI SVU for some reason, thinking maybe it would make me immune to those feelings - it didn't).

So beware of the new movie "Observe and Report" , read Marcella's post and stand up against rape - date rape, "drunk rape" whatever you call it, its rape, its wrong, it happens too often and is taken too lightly.

Another Pastor that's a Pervert

Rev. Robert Black

This guy used Facebook to try and lure a 13 year old girl into having sex with him. Fortunately it was an undercover cop in another sting.

One more reason not to let your sons (or daughters) hang out with people you don't know and trust 100%

Charles Rogers


He was a teacher at the only middle school in town, Garrett Junior High, a soccer coach, and a foster parent for two children. He served as a reserve officer for the Boulder City Police Dept.

"Charles Richard Rogers, 46, has been charged with 72 child pornography related counts that include possession of child pornography, sexual assault of a minor under 14-years-old, lewdness with a child under 14, and use of a minor in producing pornography. The investigation is continuing and further charges are pending. Considered a flight risk, Rogers’ bail was set at $1.25 million."

read the rest here

Another One Caught in the Act

Focus on the Family guy arrested for trying to hook up with a 15 year old girl for sex (poor guy, she turned out to be a cop doing one of those wonderful stings to catch perverts).

I have to wonder what James Dobson has to say about this. He didn't seem to have a comment.

Sandra Cantu Found Dead :(

This is a little girl that went missing from a rural town in Northern California a few weeks ago.  Whenever I hear of a little girl that's gone missing my heart sinks, usually it means a sexual predator has abducted them, will do unthinkable things to them, and kill them.  Its hard to fathom the fear, horror and pain this sweet little girl endured in the last hours of her life.

One of the Reasons I Started this Blog

Re-opening this blog makes me feel vulnerable and nervous. I may come across as tough in some of the things I say here, but inside, I'm pretty soft.

One of the reasons I started this blog over a year ago was because of something I read by a young woman who lived in the Middle East. She had been raped and started an anonymous blog to share her thoughts and feelings. I cried as I read her words, then I became angry. If you choose to read it you will witness from her words how devastating and long-lasting the effects of rape are on many girls/women.

This young lady felt that she was no longer a virgin, that she was damaged, and was afraid to be touched by anyone. Her English is not great but her message comes across loud and clear.

I had left her a comment and asked her to write me. She did! We talked back and forth for a while but then lost touch. I tried so hard to help her understand that it was not her fault, that it was what we call here in the USA "date rape" or "acquaintance rape".

I don't know if I helped her much, but I tried. If you want to read her blogs you can find them here. A few people accused her of being fake, of making up her story. Even if that were true the feelings she experienced are precisely what a typical rape victim feels.

Anyhow, just felt like sharing this because I was thinking of her today and wondering how she's doing.

Sheriff's deputy arrested on suspicion of child rape

Dale Garcia

We teach our children that the police are there to protect us. Not Always.

An Orange County Sheriff's deputy is locked up today on suspicion of raping a child under age 14, Riverside County Sheriff's and jail officials said.

Deputy Wilbert Dale Garcia, 49, was arrested about 4 p.m. Friday during a traffic stop in Murrieta, and remains locked up today.

"He was arrested following an investigation," said Riverside County Sheriff's Deputy Matt Diaz in a phone interview. "He was a 19-year veteran of law enforcement."

Garcia was held today on three offenses — one count of continual sexual abuse of a child and two counts of aggravated child sexual assault, a jailer said in a phone interview.

“The Wildomar Police Department is not releasing the protected identity of the victim in this investigation,” Diaz said in a statement. He said deputies “are reviewing evidence in this continuing investigation to determine if other victims exist.”

Rest of story here.