Thoughts on the recent Richmond gang rape case
By saizo6
@saizo6 (2199)
United States
November 6, 2009 1:51pm CST
I don't know if anyone else is following this news but my psychology class has been discussing it a lot lately. The news I'm referring to is about the gang rape of a 15 year old girl outside of her high school after their homecoming dance. I think this took place a bit over a week ago. But the most shocking thing about this case was that fact that there were at least 25 eyewitnesses and none of them did anything to help her. There were some that was actually using their cellphone to take pictures of it and everything. These people even went so far as to go back into the dance and brag about being a witness to the incident. That was what disturbed me the most. I'm so really shocked by this behavior. It's just messed up.
We were talking about this in class and everyone seemed to have a similar explanation for why none of those eyewitnesses called the police. The common one was that we figured that they were too scared of retaliation and that they wouldn't want to be considered a snitch. I can kind of see why this is a possibility but it still doesn't make things right. If a few of those people would have stepped up and helped the girl they could have prevented the situation from escalating. Either way, I don't really care what these people's excuses were. I consider them to be despicable for not doing anything. They should be punished in some way too. y
Anyways, what does everyone else think about this? Please feel free to share your thoughts.
An
3 people like this
5 responses
@Louc74 (620)
•
7 Nov 09
Hi, Saizo! You should have a look online at the Stanford Prison Experiment. I'm reading Philip Zimardo's book on it, The Lucifer Effect: How Good People Turn Evil. He did an experiment during the 70s with some college students, it became really famous, and he was an expert witness at the Guantanamo Bay trial.
The book investigates why people do evil things, and also goes into the evil of inaction. People can excuse their behaviour by dehumanizing the victim, by rationalising that perhaps she brought it about herself, by distorting or minimising the effects that their action, or inaction, had on her.
There was a case in New York, in the 70s I think, where a womans ex partner had broken into her house, raped and beaten her. She escaped from him, ran downstairs, and stood at the front door, shouting into the street for help, for someone, anyone, to call the police. She was semi naked, and beaten up, and more and more people started to join the crowd which had gathered.
Some 100 people ended up being in the crowd, which watched as her attacker came downstairs, beat her some more, and eventually killed her in front of their eyes.
No one did anything.
There's loads on Zimbardo, and the SPE experiment online, but if you can get your hands on a copy of the book, I'm sure it would make for some interesting discussion in your psychology class.
Lou
@saizo6 (2199)
• United States
7 Nov 09
I haven't read the book but we were actually talking about Zimbardo's Prison Study the other day in my psychology class. That was what brought our attention to this case. The bottom line of that study dealt with the power or people's roles. But I found that study to be really fascinating and intriguing if not a bit disturbing.
@saizo6 (2199)
• United States
8 Nov 09
I do agree with you on that. I believe that some form of evil or dark thoughts can be found in every person no matter how good and benevolent they may be. You just need some form of incident or situation to draw it out. I suppose it makes us human. No one is all perfect or good.
@Louc74 (620)
•
7 Nov 09
The study did investigate the internalising of roles, and abuse of power, but the main part of the study explored the darker side of human nature; how people can be seduced or coerced to take part in inhuman or evil acts, and how the human psychology allows them to do this.
I honestly think if the study was taught as a part of the national curriculum, the benefits for the whole world would be amazing.
@mansha (6298)
• India
7 Nov 09
I think its called mob psychology, when there are number of people watching a horrifying incident they act not according to their mind set but according to the group psychology and if the group acts in a notorious way their own individual sense of right and wrong also gets subdued and they act as per the group reaction. It becomes hard for an individual to break away from group and under the pressure of the group individuality gets lost. And if they have no fear of being caught it makes them euphoric too, hence the bragging.
@ladym33 (10978)
• United States
6 Nov 09
I think it is so disgusting that not one of those people stepped up and at least screamed for this to stop. As someone who has been jumped by more than one person before for the same purposes it really makes me sick that no one was willing to help. I would not have been able to stop myself from trying to help this girl. The very least any of them could have done was to call the police. No one would really have to know who called them the important thing would have been that she would have gotten help sooner. This poor girl is going to have emotional scars for the rest of her life and these people who stood and watched and took pictures are just a hair less sick then those that assaulted her.
@saizo6 (2199)
• United States
6 Nov 09
Well said, I totally agree with you. Someone could have gone to a different location and called the cops for help. Or they could have just spoken out. I'm sure that if one person did that then others would follow too. But no, most of those people were just spineless and cowards.
@gwoman2 (710)
• United States
6 Nov 09
Absolutely they too should be prosecuted with the charge of hindering and abeting, that young lady did not deserve this and probably because we have such a "wonderful and fair" system these idiots will probably get off with probation if not with a couple of years, (I doubt it, especially if they have money) they still will be free and clear before you know it...Our Justice System Sucks Big Time!!
I on the other hand would probably land in jail doing big time because I would kill the SOB that harmed my daughter!!
~G~
@EdTv00 (298)
• United States
6 Nov 09
In life we often have to make difficult choices, and the choices we make not only affect ourselves but the people around us. I am a big believer of karma, and the problem here isn't what these teen bystanders did, its what these stupid teenagers didn't do. That could of very well been their sister, mother, aunt, girlfriend, best friend, ect that was being raped, and you would want to believe that if that where the case someone would step in and help. As far as the victim and the rapist go, I hope the girl will one day find peace, and I hope the rapists get gang banged in prison for the rest of their pathetic lives.
@saizo6 (2199)
• United States
6 Nov 09
I know what you mean, I hope those people live with the feeling of guilt in their conscious forever. They probably didn't take that thought into consideration. That's the terrible thing about our society today. Some people don't care because they think that it's not their problem and that it isn't happening to them. For those type of people, I really want to see what they would do if they were in that poor girl's show. Probably wouldn't be so dismissive of it. But like you said, karma will come back to them and bite them in the behind when they least expect it.
