Update: 4 Suspects Have Been Arrested In Rape Case

Well this would have to be one of the quickest solved rape cases. All four suspects in the gang assault of a lesbian resident of the SF Bay area from December 13th have been taken into custody. One of the suspects turned himself in - and get this - he has a girlfriend. I guess I shouldn't be surprised by that. It was the publicity surrounding this incident that worked in the survivor's favor this time. Of course the case has to go through its judicial process but I can't help but think how race and class always play a part in these situations. I will be satisfied for justice being served but it still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth all the other women who aren't afforded the positive press and a cooperative police department or have perpetrators who are wealthy and can obfuscate their way out of prosecution. There should not be a special element that makes the prosecution of a rape more amenable to others to judge as heinous: be that person a sex worker, a child, poor, trans, a woman of color - or even a male. 

When Isn't Rape & Violence About Hate?

Update: the 4 suspects have been apprehended!

I had to sit on this story for a while because I found it doubly even triply upsetting. Also it hit so close to home because it occurred just over the bridge in the city of Richmond, CA. This is an area known to be 'troubled'. Lots of crime, drugs, failing schools and people trying to hang on and avoid the maniacs that terrorize decent people. 

A woman was gang-raped by four men near her apartment building and there's a strong possibility they were motivated by her sexual orientation being that she is a lesbian. I am not defending the actions of the perpetrators but my immediate thought was that the story got traction because of the ongoing conflicts over the failure of the No on 8 campaign and the unresolved racial animus.

I cringed to find out Black and Latino men were involved and I hope they are caught and jailed. They'll be certain to find out exactly what it feels like to be violated - repeatedly - once they are. I also wondered if as usual, there was an underlying racial angle to this and whether the survivor was a white woman. Why should it matter? White women have plenty of people at the ready to protect them. That's one benefit of living under white supremacy. Have we not seen Nancy Grace talking about the "tot mom" every day for the past three weeks? 

I still feel uneasy about the Duke Lacrosse team alleged rape of the Black female student who was hired to be an exotic dancer for their party. They may have been found 'innocent' but that doesn't make it so. There are plenty of Black men on death row who've been exonerated for crimes they didn't commit - far too many posthumously. Black women rarely have the protection of society or their communities and since I have to make a choice about how I spend my time and energy that is what I want to focus on. We have to help each other or we will perish.

It's so much harder for Black women to have their rapes taken seriously. The ones that acknowledge their violations are often not believed: by the authorities or by the women in their communities. Others refuse to accept their sexual activity was a rape because it happens under nefarious or murky circumstances and they're often guilted into blaming themselves. Youth, poor judgement, emotional manipulation, intoxication or low self-esteem do not mix. R Kelly. Genarlow Wilson. Karl Malone. Thomas Jefferson. Your father/uncle/mother's boyfriend. The guy down the street. The list goes on. 

Are we to believe the sole motivation for those perps was seeing a rainbow flag on the woman's bumper sticker? Or were they out looking to do harm to any woman period? We may never know. Every woman that remains in a troubled neighborhood is putting her life in jeopardy. In a just world every woman would be afforded the same media coverage, police investigation, community action and BELIEF and help! 

When Duanna Johnson was beat with a baton and called the N word by her arresting officers was it because she was being charged with a crime, was it because they didn't like Black people or was it because she was trans? 

Had the woman not been a lesbian would we have even heard of this crime? Is that a sign of progress in a society that a few years ago would've said nothing was wrong with trying to 'teach' a lesbian a lesson? Had the perps been white men would people be so outraged? With statistics claiming 1 out of 4 women as being a victim of sexual assault there is far too much silence. I hope this will be the beginning of a focus on aiding those that need it and prosecuting those that deserve it.  Every female assault victim should have the appropriate courtesy.      

There is a Facebook Page with information about a fundraiser being held on her behalf. Understandably she does not want to return to an area where rapists are running free. If you feel like you want to store up some karma this might be a good place to start.    

If you would like to send a card, please mail it to:

Richmond Police Department
Attn: Sgt. Brian Dickerson
1701 Regatta Blvd.
Richmond, CA 94804

If you can send a financial contribution (even a few dollars) to help her pay her medical bills, moving fees, and other costs associated with her recovery, please mail a check payable to Community Violence Solutions to:

Community Violence Solutions
2101 Van Ness Ave.,
San Pablo, CA 94806
Attn: Mrs. Joanne Douglas

In the memo section of the check please write: Richmond Jane Doe

For credit card donations, please go to:

http://www.cvsolutions.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=89

IMPORTANT: You must indicate that you want to the credit card donation to go to Richmond Jane Doe.

Please start sending your cards and donations as soon as possible. This woman needs to know that she's not alone in this.