15 year old gang raped on street, people onlooked and joined

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/27/poli ce-people-watched-gan_n_334975.html

In Richmond, Va a 15 year old left  homecoming and was attacked and raped by a group of men. No fewer then 12 people saw, even laughed and took pictures, and itw asnt until someone OVERHEARD someone talking about the rape was the cops called. Some people even JOINED IN

Wow America.

This made my stomach turn. about a dozen people watch, and don't do anything about. that poor girl. all it would've taken is a 10 second call to 911, and this girl life would have been less f***** than it is now. its so sad.

wow.

Original Post by se1289:

Wow America.

 It happens elsewhere in the world too.

But yes it's pathetic and sad.

Didn't you know joining in on "after dance rapes" is the in thing now?

After dance parties is sooo last year

Looks like these kids...

*put on sunglasses*

know how to party hardy.

YEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Sorry to say that the bystander effect is old news.

It says Richmond, California in the article.

And sadly, this doesn't surprise me. Like lys said, the bystander effect has long been studied. People don't want to be the one to break away and do something different from the crowd. 

I've been sick about this since I read it this morning.

As for lysistrata's link, I remember hearing the Kitty Genovese story as a kid and it made quite an impact on me. What creates the bystander effect anyway? Especially these days when you don't have to play the hero yourself, just dial 911!

Nobody really knows.  Some of it seems to be the idea that somebody else will deal with it.  When everybody uses that excuse to not deal with it ... it doesn't get dealt with.  Sometimes, like alibsam said, it's fear of not going along with the crowd.  Crowds can be dangerous if you piss them off.

When I read things like this, it never ceases to amaze me.  I don't care how much of a follower I was in high school.  I never ever would have stood by and let something like that happen.  There's no excuse for it.  I hope they find every bystander and find some sort of punishment for them.

Original Post by lysistrata:

Sorry to say that the bystander effect is old news.

isnt that the one they made the life time movie about with "Jo" from Facts of Life

Original Post by lysistrata:

Nobody really knows.  Some of it seems to be the idea that somebody else will deal with it.  When everybody uses that excuse to not deal with it ... it doesn't get dealt with.  Sometimes, like alibsam said, it's fear of not going along with the crowd.  Crowds can be dangerous if you piss them off.

it wasn't only a bystander effect though..people JOINED IN!

Original Post by peaches0405:

When I read things like this, it never ceases to amaze me.  I don't care how much of a follower I was in high school.  I never ever would have stood by and let something like that happen.  There's no excuse for it.  I hope they find every bystander and find some sort of punishment for them.

The people who participated - definitely.  The people who stood by and did nothing - won't happen.  It's not against the law to not act.  They tried it in the Kitty Genovese case and it didn't stick.

Original Post by se1289:

Original Post by lysistrata:

Nobody really knows.  Some of it seems to be the idea that somebody else will deal with it.  When everybody uses that excuse to not deal with it ... it doesn't get dealt with.  Sometimes, like alibsam said, it's fear of not going along with the crowd.  Crowds can be dangerous if you piss them off.

it wasn't only a bystander effect though..people JOINED IN!

Different phenomenon.

Original Post by lysistrata:

Original Post by peaches0405:

When I read things like this, it never ceases to amaze me.  I don't care how much of a follower I was in high school.  I never ever would have stood by and let something like that happen.  There's no excuse for it.  I hope they find every bystander and find some sort of punishment for them.

The people who participated - definitely.  The people who stood by and did nothing - won't happen.  It's not against the law to not act.  They tried it in the Kitty Genovese case and it didn't stick.

 Ah.  I didn't know the specifics.  I didn't even know that they tried that tactic with her case.  I do hope that at the least, the bystanders feel increadibly guilty for having done nothing.

People are sick, in America and around the world.  We have become such a society of adults who as kids grew up with instant gratification and little to no sense of consequences. Who we raised by teenagers and childcare providers who hire the person they can get the cheapest and parents who feel guilty about it and then spoil said child. We are desensitized by movies, music, video games and each other.  We have lost our sense of community and responsibility for others.  We only care about ourselves and our little circle around us and that loyalty can disappear in a heart beat.

Please understand I know everyone out there does not fall into that statement but the fact is too many people do.

Original Post by lysistrata:

Original Post by se1289:

Original Post by lysistrata:

Nobody really knows.  Some of it seems to be the idea that somebody else will deal with it.  When everybody uses that excuse to not deal with it ... it doesn't get dealt with.  Sometimes, like alibsam said, it's fear of not going along with the crowd.  Crowds can be dangerous if you piss them off.

it wasn't only a bystander effect though..people JOINED IN!

Different phenomenon.

 Sure.  I understand what you are saying.  It is a real phenomenon.   But in cases like this where someone is being harmed, it's still a lousy excuse for what they did.

This actually makes me want to puke.

Original Post by peaches0405:

Original Post by lysistrata:

Original Post by se1289:

Original Post by lysistrata:

Nobody really knows.  Some of it seems to be the idea that somebody else will deal with it.  When everybody uses that excuse to not deal with it ... it doesn't get dealt with.  Sometimes, like alibsam said, it's fear of not going along with the crowd.  Crowds can be dangerous if you piss them off.

it wasn't only a bystander effect though..people JOINED IN!

Different phenomenon.

 Sure.  I understand what you are saying.  It is a real phenomenon.   But in cases like this where someone is being harmed, it's still a lousy excuse for what they did.

Oh, I wasn't trying to make excuses for them.  Not at all.  Just trying to understand it.

Oh I know, lys.  I didn't mean to imply that.  It was just my anger towards them, really.  And people's general lack of caring for their fellow humans, y'know?