Rape victim gets lost in a community’s shock
Re “Gang Rape of Girl Shocks
Pico Rivera,” July 14
I read with dismay the article about the rape of a 13-year-old girl and the half-dozen teenagers suspected of violating her while as many as 16 onlookers cheered. Will the onlookers be arrested too? It’s time that rape is prosecuted as the vicious, emotionally devastating crime it is.
Pico Rivera Councilman Ron Beilke said, “It’s horrible. The whole community is up in arms ... the whole town is affected.” I’m sorry for that “close-knit” community; however, I suspect it’ll soon recover from its shock. But how about the victim? No one expressed sympathy for her nor genuine concern that her whole life has been permanently affected. And if the community is so “close-knit,” what took it so long to recognize the threat of gang violence?
June C. August
La Crescenta
*
One word for those who raped a 13-year-old-girl: evil. One word for those who watched and cheered: accomplices.
Annette Landreau
Los Angeles
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
