Friday, July 24, 2009

Dad blames 8-year-old daughter for being gang raped (Phoenix, Arizona)

UNNAMED DAD apparently blames his 8-year-old daughter for getting gang raped. The girl has been taken into protective custody because the father is said to no longer want her in the home.

Some have said that this attitude is characteristic of the culture of Liberia, where the victim's family immigrated from, and is therefore excusable under some sort of cultural relativism grounds.

However, the president of Liberia, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, has made it clear that she does not believe that blaming a child is consistent with or a part of Liberian culture. "This is not a question of shame on a family.. it's a question of assault on a young child and that can not be tolerated," she is quoted as saying.
http://www.abc15.com/content/news/phoenixmetro/central/story/Whos-to-blame-in-sex-assault-of-girl-Father-says/vVnrS0arLEWOaKd4GxrTJQ.cspx

http://www.examiner.com/x-5919-Norfolk-Crime-Examiner~y2009m7d23-8yearold-girl-raped-by-Liberian-teenagersfather-blames-daughter

8-year-old girl raped by Liberian teenagers…father blames daughter
Dave Gibson
July 23, 9:21 PM

On July 18, an 8-year-old girl in Phoenix was lured into a shed near her home by four Liberian boys, where she was restrained and sexually assaulted by the boys. Her attackers reportedly tricked her into entering the shed with the offer of chewing gum.

Nearby residents called 911, when they heard the girl’s screams coming from the shed and seeing her run away only partially clothed.

The boys ages 14, 13, 10, and 9 are all in custody at this time. All four admitted to having planned the attack. 14-year-old Steven Tuopeh, will be tried as an adult, He has been charged with two counts of sexual assault and one count of kidnapping. He is the only suspect whose name has been released.

The 13-year-old has been charged with three counts of sexual assault, and one count of kidnapping. The 10-year-old has been charged with two counts of sexual assault and one count of kidnapping. The 9-year-old has been charged with one count of sexual assault.

The girl who is also Liberian, is now in the custody of Child Protective Services.

According to Phoenix police, the girl’s family blame her for the attack. When asked by an ABC15 reporter as to what punishment he would like to see for the attackers, the girl’s father answered, “Nothing.”