DISQUS

philbert · 6 months ago

The rapist is mostly to blame. The girl is partially to blame (not for the act itself) as well as her parents as she knows she should not have been out on the street at 2am. This would not have happened to her. Sometimes we all have to learn the hard way.

As a LB homeowner and parent of two teens, I made sure to install a security system on all windows and doors and can be instantly alerted to an unanticipated egress.

Gerrie Schipske · 6 months ago

I'm sorry. But when people get their cars broken into and their IPOD or GPS or other items stolen, do we ever say "she should not have had that car parked on the street...she was asking for it.?" When someone is robbed at gun point and their jewelry is taken from their neck and their Rolodex is taken from their arm, do we ever say "Boy was he asking it for it wearing that stuff in broad daylight..sometimes we all have to learn the hard way." When an expensive car is stolen from a shopping mall, do we ever blame the owner for driving an expensive car and tell that person they were "asking for it?"

Rape is not something a woman needs to "learn the hard way" because of her behavior or her dress. No one has the right to rape, or to steal, or to rob. They are all felonies.

And if you think sex has anything to do with rape, spend some time working with the Sexual Assault Crisis Agency in Long Beach.

I have spent considerable years working on the issue of violence against women, and rape ain't about sex it is about power.

Should girls be told by their parents not to drink or be out in dangerous places (though I never considered Belmont Shore to be a dangerous place)...you bet. I have two daughters.

But god help me if they were ever raped I would never blame them. Rape isn't going to stop until men stop it.

lbresidue · 6 months ago

gerrie,

GIRLS that escape their PARENTS homes at odd hours of the night to do WHO KNOWS WHAT... deserve to learn the hard way.

The parents ahve learned an important life lesson now.

As far as people leaving personal property in their cars on any street in Long Beach, well, that's a whole other lesson to be learned. And yes, wearing flashy jewelry in parts of Long Beach will get you robbed.

Rolodex? Do they even make those anymore?

I have an idea, maybe you and your cronies can stop coddling the welfare recipients and illegal alien criminals who fill the streets of LB... these are the people who are eventually going to do you in.

Gerrie Schipske · 6 months ago

Why don't you talk with the people who work with victims of sexual assault? The perps aren't welfare recipients and illegal aliens. Most sexual assault is done by persons who know the victim. We rarely see a random stranger rape.

On a lighter note, I meant Rolex. You shouldn't be wearing a Rolodex because it contains too much information...

LB City Girl · 6 months ago

Gerrie, we all knew what you meant, only the simple-minded need to nit pick with a typo. BTW-- it' easy to edit your errors if you claim your profile on discus. That way you can fix typos and errors.

LB City Girl · 6 months ago

Something is seriously wrong with someone who thinks a young woman needs to learn any lesson the "hard way."

Your blame-the-victim mentality makes me wonder how safe I'd be in a room alone with you.

wrongbeachJohn · 6 months ago

Thank you for engaging with your constituents Gerrie, I know you truly care about us/this city!

Unfortunately Belmont Shore is a dangerous place late night/early morning. I drive through there at various times every weeknight and some weekend nights, and if it's after midnight I wouldn't even think of stopping. I don't wan't to be put in a bad situation, and I see many bad situations. I'm all eyes once I hit the pier all the way to PCH.

It's a shame. We were too busy having fun in the late 60's, the 70's and early 80's to engage in trouble on second street. We also knew the police and the proprietors were keeping an eye on things. (Anyone else remember the wacko restaurant owner who policed the alley with a .38 revolver?)

It's become the wild wild west, and if anyone doesn't believe me spend some time there on Saturday/Sunday mornings from 2-3AM, once the police bail out again. The only bright spot is PJ's, and my hat's off to them.

I don't blame the rank and file coppers as they're always ready (God bless them) to rock and roll with the bad guys-and win. I blame the district politician and the pliable obedient police command.

Keep up the good work Gerrie!

lbresident · 6 months ago

belmont shore is not dangerous. it's ridiculous to say that. there are of course crimes just as there are everywhere. but relative to other places, even safe places, belmont shore is safe. I'm tired of people with agendas trying to use the few crimes that happen in the shore to paint a negative picture.

and no, it's not the girl's fault in any way.

wrongbeachJohn · 6 months ago

lbresident 1 day ago
belmont shore is not dangerous

Were you ever there back when the cops were told to ignore second street, at 2am?
Didn't think so. I don't think lush the dopiate or your others can help you with this one so you're out of luck.

Affected · 6 months ago

Well said.

The Toad · 6 months ago

Gee, Gerrie--I always sorta felt that I was "asking for it" when I left the house wearing my ROLODEX on my arm. All those phone numbers and addresses are just sooooooo valuable to an armed robber with a drug habit......

Gerrie Schipske · 6 months ago

I thought about it after the late night posting and had quite a laugh at myself...we don't wear ROLODEX's...blackberries are more fashionable and hold more info...

DWR · 6 months ago

Hello Gerrie:

I thank you for your hard work on behalf of Long Beach residents' best interests but I have one question:

Why are you listed in your Disqus profile as "Gerrie Schipske Lowenthal?"

I may not agree with the entire Lowenthal family platform, but I do consider you to be the yin to the Suja Lowenfraud yang...

And Mr. Toad's Wilde Ride beat me to the Rolodex joke..

Affected · 6 months ago

Wow are you quite possibly the most ignorant person on the planet. Let's paint a picture of the REAL world for 1 second. Young woman, pick an age - any age, comes home from busting her ass at work and parks her car a block away from her apartment in a great neighborhood. While walking to her front door, which is alarmed, she is assaulted - who is at fault? Not EVER is the victim at fault, well I guess if she was wearing heels and a short skirt though. . . she must have asked for it. Shame on you!

Andy · 6 months ago

Philbert--this is possibly the stupidest comment I've ever seen posted on this site. Blaming the victim is such a throwback to the delightful "barefoot and pregnant" days of female perception. I'm sure life is wonderful for your children inside your high-tech security compound.

lbresidue · 6 months ago

some people actually care about their children. sorry you are a homo.

Andy · 6 months ago

Calling me a "homo". Good one. You crushed my flimsy reasoning with your rhetorical talents!

Not sure who would be most confused by your comment. Grammarians, logicians, or post-neanderthal human beings that aren't on a third-grade playground.

Please re-assure us that you haven't spawned.

Oh, and welcome to the internet.

lbresidue · 6 months ago

aren't you just the articulate literary wonder?

meanwhile, you are staring at your reverse-hilarious overweight self in the mirror and masturbating furiously to Frank Sinatra's "My Town" using your ass sweat as lube ...

don't spend too much time behind the computer screen there ace, you might find out that people don't give a shit about your two cents.

Andy · 6 months ago

Classy.

My guess is that you miss the self-referential irony in your own comment.

And it's "My Kind of Town" or did you mean "My Way"?

No need to answer, I'll just assume you had to sign off the library computer and go harass a shamelessly dressed seventh-grader you saw in the kid's aisle. (because she's askin' fer it).

Affected · 6 months ago

Wow, I'm sure I haven't laughed at print in a while but that was brilliant. Good work Andy!

Fisch · 6 months ago

Personally, I don't care if a 16 year old girl is out on the street at 4 a.m. wearing hot pants and fishnet stockings- NO ONE deserves to get raped and EVERY ONE of us has a right to feel safe walking down the street, no matter who you are or what time it is. Would the girl have been blame free if it had happened in broad daylight?

I feel sorry for your two teenage girls having to be raised by someone so ignorant. :(

juu · 6 months ago

You are correct Fisch. But there is something to what the poster said. There is a difference between what's right and what's real. Everyone has the right to personal safety. This terrible happening should serve as a reminder that the 'bad guys' don't care about your rights. It is up to you to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your collective rights. And one way to do that...be careful where you are, at what hours, with whom, and under what circumstances.

With great rights come great responsibility.

Disco_bill · 6 months ago

But that is what you ass clowns do, Theo. You make shit up. That's why the District weekly is a laughing stock, and will soon be bankrupt.

Theo Douglas · 6 months ago

And so you take time out of your busy day to post on our site and legitimize us because ... ?

Roy Teixera · 6 months ago

a lot of people take their time to tell you what morons you are. you know that already.

the best part is that some of us know what you clowns look like and you have no idea who we are.

hopefully you pay your ad sales peeps well or discobills prediction might come true.

howardx · 6 months ago

this comment is ripe for a whois search. see who's behind the vague threats.

Theo Douglas · 6 months ago

I mean really, Disco_bill, is posting on our site your life's important work? We're going bankrupt, buddy--it must be true 'cause YOU said it, right, not me? Why waste your precious time on little old us?

Dave Wielenga · 6 months ago

Poor, anonymous, Disco Bill, lost in the era of coke spoons and chest hair.

LB City Girl · 6 months ago

Thank you so much for writing this, Theo. I have been so angry to see the blame deflected from the rapist in this case. This is an age old problem for women: the rapist doesn't get blamed for the crime he is responsible for. We blame the victim--"she should be smarter"--we blame the community--"Delong and his gang of thugs creating an entertainment zone." Why are we making exvuses and apologies for this motherfucker?

Let's get down to it-- the rapist is the only one responsible.
Thousands of people get housed in the Shore every year and yet what is the percentage of them who commit rape? like .002% or something?
I myself, will find myself off work tomorrow at 1:30 am in the exact area we are talking about. If I get raped will it be my fault? because I am dressed wrong, or out late at night? What if I'm not and it just turns out I happened to cross the path of some psycho who can't control himself at the sight of *female*? Let's face it, F'd up guys like this will do the same thing to an 80+ year old lady taking out the trash--because they are psychologically inferior!

Public awareness is the real problem. And it looks like you just reported on a pretty unenlightened individual to me. We should be rallying around this young woman and her family, and not looking to place blame anywhere except where it belongs.

Theo Douglas · 6 months ago

LB City Girl, thanks for writing. Obviously, I agree. I think we should be able to be safe in our city regardless of our sex, our age, or what time of day or night we're outside. And I think it's a shame that the time of night this happened and the victim's age sometimes seem to be in danger of overshadowing the crime that was committed against her.

Dave in Alamitos Beach · 6 months ago

Amen! A person should be able to walk down the street naked and drunk (seriously) without fear of being raped, for cripes sake. Now, I'm not saying that's a good plan for any number of reasons, but that's a different matter...

Dave Wielenga · 6 months ago

Hello LBRESIDENT. I'm sincerely curious what you think is so National Enquirer-esque about the story. When Theo let me read the story, I thought it provided a very accurate street-level account---from a reporter who is a life-long resident of this town---of how merchants in Belmont Shore are feeling about this report of a rape...as well as how trying it can be for a newspaper reporter to collect those feelings. I was surprised to read how reluctant people in that part of town are to talk about the cops. I mean, you hear about it all the time in other parts of town. This, too, is news...I think. The story does not strike me as sensationalistic at all. I'd like to hear your take on it.

lbresident · 6 months ago

While related but admittedly not apples to apples, this is an example of outstanding reporting.

http://www.lbreport.com/news/jun09/bsrabys.htm

But I know, you guys do "opinion journalism".

lbresident · 6 months ago

my bad..."point of view" journalism.

howardx · 6 months ago

yes! haha excellent theo!

The Toad · 6 months ago

As I have said before, we need Doug Drummond back on the city council. First, because he would never have allowed 2nd St. to become what it now is. Second, nobody would have any fear of retaliation for talking about the police. I have found Doug to be extremely fair-minded regarding cops; he will stick up for them if he believes they are in the right and he will excoriate them if he thinks they are wrong.

lbresident · 6 months ago

Worse than the national enquirer.

Mike Ruehle · 6 months ago

Hey Theo,

When you were talking with the 2nd street business people, did they by any chance tell you when Business Association President Rotondo will allow them to start buying add space in your newspaper again?

Theo Douglas · 6 months ago

Hi, Mike, you know, the subject of advertising in The District Weekly never came up.

The Commish · 6 months ago

Brava LB City Girl as well as Theo the Man. The "usual suspects" cannot stay on any topic without grinding the same old same old. Do you have a proven connection between someone drinking in a 2nd street bar and then committing this crime? Rapists are not looking for sex, they are battering women with their personal weapon. Being "careful" won't cut it with these men.

sunshine · 6 months ago

Alcohol's Role in Sexual Assault: At least one-half of all violent crimes involve alcohol consumption by the perpetrator, the victim, or both (Collins and Messerschmidt 1993). Sexual assault fits this pattern. Thus, across the disparate populations studied, researchers consistently have found that approximately one-half of all sexual assaults are committed by men who have been drinking alcohol. Depending on the sample studied and the measures used, the estimates for alcohol use among perpetrators have ranged from 34 to 74 percent (Abbey et al. 1994; Crowell and Burgess 1996). Similarly, approximately one-half of all sexual assault victims report that they were drinking alcohol at the time of the assault, with estimates ranging from 30 to 79 percent (Abbey et al. 1994; Crowell and Burgess 1996). It is important to emphasize, however, that although a woman's alcohol consumption may place her at increased risk of sexual assault, she is in no way responsible for the assault. The perpetrators are legally and morally responsible for their behavior.
http://www.athealth.com/Practitioner/ceduc/alc_...

John_Greet · 6 months ago

sunshine: Good information and well presented! And you are spot on when you remind us that perpetrators are legally and morally responsible for their behavior.

Clearly alcohol seems to be a contributory factor in a significant number of rapes.

Do the studies you cite mention other drugs by chance? What about prior arrests and/or convictions for sexual assault and/or rape? I wonder how many are aware that most rapes are acquaintance rapes, that is, rapes committed by someone that the victim knows, such as an acquaintance, friend, co-worker, date, or spouse.

What do you think might have been done by any person or entity that could have helped prevent this tragic crime?

Going forward, what do you think the Belmont Shore Community, as a whole, can do to lessen the risks of the recurrence of these sorts of violent crimes in their neighborhood?

LB City Girl · 6 months ago

Your statistics also indicate that half of all rapes ARE NOT committed whilst using alcohol.

In addition, in my nearly thirty years of drinking, I have never felt even the least bit compelled to rape anyone. I don't think the alcohol is the excuse or the reason for the rape--it is the rapist's own moral failings.

Did you calculate the stats on the people who drink and don't rape?

Pat · 6 months ago

Is posting comments on a paper that you disagree with the new yelling-at-the-tv?