Helping a 15-Year Old Rape Victim

BY: Symphony, WAOD Contributor

She was friends with the Dunbar Village gang rape victims. She was 15 years old. And one month later, on July 18, 2007, she was on her way from the grocery store after buying salt. It was just after 11 AM on a Wednesday during the summer.

Before she made it home "R" was pulled into the woods by knife-point and raped.

The attack happened exactly one month to the day after the high profile rape of
a woman at Dunbar Village. In fact, while we did this interview the
victim of that attack was sitting with us, listening as the girl's
father tried to explain how his own child was now coping with rape.

We are working to connect her to organizations, groups or people in the West Palm Beach area who can provide much needed assistance. Her father said she has only talked to a counselor three times when it first happened and he would like for her to talk to someone.

The family is in need of all the support it can receive. If you or anyone you know can help, please contact me at symphonyep[at]gmail[dot]com or at Essential Presence. I am in contact with the father and we can get help to "R" as quick as it is offered.

UPDATE: By: Gina, WAOD Benevolent Dictator

OOOkay. I am coming off vacation to make this comment. Folks I don't think they have worked out quite yet what exactly they need to assist this 15 year-old girl. I think the request for help is for brainstorming ideas of ways to help this family. So before we end up with a bunch of "I'll do anything to help" comments (Thanks Johnny and ClnMike for the offer), what I suggest those interested in acting to is join the WAOD Action Center. I'll start a thread called "Dunbar Village" and y'all can brainstorm ideas there.

Typically when I ask readers to do something, it is very specific. Call this person. email this person. Go to this bank and donate or send a contribution to X, Y, Z. Your willingness to help is laudable, but I need to see someone come up with a specific task a WAOD reader can do to offer assistance. Right now, the specific task you can do is join the Action Center until such time as someone provides us with concrete steps that need to be taken. This blog is about empowering people with information. Right now the information that is needed is a specific task people can complete. "All the support it can get," isn't specific enough.

If the Jena 6 has taught me anything it is that "assistance funds" can be perilous situations. So take a deep breath, find out what you need, and then tell folks what you want. It's the holidays, folks are in a giving spirit.

You might not need readers to do anything at all other than call around WPB to find a local congregation to embrace this family. But again, folks can hash out and brainstorm what needs to be done in the Google Group, not in the comments section of a blog.