A 16 year old rape victim needs help

A 16 year old rape victim needs help

"Hi, my name is Crystal ... I need some help. I didn't want to do it this way, but it's the only way I know that's going to work, that someone out there in the world is gonna listen to me."

Source


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I'm having a hard time with this because she just doesn't seem to be sincere about it. Maybe's she's nervous and just can't get the tears out or something. Is she just trying to get back at the 23 year old who she had sex with or was she really raped without consent. I'd like to hear comments from everyone about this.

I dont understand why she hasnt told anyone close to her about it, well i can but it doesnt make sense to put it on a video on u-tube, a site that millions of people view everyday?!
I do understand and have empathy for her but dont understand why she would do it that way?
wouldnt it make more sense to talk to someone in private for advise or maybe write into an advise site where people are on hand to talk thing through with you or maybe the samaritans?...im not saying either way whether its true or not...just seem abit weird that she dealt with it in that way?
But then people deal with things differently....

Well it looks like she will get the help she needs now that this has gone public.

reply to post by Soulsis


I know. Of all the places to go and get help and talk to the right people she goes to youtube? Is youtube going to be a new breeding ground where people come and plea like she did. I still feel something isn't right about it, but it might just be me. You are right. People deal with their problems differently. Thanks for your thoughts on this Soulsis.

reply to post by Soulsis


The article states that she DID tell. Apparently the authorities declined to prosecute.

People deal with trauma differently. Not everyone is going to be a crying, quivering mass of emotion. It really irks me when people judge someone based on their emotional state.

Remember Susan Smith? She was all emotional and clearly distressed when she described her two children being kidnapped. Turns out she murdered them herself.

reply to post by Merigold


You're right Merigold I shouldn't stereotype her for her emotions and I'm sorry. I think she told her dad and the law has been handed down that it's her story against his and there is no other proof so I don't know what will happen?

Originally posted by Solarskye

it's her story against his and there is no other proof so I don't know what will happen?

If it were NY Bloomberg would just have every male attach a camera to his penis.

Seriously though, how can you tell when a situation like this is for real or if it's just some angry/regretful girl trying to "get back" at an ex or make up for a one-night stand or something like that? If she really were raped it's always "why can't we get these rapists and castrate them?" if she's just some psycho trying to ruin a guys life it's just that. How do you tell the difference lacking divine omniscience? There will always be some guy on the sex-offender registry who didn't commit any crime and there will always be a victim of a sexual assault with no justice because it's impossible to know with 100% certainty the real truth behind every case.

Personally the ridiculousness of putting it on YouTube makes me think it's just some crazy girl trying to "get back" or maybe some "artsy" type who watched one too many Law & Order episodes trying to "express her art" (a wonderful phrase used to excuse stupidity the world over.)

Won't ever know the truth for sure.

Whether or not this girl is telling the truth she does seem to need counseling. If she is lying she needs counseling if she is telling the truth she needs counseling.

She can find free sexual abuse counseling in her area. I put a comment on this video about a Sarasota Rape Crisis center. If she does not live in or near Sarasota I am sure that if she calls she will find resources in her area for victims.

It is impossible to know whether or not she is telling the truth. But if she is there is resources available for her to get some help.

As far as the DA is concerned. I don't know why they would not investigate at least. Perhaps there is lack of evidence in this case to warrant a trial. Sometimes there is a problem with that. Sometimes the evidence points to no foul play or that perhaps the girl is lying about some aspect of the case which would be a serious detriment to the prosecution.

[edit on 5/16/2008 by whatukno]

Anyways, the case was up and running and is now closed. So I guess either way it would be double jeopardy to trail him again no matter what? Or how does that work..?

Look at 00:57. It kinda looks like she loses track and is trying to pick up the queue from a piece of paper in front of her or on her lap.
Seen too many falsely accused rapes in the last years to go "Aawww, poor thing" on this one.

The problem with this is that, if you call it fake and it turns out to be true, you'll be a callous jack ass. But, I'm going to take the risk of being a callous jack ass and call it fake. As many have stated, how is putting this up on YouTube going to help? First off, how did you find this video, you need to type in a search term, is it under "16 year old rape" or something!?

Secondly, can anyone else hear the sound of voices in the background? They seem to be having a normal conversation and at one point laugh, all why this is being taped. If the mic is picking up that background noise, then the people would know what she was saying too, so surely they would have come to her if she was really upset this way.

Furthermore, where are her parents, why aren't they asking these questions too? Why haven't they done this through the local media and victim support groups, why YouTube?

Originally posted by Alethia
First off, how did you find this video, you need to type in a search term, is it under "16 year old rape" or something!?

That never occurred to me. How would you find something like this unless you spent time on YouTube searching for terms like "16 year old" and "rape"?

Who found this and what else have they been searching for?

Wake up, grab a cup of coffee, log on and start searching for underage rape vids. There's a relaxing Sunday for ya.

I believe it she is telling the truth. YouTube is big for the younger generation and as she says "it is the only way she believes someone will listen"

anyone who knows the legal system will tell you that the system favors the perpetrator. Rape cases are tragic.

What she has done is very brave, she also states that her case will be closed on Monday... if you had been denied justice and your case was about to be closed... what lengths would you go to?

I have waited 12 years to be able to prosecute someone. Why couldn't I prosecute before? Because the laws didn't allow me to!

During this time of injustice and inaction, I felt so wronged. How can someone who has done such a wrong be able to walk the street?

I can imagine going to a length such as this... just as I could imagine someone resorting to vigilante style justice.

I really hope her efforts do not go unnoticed and I really sincerely, hope for her sake, justice will prevail...

She seems to be acting. The tears may be from some irritant.

Ya thinks she could have produced real tears with all that on camera emotion. I suspect it is staged and made to gain comments on her youoogle account. Than to show how freakish humanity can get over this, another chick post her giggle video and its just shameless acting. This video, by a kid, is, a kid thing. I will bet if this gets in a media slot, it will come out as a fake.

Now we have rape stories to ad to beatings, vandilism and other stupid youoogle stuff.

reply to post by Thurisaz



Some one close to me (no not me ) lost his kids to child protection services do to his 16 yr old daughter and her 26 yr old boyfriend getting mad about curfews.They dreamed up a plan and accused my friend of un speakable acts thinking she would be able to move in with her boyfriend.Everyone lost on this plan She ended up in the foster care system.Her boyfriend also took off to ???
Happens all the time!!!

First off, i want to say thank you to the OP for providing a link to a non-verbal/visual based account of her testimony - listening to five minutes of a teenager on the virge of breaking down is heart-wrenching, crocodile tears or not.

But, unfortunately, not enough details have been presented in order for me to make a half-decent deliberation over whether or not the story is real or not - i have been forced to listen to the video.

Note: I often find it easier to pick up on whether or not someone is telling the truth by focusing on their voice without the image of their teary face - if any of you out there have a problem with this method, then say so.

Ahem.

After listening to the subject's Testimoney and submitting it to a logical process, in which i take into consideration how individuals generally interact with the world after going through severe hardship, i find it very odd that;

1) No mention is made of how the actual relationship was started.

She isn't trying to convince us she is trying to tell the truth.

2) She spends more time trying to convince people that the authorities are wrong, and that they should be doing more.

and lastly;

3) People who go through severe hardship do not tend to cry about it.

It may well be the case that she's telling the truth, but she could have made a better testimony - if that's the way she approached the legal proceedings i'm really not surprised they didn't listen to her.

A legal proceeding is about coming to a verdict based on a logical and rationale* analysis of a witness testimony and a thorough examination of whatever evidence is available - in this case it could have been anything from cell phone conversations to simply bringing forth witnesses from places where the two of them were seen together.

I think at the very least her father could have informed her of these facts.

If anyone wants to know what would have done it for me, it would have been one single sentence;

"I met Mr. X at location Y".

The lack of this one thing, this one critical piece of information, causes me to have doubts.


*That Pronunciation is deliberate, btw.

[edit on 16-5-2008 by Anti-Tyrant]

Okay, I agree with Anti-Tyrant.

I did have a whole post written but my connection died along with the post.

Okay, I have just re read all of the information and something which the Orange County state attorney's office said made me so mad it has made me think about how it is somewhat different in the UK.


""Orange County authorities charged the 23-year-old man Crystal accused of assaulting her with lewd or lascivious battery. According to court documents, Crystal and the man both said they had an ongoing sexual relationship.

The prosecutor, who declined to comment to CNN, concluded that the teen and the 23-year-old had consensual sex, according to the case file.

Florida law states that a 15-year-old cannot give consent to sex. And though Crystal was 15 at the time of the alleged forced encounter, the prosecutor wrote that the case would not be prosecuted because Crystal was "a mere 1 month away" from turning 16, when it would be "legal to give consent," according to documents".

She is 15 for goodness sake. A child, that is 8 years difference between them... he could have waited. They have stated any child male or female under the age of 16 cannot give consent to having sex. They are hypocrites, and it makes me sick... 15 years ago she was born not 16 years, regardless of one day or one hundred days she was under age and he should be charged.

I am only 20 years old and if and when I have children I would cut their legs off either my son or daughter for having sex before 16. Well I would make it 40...

I understand situations were the "child" is wanting a sexual relationship, but he should have said no and waited for her to be at least the law abiding age.

Well saying this, there are more teenagers pregnancy of girls below 16. I does make me sick to my stomach as at 15 I watching Aladdin before school, went to school, come home - got changed and was outside up in trees playing man hurt until 20:00 and then home to bed. Never did sex ever cross my mind. But this world is ever changing and unfortunately for the bad.

I hope someone does listen to the poor girl. Because regardless of her allowing him to sleep with her before, she is a child a baby a little girl.

A lot of things have peeved me before, but if they allow him to get away with sleeping with her and maybe even raping her (when she said no)... You are allowing someone to sleep with a child.. that's what gets me... they are allowing him to go away and maybe get a 14 year old girlfriend and do the same again, knowing he can get away with it. Or maybe he did like - love her and she is trying to get back at him.

Regardless, an adult man has had sex repeatedly with a child.

That's the story. Start to finish.

Oni x x

reply to post by Oni x x


Well, you've managed to sum up my problem with the matter in a very concise manner.

She should not have been in a situation in which having sex with anyone was even a remote possibility, and of course - he should not have been around a 15 year old if he knew he was having those kinds of thoughts.

It's a fact that a lot of people seem to have trouble coming to terms with, for whatever reason.


That, and how 'love' is subjective.

Well, I have a hard time believing the video. It looks forced and fake. And we all know how YouTube is used as means to gain attention whether it be falling down, UFOs, I saw an alien or fighting....or telling your cheating husband off.

HOWEVER. I dont know. Im not her.

I will say THIS. THIS is why I have REAL problem with men having sex with CHILDREN. Most of these little girls do NOT have the emotional maturity to handle a relationship - espeicially a sexual one! And especially with an adult!

Where were her parents? When I was 15, I barely had any freedom outside my home. I wasnt even allowed to date or have boyfriends.

I feel VERY bad for guys. Because sex is ALL in the hands of woman. You break a girl's heart, she can cry rape and you suffer it for the rest of your life (based on what I saw a friend go thru). I would think these days, guys would just flat out abstain from sex (unless married). Forget STDs.

This girl needs help - professional help. Whether it is for a real act of rape, or for the serious need for attention.

Orange County authorities charged the 23-year-old man Crystal accused of assaulting her with lewd or lascivious battery. According to court documents, Crystal and the man both said they had an ongoing sexual relationship.

Having admitted this, the first question that is going to be asked of this child in a courtroom is:

What made this time any different than any other?

The prosecutor, who declined to comment to CNN, concluded that the teen and the 23-year-old had consensual sex, according to the case file.

Admitting to consensual sex does not help her case either.

I feel for this child, but she made a very unwise decision and is, unfortunately, paying a severe price for it.