6 April 2009

Belconnen Foreshore sexual assault?

| notbothered
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Hi,

Just hoping some one might have some info about an apparent gang rape that happened outside the Subway in Belconnen. Hopefully some witnesses?! The two girls that were assaulted are in a fairly serious condition, and all that’s known about the offenders is that they were of polynesian appearance and that there were four of them and one female.

Also Canberra hospitals suck, as when they went in to get a rape kit (after being bashed, stomped on etc, as I said serious condition) they were told to “wait” How are the police supposed to do their job, if the hospitals wont do theirs?!

[ED – If you have information best to contact Crimestoppers rather than post it here.]

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mutley said :

I get criticised by anyone who sees me wearing those!

Hehe!

; )

notbothered said :

Thats fine coz it’s your opinion, I just hope that the people that matter don’t take it so lightly (the police, incase you were wondering)

You really have no idea, do you

“I am wondering whether the police will issue a statement but as I said before I’m not even certain that the girls involved managed to complete their statement.”

So you know not a lot about it in reality. Do you really, REALLY think Police would keep it quiet considering 2 others in recent days got publicity. Whatever happened to your friends is not on, but half assed reporting of something that may currenty be being investigated does one of 2 things

a) less than half of the story; and
b) a potential defence counsel a bucketload of back up

Do the right thing and let the investigation happen

They don’t get criticised for being out alone late at night or wearing a tank top and shorts.

I get criticised by anyone who sees me wearing those!

That’s true, but men seldom get blamed for it the way women can be. They don’t get criticised for being out alone late at night or wearing a tank top and shorts.

No, there isn’t any excuse, but it needs to be pointed out that the “it wont happen to me” way of thinking just doesn’t work, coz it could happen and unfortunately it sometimes does. It’s not just women either, men need to be aware too, rape isn’t solely made up of women victims.

The unprovoked bit shouldn’t even enter into it. There is never any excuse for raping a woman.

Thats fine Granny, and like I said, it was this time in particular that the staff may have been lacking. I too have had fantastic experiences with the hospital emergency staff, I’m not sure what went wrong, or if they were sat in the waiting room until a room was free???
I am wondering whether the police will issue a statement but as I said before I’m not even certain that the girls involved managed to complete their statement.
All I can say is that I’m close to the victims, and I hope perhaps other women are a little more aware when heading out, as it was unprovoked.

notbothered said :

Thats fine coz it’s your opinion, I just hope that the people that matter don’t take it so lightly (the police, incase you were wondering)

Hilarious!! *guffaw*

Perhaps people are enjoying it. I wouldn’t know.

However, I don’t think the hard-working staff in the various accident and emergency departments will necessarily be enjoying the speculating, since they have all been effectively tarred with one stroke of your brush.

The fact that I had to use their services just the other night reminded me what incredible human beings they really are. It’s a thankless job at the best of times.

My heart goes out to anybody who has suffered the trauma of rape. I don’t mean any disrepect to anybody, but I would rather wait for confirmation from an official source than just blindly accept everything said by some anonymous poster on an internet forum.

I’m sorry, but that’s just how it is.

Thats fine coz it’s your opinion, I just hope that the people that matter don’t take it so lightly (the police, incase you were wondering)

I’m calling bull shit on 90% of the OP

Probably, but as they haven’t and as this thread really hasn’t amounted to any information I don’t see the harm in leaving it. People can keep enjoying speculating about whether or not it really happened.

And likewise if the police do want information from the public, you would think they would also be quite capable of issuing media releases to said editor.

I’m sure if the police don’t want this up they would ask the editor to remove it.

If the police have chosen not to release this, are you sure it is helpful for you to take it upon yourself to do so?

Colourful – nope no race baiting, I wouldve stated that it was 4 caucasian guys or asian guys or whatever other race they may have been if that was the case. It just happens to be that was how they were described.
Thanks Caf, as you said not everything gets reported. The girls were in the middle of a statement when they were taken to hospital, so I’m not certain that they’ve even completed it yet.
Qbn Gal – I hardly think its inaccurate when it comes straight from the victim. I understand that working in a hospital is a stressful job before they start getting complaints about lack of service, I’m just letting everyone know that in this particular instance that is what happened.
Bailes23 – It happened before midnight, which is why I’m on here hoping for witnesses, although I’m not entirely sure how many people would admit that they saw something.

BTW, it was an unprovoked attack, so I’m not sure that that really helps police investigations, as there are not alot of places to start.

colourful sydney racing identity12:41 pm 06 Apr 09

Hmmmn, nothing from the police, op mentions ‘polynesian appearance’, is this just race baiting?

We’ve seen in the past that the police don’t put out immediate media releases on everything – I suppose it comes down to the individual case and whether they feel that their investigations will be hindered or helped by more publicity.

Tooks said :

Perhaps there has been no word from police because it either wasn’t reported to them, or this incident never occurred.

I was thinking the same thing. 2 girls hideously raped in an open area, and no record of this incident.
How do you know the Police have no leads. Unless you work with them, you have no idea what they’ve uncovered.

Sorry for being cynical, but until there’s an official word from an official source, this story reeks of a successful troll report.

If these girls were transported to hospital by ambulance, then you can bet it was reported to Police. And as we haven’t seen mention of it in the Police Wrap, but there has been mention of an attempted sexual assault in Civic, then I think it would be fair to assume that this incident didn’t happen.

Perhaps there has been no word from police because it either wasn’t reported to them, or this incident never occurred.

I find it hard to believe that a patient, “unresponsive to light and had lost consciousness for however” would have been placed in a waiting room. For a start she would have had 4 hours of neuro obs following an unconsious period. I’d check the facts before posting something that criticises the care our hospital staff provide. The medical/nursing staff have enough to deal within the system without fingers being pointed by the public without accurate facts.

And I agree with Granny, where are the police facts.

What time did this occur? Wednesday nights are the busiest night for the lighthouse (Uni students night). The foreshore area is normally pretty busy until around 2am. Good chance there might be a witness if it wasn’t too late.

Let’s hope they catch these guys.

Granny – I also find it strange that there’s been no official police statements.

I would have thought the police would have issued some kind of statement by now.

The whole thing is very disappointing, and I’m sure most if not all people expect better. I hope there’s a proper investigation into the entire affair.

Clearly if I was the person then I’ve got no problems, it was a horrible thing that happened and as there are no witnesses that will come forward, perhaps knowing some details will encourage someone.
I’m more concerned about the lack of response from the hospital, and it’s not only on this occasion that they’ve failed to be attentive.
The police have no leads, there are no cctv’s and no witnesses just 2 girls that were quite injured and probably not the best people to call on to re-count a description of the offenders.
There’s not much else I’d be bothered telling as far as the injuries go, but if they were serious enough to require an ambulance, why did they end up back in a waiting room?!

Notbothered –

Don’t you think you are sharing with us a little bit too much information !? Surely if there was a police investigation they wouldn’t appreciate everything being leaked.
It sounds like you known or were the person assaulted – did you think maybe they dont want to details posted ??

They got taken to the police station first, one of the girls lost consciousness there, so an ambulance was called, they were rushed to the hospital where staff were told one of the girls was unresponsive to light and had lost consciousness for however long (unsure) and the ambulance officers had reassured the girls they would be put straight through. Instead they recieved mild pain relief, the once over and told to wait in the waiting room.

The waiting may have been until the oncall member of the forensic sexual assault service (who is specifically trained to best provide this service) was able to attend?

aa said :

Also, why were they told to wait? Was it to wait til the police got there or anything like that? Also, the church isn’t against rape kit? Unless there’s something in the rape kit that I’m not aware of.

I susupect it is in regards to the provision of emergency contraception (banned by the Catholic Church, but a standard component offered to women who have been victims of sexual assault). This is then combined with the double whammy of banning terminations of unwanted pregnancy as a result of the assault.

Also, why were they told to wait? Was it to wait til the police got there or anything like that? Also, the church isn’t against rape kit? Unless there’s something in the rape kit that I’m not aware of.

It happened late Wednesday night(1.4.09)I dont know how there could be no witnesses coz as Panhead said, its the main street, which in someways makes it worse, are people so oblivious to what’s going on around them? No luck with who the offenders were yet, but hopefully the bouncers know something

What is a faith based solution to a rape kit?

I hope they catch the guys and when they go to jail the same thing happens to them. One thing no one has picked up on is that there was a female offender too.

Let’s hope there are cctv cameras in Belco …

How did this happen? That is a main street with apartments everywhere and the Lighthouse directly next to it. WTF!

what time did this happen??

The cat did it10:12 pm 03 Apr 09

I trust that the hospital that was so apparently tardy about the rape kit wasn’t Calvary. It wouldn’t be a good look for the Pope’s emissaries in Belconnen to be trying to substitute faith-based solutions when a clear request for a rape kit had been made.

Terrible stuff. When did this happen?

poor girls – hope they catch whoever was involved. horrific crime

Timberwolf656:43 pm 03 Apr 09

This is so horrible to read, surely there has to be some witnesses, I am not familiar with the Subway as I live South side and rarely venture to the North.
I hope the girls are ok, I mean I know they would be fully traumatized and it will take them forever to come to terms with this.

Canberra is becoming a very unsafe place to live

Clown Killer6:13 pm 03 Apr 09

Also, can we please not go back over the whole polynesian / south sea islander ethnicity debate … please!

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