Woman raped and robbed on northwest branch trail

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not second guessing how these women reacted to be robbed at machete blade and one being dragged away. No one can say how they would react in that situation. I would like to think I would fight my hardest to avoid being dragged off or to stop a man from dragging my friend off. I'm going to have a talk with my hiking buddy and find out if she's willing to risk her life to save mine. I'd like to believe I would risk mine to save her.

When this thread first appeared, those of who said pretty much the same thing-fight back, do not let yourself get taken off that path--had our posts removed. Evidently, you can't even tell women to fight back now. I have no doubt in my mind that that man would never have gotten me off that trail if it were me. Of course, not blaming the victim, at all, but my husband and I have taught our teenage daughter how to defend herself and I know she would. With what the city is coming to, we have no choice.

Yes you are.

Do you believe in taking any safety precautions at all?

So discussions about fighting back and not allowing yourself to get pulled off the trail are automatically victim blaming? Rule #1 that any cop, safety expert, Dateline, will tell you is to not let yourself get taken...no matter what.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not second guessing how these women reacted to be robbed at machete blade and one being dragged away. No one can say how they would react in that situation. I would like to think I would fight my hardest to avoid being dragged off or to stop a man from dragging my friend off. I'm going to have a talk with my hiking buddy and find out if she's willing to risk her life to save mine. I'd like to believe I would risk mine to save her.

When this thread first appeared, those of who said pretty much the same thing-fight back, do not let yourself get taken off that path--had our posts removed. Evidently, you can't even tell women to fight back now. I have no doubt in my mind that that man would never have gotten me off that trail if it were me. Of course, not blaming the victim, at all, but my husband and I have taught our teenage daughter how to defend herself and I know she would. With what the city is coming to, we have no choice.

Yes you are.

Do you believe in taking any safety precautions at all?

Person responsible for the attack: the attacker
Person not responsible for the attack: the victim, no matter what safety precautions the victim may or may not have taken

Just because there things to be learned from this tragic experience for that victim doesn't mean anybody is saying she is "responsible" for being attacked. I think it's right to remind people that there are measures one should take, as guys like this are not getting locked up and this isn't going to stop. As women, we have to stop them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not second guessing how these women reacted to be robbed at machete blade and one being dragged away. No one can say how they would react in that situation. I would like to think I would fight my hardest to avoid being dragged off or to stop a man from dragging my friend off. I'm going to have a talk with my hiking buddy and find out if she's willing to risk her life to save mine. I'd like to believe I would risk mine to save her.

When this thread first appeared, those of who said pretty much the same thing-fight back, do not let yourself get taken off that path--had our posts removed. Evidently, you can't even tell women to fight back now. I have no doubt in my mind that that man would never have gotten me off that trail if it were me. Of course, not blaming the victim, at all, but my husband and I have taught our teenage daughter how to defend herself and I know she would. With what the city is coming to, we have no choice.

Yes you are.

Do you believe in taking any safety precautions at all?

So discussions about fighting back and not allowing yourself to get pulled off the trail are automatically victim blaming? Rule #1 that any cop, safety expert, Dateline, will tell you is to not let yourself get taken...no matter what.

So, they're blaming the victim too? "Not let yourself get taken", what on earth?

[Anonymous]

When I park my car on the street overnight, with valuables in plain sight and the doors unlocked and those items get stolen, I blame the thief.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not second guessing how these women reacted to be robbed at machete blade and one being dragged away. No one can say how they would react in that situation. I would like to think I would fight my hardest to avoid being dragged off or to stop a man from dragging my friend off. I'm going to have a talk with my hiking buddy and find out if she's willing to risk her life to save mine. I'd like to believe I would risk mine to save her.

When this thread first appeared, those of who said pretty much the same thing-fight back, do not let yourself get taken off that path--had our posts removed. Evidently, you can't even tell women to fight back now. I have no doubt in my mind that that man would never have gotten me off that trail if it were me. Of course, not blaming the victim, at all, but my husband and I have taught our teenage daughter how to defend herself and I know she would. With what the city is coming to, we have no choice.

Yes you are.

Do you believe in taking any safety precautions at all?

Person responsible for the attack: the attacker
Person not responsible for the attack: the victim, no matter what safety precautions the victim may or may not have taken

Just because there things to be learned from this tragic experience for that victim doesn't mean anybody is saying she is "responsible" for being attacked. I think it's right to remind people that there are measures one should take, as guys like this are not getting locked up and this isn't going to stop. As women, we have to stop them.

As women, we get to make our own decisions about which measures we find effective and appropriate to take.

Also, when you make comments about things the women did that you think they shouldn't have done, or things they didn't do that you think they should have done, then you're blaming the victim(s).

[Anonymous]

In law school, we talked about how the problem with instituting the death penalty for rape is that it might lead to the deaths of more victims. If the penalty for rape and murder is the same, there’s not as much incentive to leave the victim alive. A perpetrator might be more likely to kill the victim, making it less likely she will ID him. I don’t know if that’s how criminals think, but it did give me concern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I park my car on the street overnight, with valuables in plain sight and the doors unlocked and those items get stolen, I blame the thief.

Correct. The thief stole the stuff. No thief, no theft.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not second guessing how these women reacted to be robbed at machete blade and one being dragged away. No one can say how they would react in that situation. I would like to think I would fight my hardest to avoid being dragged off or to stop a man from dragging my friend off. I'm going to have a talk with my hiking buddy and find out if she's willing to risk her life to save mine. I'd like to believe I would risk mine to save her.

When this thread first appeared, those of who said pretty much the same thing-fight back, do not let yourself get taken off that path--had our posts removed. Evidently, you can't even tell women to fight back now. I have no doubt in my mind that that man would never have gotten me off that trail if it were me. Of course, not blaming the victim, at all, but my husband and I have taught our teenage daughter how to defend herself and I know she would. With what the city is coming to, we have no choice.

It stinks, but women and girls have to think through how they'd react/ what length they are willing to go to to avoid being moved to a second location. I took a self defense class taught by police officers and they told the class 100% run, if you can, or fight to avoid being moved to another location. These women, and the one who was raped especially, are lucky to be alive. When a predator moves you, the risk of being murdered rises exponentially. I would rather die fighting than live with the aftermath of rape.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not second guessing how these women reacted to be robbed at machete blade and one being dragged away. No one can say how they would react in that situation. I would like to think I would fight my hardest to avoid being dragged off or to stop a man from dragging my friend off. I'm going to have a talk with my hiking buddy and find out if she's willing to risk her life to save mine. I'd like to believe I would risk mine to save her.

When this thread first appeared, those of who said pretty much the same thing-fight back, do not let yourself get taken off that path--had our posts removed. Evidently, you can't even tell women to fight back now. I have no doubt in my mind that that man would never have gotten me off that trail if it were me. Of course, not blaming the victim, at all, but my husband and I have taught our teenage daughter how to defend herself and I know she would. With what the city is coming to, we have no choice.

Yes you are.

Do you believe in taking any safety precautions at all?

Person responsible for the attack: the attacker
Person not responsible for the attack: the victim, no matter what safety precautions the victim may or may not have taken

Just because there things to be learned from this tragic experience for that victim doesn't mean anybody is saying she is "responsible" for being attacked. I think it's right to remind people that there are measures one should take, as guys like this are not getting locked up and this isn't going to stop. As women, we have to stop them.

As women, we get to make our own decisions about which measures we find effective and appropriate to take.

Also, when you make comments about things the women did that you think they shouldn't have done, or things they didn't do that you think they should have done, then you're blaming the victim(s).

I understand that what you've written is the modern day twist to safety measures, but it's teaching young women to think that safety measures aren't important when they actually are. We can all appreciate that there are circumstances in which we may get hurt regardless of what we try to do, but that shouldn't mean that talking about safety equates to victim blaming. It doesn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My niece was stalked by a rapist from Maryland who got off easy. He should be in jail for life. DC won't keep him behind bars either.

The maximum sentences are rarely given out, and they are rarely life (in MD, only 1st degree rape is eligible for life sentences).

Various groups, typically on the left, have come out against harsh sentences for felonies.

Let them experience the consequences of their voting choices.

OMG this is not true. Quote any MoCo politician ever saying we should not give maximum sentences to rapists. You can’t because it’s jot true that MoCo wants to be soft on crime. You guys keep lying over and over.

Council Members Jawando and Mink have introduced the STEP act:

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council/Resources/Files/agenda/col/2023/20230228/20230228_2B.pdf

This would prevent police from doing traffic stops for infrations like expired registration and defective lights.

It's done for racial equity:

"The purpose of this bill is to promote fairness by reducing racial disparities that occur
during a traffic stop"

Yet, many traffic stops result in the seizure of weapons and drugs. For example this one that got fentanyl and crystal meth out of a dealer's hands before it could reach the victims:
https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail_Pol.aspx?Item_ID=43029

I agree it's unlikely a MoCo politician is on record for reducing the penalty for rape (which anyway is set by the state, not county, so they have no control) but they are most certainly in favor of less enforcement of crimes generally.

these crimes are not violent. Completely different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not second guessing how these women reacted to be robbed at machete blade and one being dragged away. No one can say how they would react in that situation. I would like to think I would fight my hardest to avoid being dragged off or to stop a man from dragging my friend off. I'm going to have a talk with my hiking buddy and find out if she's willing to risk her life to save mine. I'd like to believe I would risk mine to save her.

When this thread first appeared, those of who said pretty much the same thing-fight back, do not let yourself get taken off that path--had our posts removed. Evidently, you can't even tell women to fight back now. I have no doubt in my mind that that man would never have gotten me off that trail if it were me. Of course, not blaming the victim, at all, but my husband and I have taught our teenage daughter how to defend herself and I know she would. With what the city is coming to, we have no choice.

Yes you are.

Do you believe in taking any safety precautions at all?

Person responsible for the attack: the attacker
Person not responsible for the attack: the victim, no matter what safety precautions the victim may or may not have taken

Just because there things to be learned from this tragic experience for that victim doesn't mean anybody is saying she is "responsible" for being attacked. I think it's right to remind people that there are measures one should take, as guys like this are not getting locked up and this isn't going to stop. As women, we have to stop them.

As women, we get to make our own decisions about which measures we find effective and appropriate to take.

Also, when you make comments about things the women did that you think they shouldn't have done, or things they didn't do that you think they should have done, then you're blaming the victim(s).

That's why it's just fine for a single woman to take a walk through a city like Atlanta, DC, New York in the middle of the night? Good luck with that decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not second guessing how these women reacted to be robbed at machete blade and one being dragged away. No one can say how they would react in that situation. I would like to think I would fight my hardest to avoid being dragged off or to stop a man from dragging my friend off. I'm going to have a talk with my hiking buddy and find out if she's willing to risk her life to save mine. I'd like to believe I would risk mine to save her.

When this thread first appeared, those of who said pretty much the same thing-fight back, do not let yourself get taken off that path--had our posts removed. Evidently, you can't even tell women to fight back now. I have no doubt in my mind that that man would never have gotten me off that trail if it were me. Of course, not blaming the victim, at all, but my husband and I have taught our teenage daughter how to defend herself and I know she would. With what the city is coming to, we have no choice.

Yes you are.

Do you believe in taking any safety precautions at all?

Person responsible for the attack: the attacker
Person not responsible for the attack: the victim, no matter what safety precautions the victim may or may not have taken

Just because there things to be learned from this tragic experience for that victim doesn't mean anybody is saying she is "responsible" for being attacked. I think it's right to remind people that there are measures one should take, as guys like this are not getting locked up and this isn't going to stop. As women, we have to stop them.

As women, we get to make our own decisions about which measures we find effective and appropriate to take.

Also, when you make comments about things the women did that you think they shouldn't have done, or things they didn't do that you think they should have done, then you're blaming the victim(s).

That's why it's just fine for a single woman to take a walk through a city like Atlanta, DC, New York in the middle of the night? Good luck with that decision.

+1 We women have to accept the reality that we aren't as safe as men are. It is nit fair, it shouldn't be this way, but it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I park my car on the street overnight, with valuables in plain sight and the doors unlocked and those items get stolen, I blame the thief.

PP here - there's also the issue of comparing people to valuables in unlocked cars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I park my car on the street overnight, with valuables in plain sight and the doors unlocked and those items get stolen, I blame the thief.

PP here - there's also the issue of comparing people to valuables in unlocked cars.

Predators see females as objects with which they can do whatever they want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not second guessing how these women reacted to be robbed at machete blade and one being dragged away. No one can say how they would react in that situation. I would like to think I would fight my hardest to avoid being dragged off or to stop a man from dragging my friend off. I'm going to have a talk with my hiking buddy and find out if she's willing to risk her life to save mine. I'd like to believe I would risk mine to save her.

When this thread first appeared, those of who said pretty much the same thing-fight back, do not let yourself get taken off that path--had our posts removed. Evidently, you can't even tell women to fight back now. I have no doubt in my mind that that man would never have gotten me off that trail if it were me. Of course, not blaming the victim, at all, but my husband and I have taught our teenage daughter how to defend herself and I know she would. With what the city is coming to, we have no choice.

Yes you are.

Do you believe in taking any safety precautions at all?

Person responsible for the attack: the attacker
Person not responsible for the attack: the victim, no matter what safety precautions the victim may or may not have taken

Just because there things to be learned from this tragic experience for that victim doesn't mean anybody is saying she is "responsible" for being attacked. I think it's right to remind people that there are measures one should take, as guys like this are not getting locked up and this isn't going to stop. As women, we have to stop them.

As women, we get to make our own decisions about which measures we find effective and appropriate to take.

Also, when you make comments about things the women did that you think they shouldn't have done, or things they didn't do that you think they should have done, then you're blaming the victim(s).

That's why it's just fine for a single woman to take a walk through a city like Atlanta, DC, New York in the middle of the night? Good luck with that decision.

Yes, it is just fine. If someone attacks a woman who is walking by herself at night, are you going to say, "Well, she shouldn't have been walking by herself at night!"? If you do - that's blaming the victim.