TWO days ago, the three suspects in a rape case involving a 16-year old girl were arrested by authorities. One of the culprits is in fact the boyfriend of the victim. Based on the facts given related to this case, "the suspects took advantage of the victim when she was already intoxicated.” The victim went to the drinking session held on January 9 with her boyfriend.
Rape, as it is, is always a sensitive social issue. It is a crime both morally and biologically and culprits deserve to be punished for committing a heinous and unforgivable act against another person. I can see a lot of friends and acquaintances who air their sentiments that we should not blame the victim for the consequences of wearing skimpy clothes or hanging out with male friends.
However, I do have friends as well who are on the same boat as I am. So here I am again to argue to everyone who thinks otherwise that prevention is always better than cure. I would like to echo what I wrote in my March 24, 2019 column titled "That Thing Called Delicadeza":
Upon seeing the news about a 16-year-old teen who was a victim of gang rape after she spent a night with the six suspects in a drinking spree, I shook my head and only got disappointed with how young girls are acting nowadays. I hope people will not get me wrong for my opinion, I know that rape is still a crime and that the perpetrators need to be punished. Thankfully, four of the six suspects have been apprehended as of the time of writing.
However, I am raging with fury at the victim for giving the rapists the opportunity to commit the crime, for putting herself in trouble.
Based on news reports, the victim was invited by one of the suspects to have a drinking spree in their house, and after getting drunk and unconscious, the girl woke up as the sexual abuse happened. She managed to regain consciousness and went home after the said incident.
Who, in her right mind, would go on a drinking spree with six men alone? Did her parents even know about this? The victim is just either dim-witted or flirtatious, but I think she's both stupid and easy to get. In short, she does not have "delicadeza."
Which now leads me to ask, what is happening with our youth now? If we look at the ages of the suspects, they are in between 18 to 15, the victim at 16 years old. Too young to be caught in this kind of crime and predicament.
The age of teenage pregnancy has also gotten lower and lower in the past two years, with the youngest girl at nine years old recorded in Central Luzon? She's not even a teenager yet. Face in my palm.
It's not at all bad to still remain a "Maria Clara" in this modern and fast-paced world. I do hope that we also focus on the plight of our young women nowadays. We hope that we can guide them to better decisions, to good opportunities, and healthy habits to make sure that they become women of sophistication and beauty, both in and out, when they mature and grow older.