Bars identified in reported sexual assault
MSU police have identified the two local bars visited by a woman who reported she was drugged and sexually assaulted by an acquaintance early Sunday morning.
The 21-year-old woman with no university affiliation joined the suspect Saturday at The Post Bar, 213 Ann St., and then accompanied him to Déjà Vu nightclub, 1000 W. Jolly Road, in Lansing, after The Post Bar closed, MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor said.
The woman told police the suspect drugged her drink at Déjà Vu, then took her to an unknown MSU residence hall and sexually assaulted her sometime between 4:15 and 8 a.m. Sunday.
The victim met the suspect early last week and agreed to go out for drinks Saturday, McGlothian-Taylor said.
The suspect told the victim he was an out-of-state resident and didn’t attend MSU, McGlothian-Taylor said. She added that the victim was too disoriented to give a full description of the suspect.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call MSU police at (517) 355-2222.
Published on Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Comments
GPM
02/26/08 @ 11:35pm
It sounds like she met him on MySpace or something…
Mark
02/27/08 @ 12:02am
Sounds to me like she was too drunk to be out alone (or at least the story makes it sound like she was alone).
Steve
02/27/08 @ 12:26am
This guy drugged her drink at Deja Vu? She couldn’t have been that tanked at that point to not pay attention to her drink. They don’t even serve alcohol there.
Brandon
02/27/08 @ 1:37am
....If she met him earlier that week, why can’t she give a good description of him?
Chris
02/27/08 @ 1:41am
“Like she” “like she” “she couldn’t” ... how about we try “she is the victim” ... why don’t we talk about the guy that did this… oh, we wouldn’t want to violate his rights now would we… assuming he did this, it is NOT HER FAULT... the true tragedy is, still assuming he is guilty, he would probably get away with it… not for lack of trying, evidence, or even will on part of prosecution, but at the end of day statistically it would be so hard to get a jury to convict a guy like this because anything short of proof the guy was a total scum bag via his previous record, the jury will be very biased to blaming the victim. society needs to change, and understand that it is not the victims fault EVER. What they choose to wear, where they choose to go, who they choose to go with, and how they choose to live their lives, none of these are invitations to rape…
ass
02/27/08 @ 5:17am
wh**e, thats all I can say. drugged my ass, first she goes to the bar then nightclub, she definitely couldn’t hold her alcohol, and she did meet him earlier in the week and couldn’t give a description? wow, people will do anything to get on the cover of a newspaper.
ass
02/27/08 @ 5:18am
so she remembered the bars where she went but doesn’t remember what the guy looked like..
hold on here
02/27/08 @ 9:26am
ass, you’re saying that this woman is a whore because she went to a bar and a nightclub? And that invites rape? Oh wait a second, she “couldn’t hold her alcohol”, that TOTALLY justifies it. How silly of me, I thought for a second that you had to be sober to consent.
KC
02/27/08 @ 9:40am
I would just like to point out… in this article and the last they said “the victim was too disoriented to give a full description of the suspect”. The did not say she did not know what he looked like at any point so stop even bringing that up. She was drugged and had a lot to drink. If we would like to be so judgemental then the next time you “men” go out and get plastered to the point you black out then we can have someone assault you… please let’s see how much you remember. I do not think the people in here running their mouths understand the full impact of rape on a person.
alum
02/27/08 @ 9:59am
Why is this still a story? Neither party attended MSU, and the woman obviously makes bad decisions. I am not saying she deserved to be raped, but she definitely didn’t do anything to protect her self. And who goes to a strip club on a first date?
Julie
02/27/08 @ 10:59am
“Why is this still a story? Neither party attended MSU,”
Because the assault occurred in an MSU residence hall and is being investigated by MSU police. Other crimes occurring on campus are covered in the State News so I don’t know why this would not be.
“the woman obviously makes bad decisions. I am not saying she deserved to be raped, but she definitely didn’t do anything to protect her self.”
Yes, heaven forbid that we blame the rapist for making the choice to violate another person’s body, possibly after making the choice to incapacitate her solely for that purpose. Do you blame elderly women who get mugged for being so stupid as to carry a purse and not carry a gun?
“And who goes to a strip club on a first date?”
I love how you make judgments about the woman in this case based on the location of the first date, but not the alleged perpetrator.
really
02/27/08 @ 11:53am
Not that I’m defending any actions here, but I’m with alum – Who randomly meets someone, goes on a first date and ends up at the Vu?? As a guy, I couldn’t see myself ever asking and of all my friends that are girls, I can’t see any of them accepting on a first date (even ones that I’ve seen go to strip clubs once they were with a steady bf).
what a stupid chick
02/27/08 @ 1:11pm
I’m not saying she deserved it, but, seriously, what kind of a stupid chick would even get herself in that situation in the first place? What did she expect? Besides, this stuff goes on all the time, every weekend, at MSU—and the overwhelming majority of co-eds, and their friends, don’t even consider it worth reporting. It’s usually written off as just another “girls gone wild” moment.
Murdog
02/27/08 @ 1:52pm
Can anyone say Duke Lacrosse…..this stuff is getting so old. Met him earlier in the week but cant give a description, was drinking at Deja Vu, where you cant drink alcohol….what a joke.
Kari
02/27/08 @ 2:57pm
While Vu doesn’t serve alcohol, they do serve water and pop and juice. The article said he drugger her drink, not her beer or her cocktail, her drink. Water is a drink. Pop is a drink. Juice is a drink. Who cares if she met this dude randomly, people do that all the time. Blind dates do occur. He could have been a friend of a friend and they clicked. Who knows, but no way did she deserved to be assulted. That is perfectly clear.
Kari
02/27/08 @ 2:59pm
I am sorry the first sentance is missing the “the” between While and Vu. And it should be drugged, not drugger.
Chris
02/27/08 @ 3:00pm
“whata joke” Murdog maybe i missed something whats so funny ?
Clowns
02/27/08 @ 4:52pm
Doesn’t anyboby watch CSI or CSI MIAMI or NYPD Blue….your asking the wrong question. Who’s dorm room did she end up in? Maybe this guy/gal could shed some important light on the subject. Does this girl remember what dorm she was in even after waking up from this “crime or bad mistake in judgement”? I would love to beat the tar out of this guy if he did rape her, but let the police do their job. Maybe they can take a few minutes out of their hectic day to solve a crime. O’ wait they are probably meeting on ways to control the upcoming football seasons’ tailgating problems
Where do we push all of these crazy people next?
CJ
02/27/08 @ 5:42pm
If she went back to a dorm before 8:00 AM, the police should be able to review tapes of every residence hall and possibly get a physical description and maybe even identify him. I’ve seen a lot of dorms that have added cameras to the side doors to make sure people coming in illegally are on tape. The investigation will probably take time but the video surveillance could help.
Megan
02/27/08 @ 8:48pm
Your are blaming this woman for the rape FOR BEING AT A BAR WITH A GUY. How many women does that not apply to?
Women have every right to go to the bar, drink, meet a guy on MySpace, go to the strip club.
Men, do not, have the right to rape. She is in no way to blame for this.
Nothing justifies rape.
irony
02/27/08 @ 8:52pm
Dear what a stupid chick,
Your post just seeps irony. Get herself into what situation? She was in a public place with a male. I take it you have never done that? He created the situation, by DRUGGING HER. A date rape drug incapacitates you. HE assaulted HER and you think that she should have prevented this? By that logic, I assume you will never drink anything in a public place where there are males nearby.
Emily
02/27/08 @ 8:55pm
I would encourage everyone who has blamed the victim here to read some of the responses posted to the original article:
http://www.statenews.com/index.php/article/2008/02/date_rape_reported_on_campus
Some Highlights:
-False reports make up only 3% of rape allegations
-By Michigan law, you cannot legally consent to sex if you are intoxicated
-After experiencing a traumatic event, it is a well-documented fact that your memory is severely impaired to the events that transpired
“There is no way for any of us to know what did or did not happen without a doubt we weren’t there. By stating that it did not happen, you are sending a message, a very strong message, to all women who are raped not to come forward, that they won’t be believed, that they will be criticized and ridiculed, and that if you do manage to believe them, you well tell them that it was their fault. And if you are wrong, you have just inflicted even further trauma on a woman who has just experienced the most violating crime there is.”
-If we admit that rape can happen to people who weren’t doing anything wrong, then it can happen to us, or people we care about.
If you have been sexually assaulted, there are two local resources that provide free advocacy and counseling: The Listening Ear (517-337-1717) and the MSU Sexual Assault Program (517-372-6666)
it is a big deal
02/27/08 @ 9:01pm
While I believe that “this kind of thing” may happen every weekend at MSU, that does not make it ok. “This kind of thing” is rape.
Rape is not the end to a crazy night. It is “not girls gone wild”. By definition, the rape victim is not a willing participant in the act. And rape is a crime, worth reporting to the police.
Don’t minimize this issue. It is common. That does not make it ok.
SARVP
02/27/08 @ 9:44pm
To piggy back on Emily’s comment about resources at MSU, there is also a new program that will begin in fall 2008 at MSU. The Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Program will be workshops for freshmen men and women to learn about how to become active in the prevention of rape at MSU. We are currently looking for Peer Educators; this is a perfect opportunity for men and women at MSU to become actively involved in making MSU a safe place to live and learn.Follow this link for more info: SARVP Program
Marc
02/27/08 @ 9:59pm
“what kind of a stupid chick would even get herself in that situation in the first place?”
As a male student here at MSU, I take exception to that. I’d like to think that when I meet a girl, she shouldn’t have to assume I’m a rapist. This is about that man who raped her. Would you be asking these same questions if a guy got beat up in a bar? Or robbed? Those kind of double standards belong in societies who view women as property – wake up and place the blame where it belongs. Sickening.
agreed, but...
02/27/08 @ 10:54pm
This IS a society that views women as property. Maybe not in the stereotypical Western image of Islam, but how often are women objectified in pop culture, or glorified as sex objects and gold-diggers? Let’s not kid ourselves… rape isn’t an unfortunate anomaly in an otherwise pro-feminine system. It’s the inevitable outcome of our gender-stratified society.
Nattalie
02/28/08 @ 8:22am
Ok, first off I want to just point out that unless everyone of you who are blaming the survivor know her personally and know the circumstances of the case in depth, you have no right or reason to speak against her or her behalf. What everyone needs to realize is that the media is capable of getting facts wrong or not reporting them in a way that makes sense to the general public, but one fact is true. Rape is never the survivors fault or up to her to prevent. Just because someone has a general trust in people and decides to meet someone does NOT mean that they are responsible for their attackers actions. You, me, and every single student and resident of East Lansing should be able to go to the bar or club, meet a person, spend the night talking, dancing, and having a good time, and NOT worry about being assaulted. These things keep happening because of the people who blame the survivor instead of the attacker. What ever happened to being responsible for your own actions? Today’s society is so obsessed with blaming everyone except for the person responsible or justifying actions that we forget to hold the attackers responsible.
Rick
02/28/08 @ 8:30am
Try this one on for size.
In the following situation, a holdup victim is asked questions by a lawyer.
“Mr. Smith, you were held up at gunpoint on the corner of First and Main?”
“Yes”
“Did you struggle with the robber?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“He was armed.”
“Then you made a conscious decision to comply with his demands rather than resist?”
“Yes.”
“Did you scream? Cry out?”
“No, I was afraid.”
“I see. Have you ever been held up before?”
“No.”
“Have you ever GIVEN money away?”
“Yes, of course.”
“And you did so willingly?”
“What are you getting at?”
“Well, let’s put it like this, Mr. Smith. You’ve given money away in the past. In fact, you have quite a reputation for
philanthropy. How can we be sure that you weren’t CONTRIVING to have your money taken from you by force?”
“Listen, if I wanted –“
“Never mind. What time did this holdup take place, Mr. Smith?”
“About 11:00 P.M..”
“You were out on the street at 11:00 P.M.? Doing what?”
“Just walking.”
“Just walking? You know that it’s dangerous being out on the street that late at night. Weren’t you aware that you could have been held up?”
“I hadn’t thought about it.”
“What were you wearing at the time, Mr. Smith?”
“Let’s see … a suit. Yes, a suit.”
“An EXPENSIVE suit?”
“Well – yes. I’m a successful lawyer, you know.”
“In other words, Mr. Smith, you were walking around the streets late at night in a suit that practically advertised the fact that you might be good target for some easy money, isn’t that so? I mean, if we didn’t know better, Mr. Smith, we might even think that you were ASKING for this to happen, mightn’t we?”
_________________
Pretty ridiculous isnt’ it.
Here are a couple questions for you to consider:
1. Why is it easy to find this scenario ridiculous, yet it remains appropriate to ask such questions of a woman who has accused a man of rape?
2. What if the victim here had been your mother, sister, grandmother, or girlfriend?
3. Better yet, what if it had been you? Be sure to watch your drink when you’re out with your buddies. I’d hate for your friends to blame you for someone taking advantage of you.
Like Marc (with a C) said, it’s ignorant attitudes like yours that leave some women distrusting of men. If you REALLY believe this stuff, duplicate your approach here the next time a family member or friend reports being a victim. My guess is that you won’t have the courage to do so, because deep down you know it’s wrong.
Samantha
02/28/08 @ 8:45am
To ignore this article and the concern of rape just because the survivor was not associated with MSU is a lame excuse to put your blinders up. RAPE happens everywhere and even if you are associated with MSU or not doesn’t mean you or someone you know won’t be assaulted. The women was assaulted within our community and the greater Lansing community is more than just MSU, students and administrators. If you think the issue of RAPE doesn’t affect you then think about how many times you have gone to the bar and woke up the next morning disoriented and confused about how you got home. The sad fact of it all is that RAPE can happen to ANYONE and most likely in your life span you will know at least one person who has been assaulted.
Emily
02/28/08 @ 9:14am
Samantha- Thank you for your insightful comment. I would just like to expand on your statement of “most likely in your life span you will know at least one person who has been assaulted.”
The U.S. Department of Justice has identified that between 1 in 4 and 1 in 5 college women will be sexually assaulted (attempted or completed) while they are at college (as a side note, we don’t blame women for going to college although it puts them at risk of assault). They further found that 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men in the general population will experience attempted or completed sexual assault in their lifetimes. The CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) says that these statistics are likely underestimating the problem, for reasons including that when women report, they are met with the victim-blaming you see here.
Therefore, I can personally guarantee that each and every one of you responding here already knows someone who has experienced an attempted or completed sexual assault. Maybe the reason they chose not to share this trauma with you is that they expected you to blame them for the assault, based on things they’ve heard you say in the past. I would encourage you to consider your views, and be a support to survivors instead of just another part of the trauma for them.
tara
02/28/08 @ 10:54am
There must be some evidence if a real rape occurred. When my friend was raped there was a lot of cell-phone vid floating around. The guy was never caught. I know it’s a fact that, pretty much, all guys who get a girl passed out and raped, take a ton of cellphone vid and other media and document it and post it all over myspace and the rest of the web. I mean, think about it, she can’t account for over 3 1/2 hours. She was most likely gang-raped and the rape was on long form digital video and most likely cellphone vid that has almost certainly been shared to both sides of the planet by now (all over the web, etc..). That’s what gets me about these stories I hear about these girls that get “passed-out and can’t remember”. These girls need to realize, most likely they were repeatedly raped, sometimes by more than one person (think about it, a guy gets a chick that incapacitated, it’s only logical he’ll call up a few buddies for some “male-bonding”), it’s usually videotaped and all over the internet. Personally, my advice is to not get into situations like that in the first place.
Emily
02/28/08 @ 11:27am
Tara-
In most sexual assault cases, there is no physical evidence. Of the hundreds of cases I have seen, I have not seen a single one with cell phone video or photo documentation. If you know that such evidence exists in this particular case, I would urge you to contact the police.
I am concerned by your statement to “not get into situations like that in the first place.” Have you ever gotten drunk, or gone to a bar, or gone on a date? The punishment for these behaviors is not rape.