Rohypnol The Drug of Choice
It’s strange and disturbing and it’s happening at an alarming rate but it’s something that’s overlooked by the public and press alike. Here in the state of Florida which has become the epicenter for college students once Spring Break comes around.
Here’s a rather disturbing fact , in the cities of Daytona Beach , Panama City , St Petersburg , Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale over the past five years , there has been over 375 sexual assaults. Of those less than 36 have brought about or led to the indictment and prosecution of the defendant. Something of a minuscule number don’t you think ? If you think that is an alarming stat ? Then consider this , in large part those indictments came about because the District Attorney’s office in each wanted a plea deal in order to gain a verdict. Of those cases that did go to trial the defendants were found guilty with the overwhelming DNA evidence playing a part in the case being brought to satisfactory conclusion on the part of the prosecutors .
Panama City Police meet up with a crowd of students during spring break. As you can see alcohol plays a part in the problems that can arise in the most innocuous of situations.
Courtesy of United Press International
Florida sees rash of spring-break rapes ….
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., March 17 (UPI) — Six alleged rapes in Florida have occurred during the first week of spring break, Daytona Beach police said.
One rape allegedly occurred in a men’s washroom at Ocean Center on Sunday, during which the victim could not get a good look at her attacker because he held her hair while he raped her, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported. No one has been arrested in that incident.
Reported rapes usually are on the rise in March because of spring break, the News-Journal said.
“All of last year we had a total of 41 sexual assaults. Here we have six in one week,” said police chief Mike Chitwood.
In another incident, 26-year-old Donco Mitrov of Daytona Beach is accused of raping a woman who was drunk when he met her. He allegedly plied her with more alcohol and raped her twice in the hallways at a beachfront hotel, police said.
Mitrov was charged with sexual battery and released from jail on $20,000 bond, police said.
The other four rapes happened behind a beachfront restaurant, at another hotel, and one after a woman met a man at a nightclub and invited him to go with her, the police chief said.
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What I find alarming about this all is that there are people out there wanting to excuse the inexcusable as it concerns Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger . As many of you may now well be aware, the Milledgeville PD and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation -(GBI) have halted their ongoing investigation for the time being. This came about because the alleged victim in the sexual assault for which the NFL player is the primary suspect has failed to attend an appointed interview with the investigating officers. Now we can attest to the fact the player has shown poor judgment but what is now clear is that people are still looking to defend the indefensible as it concerns the player. Is anyone really of the opinion that each and every allegation thus far is without warrant against the player ? How many times is it that Roethlisberger expects us to believe that each time the sex was consensual ? There are only so many ways that a cat can be skinned ! And there are only so many times that a lie can be spun in order to create the perception of truth.
Courtesy of Associated Content
Why the Spring Break Rape Total in Daytona Beach Will Keep Rising …
By David DiSalvo of Associated Content
The first official week of Spring Break was a violent one in Daytona Beach, where six rapes were reported in as many days. Bearing in mind that only a fraction of total rapes are reported to police, the actual number is unknown but no doubt much higher—and we’re only a week into the season.
Of the six reported rapes, all but one involved alcohol and/or drugs. Three of the victims were unconscious when assaulted. Only one person has been arrested so far.
A volatile set of factors combine in Daytona this time of year (and, of course, not just in Daytona). Take the impulsive and risk-prone tendencies of teens and early twentysomethings, combine with an atmosphere marketed as a massive free-for-all, and add generous amounts of alcohol and drugs—and you have a story that for many isn’t going to end well.
Daytona isn’t an especially safe city aside from Spring Break, but with the annual pilgrimage it becomes one of the least safe cities in the country. According to cityrating.com, the incidence of rape in Daytona Beach is 3.39 times higher than the national average. The occurrence of all violent crime is 3.09 times higher than the national average. 84 out of every 100,000 people in Daytona are raped annually.
The website Neighborhoodscout.com, which ranks how safe cities are around the nation, gives Daytona a 1 out of a possible 100. These statistics aren’t helped by the fact that during Spring Break, the normal population of around 66,000 swells by anywhere between an additional 100,000 – 200,000 people.
Last year, 41 rapes were reported to Daytona police during Spring Break. If the FBI is correct and only 37% of rapes are reported, then we can assume that more than 120 women were raped during Spring Break at Daytona Beach last year. All signs indicate that this year is going to be worse, and the victims are getting younger. One of the first six victims was 14 years old.
The NFL and the Steelers’ front office have been about as proactive in dealing with this situation as the government has been in dealing with the financial meltdown of the economy. Asinine utterances such as there’s ….” an upswing in productivity shows that the economy is in good health “. Well if that upswing is no more than one tenth of one per cent , then that can hardly be considered a healthy sign. But figures can be spun any way that you want it to be spun. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and his union counterpart NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith have remained ominously silent while this and under such disturbing behavior has gone on around the NFL. But what else ought we to expect from a league whose primary concern is to make money and very little else ? It’s not as they’ve ever viewed crimes against women committed by their members as something that warrants their undivided attention. The number of players within the NFL that we’ve either seen involved in cases of either domestic violence or sexual impropriety in some type of crime may seem minimal but it has become more common place than you think. Primarily because many of the incidents end being unreported or in a number of cases where it has gone to trial the defendant has either pled guilty to a lesser charge in order to avoid jail time. Somehow in some way when Goodell then deems fit to get involved he ends up making the situation seem somewhat more unbearable with his lackadaisical response.
In many of the cases where the female victims in the sexual assaults were involved . The drug ‘rohypnol’ was used in the preponderance of the cases. And rohypnol or more commonly known as roofy’s was placed into the beverage of the victim. In most cases it was alcohol , which in of itself is enough of an inhibitor . But here in lies the dilemma, many of the students who embark upon Spring Break , congregate in the aforementioned cities as well as places such as Cancun , Acapulco to have fun. Well , when fun then becomes the nightmare of sexual assault , an arrest and the violation of a victim. What’s left for many to debate about ? Two families will forever be intertwined by the events that have taken place.
And while there’s no suggestion to believe that Ben Roethlisberger instituted anything of that nature with regard to the allegations. Let us not pretend that things of this nature do not happen. Repeatedly we’ve either read or seen such events being reported. And unfortunately in many cases the police are sometimes unable to press charges because the victim is either unable or unwilling to face her attacker and make a positive identification.
My condemnation of Roethlisberger stems from the asinine decision made by the player. The same player who placed himself in harm’s way in a motorcycle accident , lied to his coach and the organization about the events that took place. Never mind the fact that the player broke the law in the operation of the bike. The operation of the vehicle without a valid license and registration. And people believe that there’s a cause for concern. When your character comes into question because your behavior indicates that your grasp of the truth is to lie. Then it would suggest that the player believes that he can act as he pleases without being at fault. Now comes the real issue if Goodell and Smith can’t even be proactive in dealing with the actions of its members . Then how the hell can the fans or the public at large have faith in the NFL ? Never mind the fact that we’ll tend to see the travesty that’s perpetrated within the justice system when the prosecutors tend to plea down crimes that are the most heinous in nature.
As a bye note Washington Wizards’ guard Gilbert Arenas will only serve 30 days incarcerated at a halfway house after having pled guilty in his gun violation trial . Somewhat of a light sentence don’t you think given the gravity of the charges faced ? Arenas if you remember brought with two loaded and unlicensed weapons to the Wizards’ locker room at the Verizon Center in Washington , DC. An altercation took place between he and teammate Javaris Crittenton and the two brandished their loaded weapons at each other. Arenas’ lawyer Kenneth Wainstein in his deliberations to the District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Robert E. Morin , stated that the player …”is remorseful for his actions and that he’s now turned his life around”. Make of it what you will but Arenas in a recent statement bragged about the fact that he had as recently six months ago, had as many as 500 weapons in is home. Many of them semi automatic and unlicensed. Did I miss something here , concerning Arenas and ‘his demeanor’ ?
But alas, this is the society we live in , where idiot athletes are idolized for all of the wrong reasons ! As Barkley once said ……….”I’m not a role model “. Perhaps someone ought to tell Charles we know that but how the fu_k are we suppose to view them ? When they themselves go out of their way to create the image courtesy of their managers, agents and endorsers to foment an image that’s pristine and above reproach. ? Take note Tiger Woods you’ve done some very bad things and still are doing some bad things . Like you’re still in complete denial Tiger !
NB: Stories reported concerning the rapes that’ve taken place in Daytona Beach, mirrors what is now going on statewide and across the country , at the various spots that students congregate for spring break. Bear that in mind as the stats shown here , are only for this year so far.
Alan Parkins aka tophatal ……………………
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Pat Metheny ………..This Is Not America ……… them to the movie ‘The Falcon And The Snowman’
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