News & Politics - Wrong woman hurt in 'rape fantasy' tryst

StellaSlight · 04-11-2004, 06:12 PM

Story from CNN :

Quote:

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- A California man has pleaded guilty to residential burglary after he set up a meeting with a woman on a rape fantasy Internet chat page, but instead broke into a different woman's apartment.

Michael Todd Howard, 35, pleaded guilty in a court in San Diego Tuesday in return for an expected sentence of one year in jail and probation, prosecutors said.

According to court documents, last September, Howard broke into the home of a woman with whom he thought he had set up an encounter on what was described as a "rape fantasy" chat site. After he entered the wrong apartment, he hit and struggled with the 25-year-old woman inside, who told law enforcement officials she thought she was going to be killed.

The victim stopped the attack by yelling and attacking Howard's testicles. Howard then asked for the name the victim used in the chat room and she responded by saying she had never visited a chat room and did not have a personal computer.

As a part of the plea deal, prosecutors dropped charges of intent to commit rape, false imprisonment and possession of illegal drugs. Howard will be sentenced next month.

The story is 10-days old but I just heard of it. I hope the woman is okay. Gee, I understand how afraid and traumatized she can be.

Maresa · 04-20-2004, 04:37 PM

The things people get off on.

UGH.

I feel bad for the woman, but it sickens me even more that there are "rape fantasy" chatrooms. That people go to. And do.

And in that case, would it even be considered rape?

Timeo · 04-20-2004, 04:41 PM

Heh. Am I the only one who finds this vaguely amusing? I mean this guy set up a meeting with a woman who wanted to be "raped" and he burst into another woman's house instead.

ros2nz · 04-21-2004, 02:04 AM

Rape fantasy??? um, ok. [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] What's next?

StellaSlight · 04-21-2004, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Timeo:
Heh. Am I the only one who finds this vaguely amusing? I mean this guy set up a meeting with a woman who wanted to be "raped" and he burst into another woman's house instead.

Actually I think I would consider it vaguely amusing too, had the woman not been traumatized by it. Apparently, he hit and struggled her, so it's definately a sobering thing.

Quote:

And in that case, would it even be considered rape?

You mean, if two people who have that fantasy about rape would perform a real one? I guess it depends on the question of the consentement at the time the sexual act is done. A court would probably determined if the woman agreed to the sexual act, even if she had said on a chatroom that she'd like to be raped. But it's damn hard to tell, all the context is related to a 'real' rape : the man enters into the woman's house without warning, hits , strangles, take her savagely etc... and if the woman says no, and struggles, who's to say that it wasn't to add to the fantasy, since she's supposed to play the role of the raped woman?

*Lauren · 04-21-2004, 07:52 AM

I read a story in one of the women's magazines about this. A women had a rape fantasy and asked her boyfriend to fufill it. She changed her mind and started screaming "STOP STOP!" and he of course thinks she's playing along. Horrible situation all round.

migamoo · 04-21-2004, 10:55 AM

i want to know what kind of person would even entertain the thoughts of a "rape fantasy"?

Charlize'sAngel · 04-21-2004, 11:05 AM

Whatever floats people's boats I suppose... [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

idork · 04-22-2004, 03:46 PM

Ugh, people get off on the strangest things. That is nothing short of terrifying, that poor woman.

Makes me wonder about rape cases. Would the man get in trouble even if it's a "consensual rape"? The woman could just get mad and cry rape when she wanted it...oh my

Cail · 04-23-2004, 09:34 PM

Does "rape fantasy" ring like an oxymoron in anyone else's ears? Or is it just me?

I cannot even begin to fathom the idea of a woman wanting to be raped.

When you think about it in technical terms, there can't possibly be a consensual rape. It would just be another form of consensual sex acted out in a different context.

[ 04-23-2004: Message edited Cail ]

ros2nz · 04-24-2004, 11:44 AM

This is very degrading to rape victims. It's like 'Oh hell, that's just a fantasy. Chill.' [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] Or worse. "She asked for it. I couldn't tell the difference between fantasy and reality."
It's repugnant.

aussie baby · 04-24-2004, 05:10 PM

i can't beleave people would want to be raped as a fantasy

Headhunter · 04-26-2004, 08:31 AM

Aren't safewords (like "purple elephant") set up to break up these kinds of scenarios? It seems highly suspicious that a planned event wouldn't have safewords, identifying traits in the house, etc.

The man who plead guilty could have made up the entire "rape fantasy" element, for all we know...

**Mio** · 04-26-2004, 01:32 PM

Okay it's starting to get freaky when CSI: Miami did an episode exactly like this earlier this season.

Life imitating art. Or vice versa.

**Grace Like Rain** · 04-26-2004, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ros2nz:
This is very degrading to rape victims. It's like 'Oh hell, that's just a fantasy. Chill.' [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] Or worse. "She asked for it.

I was thinking the same thing.

I just dont get why someone would have a fantasy about that.