I wanted to post this here because I heard something yesterday that made me so angry, and I don't know whom else to talk to about this. I want to get it off my chest.

I was talking with a lady friend of mine, and she was telling me about her past, including one incident when she was drugged and raped. At first I didn't ask anything about this because I didn't want to pry. But later on, while commenting on what a messed up life she seems to have, I brought that subject back up because it had really struck me.

She gave me a few more details. The man was an executive at a large financial firm, and she said "And then he gave me a book that justified it."

After my expression of WTF, she said, "Yeah, the Law of Attraction." She woke up in a stupor in his house, and he gave her this book and sent her on her way.

Now I'm vaguely familiar with the idea: What we think about comes true, etc.

So here we have a man who rapes a woman and then gives her a book in order to convince her (and himself, of course) she was asking for it.

It happened years ago and she never pressed charges. I won't describe the violent fantasies of sadistic vigilantism I've had since she told me that story last night. I could probably get the man's name from her and possibly address too. But I probably won't. Probably. In any case, that is beside the point...

Anybody familiar with this book? Can it really be used to justify rape? If so, I hate the universe. God is not just if this man doesn't get what's coming to him, and if my friend doesn't find a way to get on her feet and experience some real joy. She had a messed up childhood and has some issues from that, but she is very noble at heart. The kind of mother she is trying to be supports that. This is one of the first times in my life I've had the thought, "I hope there's a hell." I want this man to feel every last thing he made her feel.

Almost anything can be used by a twisted mind in an attempt to justify rape. This guy should be reported, but it may be too late now, as it's too late to gather evidence. Is your friend suffering from Post Traumatic Stress? If so, she should see a therapist who specializes in trauma therapy. You can find those in the phone directory or by Googling online.

This does not surprise me. From what I have seen and read of New Age beliefs, New Age does not believe that there is such a thing as evil. I have had several conversations with my co-worker, who is a "True Believer" in this stuff and some of the things that she says, I just look at her and say, Do you really mean what I think you said? It's all good, as far as they are concerned. No one ever manipulates, no one ever deceives--every one is on the up and up and anyone who questions, well, they just don't get it. They're closed-minded. They're negative. You just have to open your heart and see!

I have tried and tried to reason with her but she refuses to listen. And I feel so inadequate and helpless because I am afraid she will be taken advantage of by some charlatan, maybe not in that particular way, but in other ways. At least religions like Christianity, Judaism and Islam acknowledge that there IS such a thing as evil and we need to be on guard that we don't allow ourselves to be deceived, but New Age leaves its followers helpless and wide-open for scoundrels of all kinds to take shelter within, with no way to combat their damage.

This should be reported.

Even if the statute of limitation has passed and the victim cannot sue for damages or press charges, the police should know about this because they may be getting reports from others who have been harmed, and an additional report may previde clues that will help them ID this person and catch him.

A characteristic of of New Age thought is to eradicate the distinction between thought and action.

When thought and action are conflated, what results is magical thinking.

What you think you therefore create or attract. LOA

Other important distinctions that are disowned/subverted are the distinction between

Self vs Other (We are all one)

Victim vs Perpetrator (Victims cannot exist without harm, whether its accidental harm (a brick falling on you from a construction site) or harm done either intentionally or inadvertantly.

Perpetrators will seize anything that will eradicate the term victim, because this shifts responsibility away from the perp.

Its cruel enough when a predator violates physical boundaries.

When this same person confuses the boundaries that support catagorical thought needed by the victim to make sense of the situation--that adds yet another layer of injury.

Sometimes in life (more often than you would think) horrible things happen and the police literally do not care. I mean, there is a Dr. who is a suspected serial killer or involved in prostitution killings in and around NY/Long Island, racking up like 15 victims thus far, yet the police want to sweep it under the rug and forget about it because "Who cares about hookers right?".

When the police fail you, I think you have every right to take the law into your own hands. Maybe this guy who raped her needs to be punished in some other way rather then going to the cops (which will result in endless double talk and runaround but no convictions).

Thank God it wasn't my wife/daughter/sister/mother/friend that he did this too, because it would have already been taken care of.

You cannot know if the police fail you unless you report the incident.

corboy that is like saying you can't say that Santa Claus isn't real unless you've been to the North Pole. Trust me, cops are way more concerned with protecting their own butts and their own infrastructure than ever taking a risk to actually solve a crime.

Quote
DonShwantz
Sometimes in life (more often than you would think) horrible things happen and the police literally do not care. I mean, there is a Dr. who is a suspected serial killer or involved in prostitution killings in and around NY/Long Island, racking up like 15 victims thus far, yet the police want to sweep it under the rug and forget about it because "Who cares about hookers right?".

Weren't most, if not all, of Ted Bundy's victims prostitutes? What is wrong with the NY police, that they're not moving on that case? Are they underfunded, or something?

And corboy had a very good point; this should be reported, because there may be other victims. Your friend could help some other woman out, who files charges. She would be in a position to testify at a trial. But first, she has to heal from her trauma. Please support her in getting competent help.

Lets keep this focused on the the people who were harmed.

Complaining about the ineffectiveness of the police has the postential to shift the discussion away from the topic.

The police are not always responsive, true.

But...one cant find that out unless one MAKES REPORTS.

Its only when one makes reports and these are ignored that one can then, validly claim the police are not responsive.

SO if the cops dont help--involve the media.

And..the more victims make reports, the better able the police are in connecting the dots.

In my city there have been cases of date rape where drugs were used and this was taken very seriously indeed.

Note: This here is a hot topic. And thus, likely to attract trolls.

All the more reason to stay focused on what helps the victims.

Note: I have corresponded on this message board for ten years and have witnessed the patterns.