Eight Year Old Rape Case Brings Questions About Refugees

by Ashli Arispe in Crime, July 28, 2009

A eight year old girl refugee was lured and raped by four other refugee children. The story continues when her family disowns her due to the rape.

Our country is offering refuge to multiple countries(over 44,000 refugees have entered our country) and I am fully supportive of this. However, I must meet the question of how can we offer refuge when some of the beliefs accompanying the refugees are brought over as well.I know that as a child and an adult when often going through a problem I seek comfort from my family. This eight year old girl who was lured and abused against her will no longer has this option. She has been put in protective services.As past reports have shown, many children have to wait years to be placed by CPS, or some just wait out their time until they are eighteen going from group home to group home. These group homes have often been the exact opposite of what their purpose is with abuse occurring within the homes. In 2008, 510,000 children were reported to be in foster care. Many cases have been found nationally that bring images very similar to Ms. Hannigan exploiting children in Annie without the happy ending. Not to mention the cases of sexual and physical abuse that has been reported. With all of this in mind, I cannot help but wonder, is there really a refuge from you past roots? These families seek it, yet cases like this make me wonder if there truly is a refuge for these young girls no matter where they live when their families mindset are still stuck in the very same concepts and places that they were trying to escape.