To Believe the British Girl in Cyprus Version of Events

It's all a bit strange, isn't it?

I also find it odd that, if there was allegedly a gang rape, why wasn't it filmed, given as the consensual act with the boyfriend was?

And it's odd that, although there's evidence to support that sex took place, there's no other reported medical evidence to support it that we've been told about. You'd expect reports of bruising maybe, and fingernail scrapings at least.

I think we need to be careful of leaping to conclusions before more is known.

I am not sure whether she is telling the truth or not is the point. It seems like a gross miscarriage of justice in a very paternalistic country which values it's tourism rather more than it's justice.

I can't tell you how sorry I am to say that. I lived in Cyprus in my early teens and loved it.

So Baggs you think that a girl who consented to have sex with a young man then agreed to have sex with all his friends, then decided to make a rape allegation, but finally after 8 hours of questioning without any help or representation told the truth!
Why should women worry when there are such great examples of female solidarity?

This is a horrible and distressing story.

Without knowing all the details, and feeling desperately sorry for this young woman, I'm not sure "believe" is a useful or proper word to use in cases like this. Allegations of this kind must be taken seriously and investigated properly but we cannot start from a position of assuming the guilt of those accused without proof. Is there any proof?

There have been a few high profile cases recently of young men wrongly accused of sexual crimes whose innocence was only established at the last moment when evidence that had not been made available to their defence teams came to light.

OOh ladymuck have you not heard ? Women enjoy sex too !!!
And actually your Cypriot girls are kept close to home is just another indication of a society where women are treated as second class citizens. Perhaps you would like to see them barefoot in the kitchen all their lives?
MerylStreep what concerns me is that Cyprus has happily signed up to all the EU directives on rape and is amongst the seven recognising it as being sex without consent. God knows how the rest treat women. Or is it just an example of lip service? Only seven out of 28 EU member states, including the UK, Ireland, Germany and Cyprus, have laws under which rape is defined by consent.
It is shocking!

I think this is not the only country which is feeling indignation and anger at her treatment, I have seen reported that Cypriot women are angry and there is even support for her in Israel. They must be ashamed of these young men.

Ladymuck, whilst I think PUBLIC displays of licentious behaviour in a more conservative society abroad, or indeed at home does those who indulge no favours. This girl was in a hotel room, she was having a holiday romance/fling, call it what you will, I don't think she should be judged, or make the sweeping assumption "English Girls Go Abroad to Have a Good Time" a good time presumably being a euphamism for having casual sex and may I ask What of the men??? Do they not also go abroad for the same reason? "What's Good for the Goose" surely! In any case the point is the girl was allegedly having sex with one man, maybe it was casual, maybe she was hoping for something more enduring, whatever the nature of their relationship is none of anyone's business. What is clear, she didn't anticpate his betrayal and expect all his mates to come piling in The judgement of the Cypriot Courts, that she was "mischief making" did them no favours, I doubt whether we will have heard the last of this, the men may think they've got away with it, but the groundswell of opinion suggests that women particularly, feel this young girl has been treated extremely harshly on top of what must have been an awful ordeal for her anyway.

Callistemon
I copied and pasted the article directly I don’t comment on its accuracy but videoing people in embarrassing situations it par for the course these days.

How odd david that’s not what I read. In my paper her solicitor said she was having consensual sex with one man when his mates arrived, and it turned into a gang rape.
Yes, that is what I have seen reported.

So - a man on holiday having casual sex is fine, it's what men do, his mates bursting in on them is a prank but the girls have low morals.

Judgement in the 21st century.

Or god forbid it could act as a message to men not to behave like animals.

Yehbutnobut
Did you not realize bursting in on a mate with a girl is really funny to them, it’s typical of the lack of respect lads have for the girls.

I've lived in Cyprus and have experience of the local police. We were involved in a traffic accident and were treated with great respect and sensitivity.
Cypriot girls are kept close to home and brought up with the kind of moral teaching which we used to have.
Like it or not, English girls go abroad to 'have a good time', which is what that particular resort is known for.
Let us hope that this girl's experience will serve as a warning to others.

Equality has a very long way to go in some places, sadly.

Are the men they sleep with said to have low morals too. Dear god. That poor girl.

Ladymuck, I doubt if any police are so narrow minded , Cynical and brutal , yes, but not narrow minded.

If she reported being raped, she should have been examined by a doctor.Even if she was used to having regular sex, being raped would surely have injured her.

I'm sorry to say this, but English girls do have a reputation for having low morals, especially those who choose that particular part of Cyprus to holiday. The police would have been prejudiced against her right from the start.

Do all regimes sacrifice individuals in the national interest?

If so it be the immorality we have to confront and overcome in 2020. The end does not justify the means.

ybnb I think when Davidhs said about the drunken lads and a prank I took it to mean them opening the door on their mate who was with the girl - to jeer etc NOT a gang rape. I don’t think she’d be insensitive!

The more I read about it, the more upsetting it becomes for the following:

That some young men can have such a hideous pack mentality and zero empathy with their victim, I can only think of Donald Tusk's comment "there will be a special place in hell for them" Lets hope in the future, they don't have a daughter who finds herself in such a situation. In the meantime perhaps they could at least reflect on how they'd feel if it was a sister of theirs. Apparently they celebrated on their return to Israel with champagne and comments of the "British girl is a whore" I've also read on MN they intend to sue her. As if she isn't traumatised enough

Can't help feeling the pernicious effects of pornography fuels such behaviour.

The Cypriot Judiciary has really let this girl down, reading about her trial the judge sounds a complete bully, I can't begin to imagine how awful such an ongoing nightmare is for this young woman

trisha
I'm afraid your view of the eu as in treatment by police in a eu country is somewhat scewed. Yes, you can 'assume' that all European police act the same but the more east you travel the standards that we expect from police forces go out the window.
Have you forgotten the plane spotters in Greece. Greece had been a eu member for 20 years when that happened.

Davidhs - 11/12 young men have sex, consensual or otherwise, one after the other, with the same young woman and you call it a "prank". Try imagining that either she or one of the men is your daughter or son. Still think it was a "prank"?

Whatever the facts it's terrible. Agreeing to a one night stand is one thing but then it escalating to gang rape quite another.
This poor girl has had her faith in the judicial system and the human race smashed to pieces. I hope to God that justice is served and that she can eventually put this behind her, if that's possible. This is one of those bad experiences which is never forgotten and could well sadden her for the rest of her life, ruining her confidence and self-esteem.

There's a thread on Mumsnet about this case. Gives links to newspaper articles, etc. Imo, the way this young lass has been treated is appalling, and is a prime example of why so many women don't report rape. Her family must be desperate to get her home.

A prank? Words fail me that is ?????.

How odd david that’s not what I read. In my paper her solicitor said she was having consensual sex with one man when his mates arrived, and it turned into a gang rape.