Have you ever heard of a guilty verdict, and it still felt like a not-guilty verdict?
That definitely applies to this case I’m about to tell you.
Cheryl Araujo was a 21 year old woman from New Bedford,Massachusetts who left her family home after a party in pursuit of a cigarette.
The store was closed ,then she went into Big Dan’s Tavern, and caught up with a friend who was an employee in the bar,after her friend left.
Cheryl got ready to leave the bar ,but was grabbed by one man and then allegedly subjected to a gang rape by 4 of the bar’s patron’s,the saddest thing witnesses were present, but made no attempt to intervene,and were allegedly cheering.
After 2 hours of her hellish ordeal, she ran out half naked, and flagged down people who got her quick aid.
The media attention surrounding the case was insane.
And also there was a racist focus on the alleged rapists being Portuguese.
It led to a lot of ignorant prejudice towards the Portuguese community.
But the madness didn’t stop there.
The cross-examination of the victim was so brutal it was like a lamb being led to the slaughter.
It was hard to watch.
The trial descended into a circus with sadly Cheryl being the spectacle.
It at times felt like she was guilty till proven innocent.
The defence definitely went for the jugular in terms of the character assassination.
‘’Like did she go asking for it, didn’t she want to participate?
Why would a mum go to a bar on her own?’’
And sadly the public didn’t display much sympathy towards her either.
Due to this case it led to a decline in rape victims coming forward.
(Well if you watched the trial could you blame them Cheryl was raped, but made to feel like she went out looking for it.
Who goes out looking to be raped people.)
What was also damaging in this case despite Cheryl being covered up in court.
Her identity and address was disclosed which opened her up to more public scrutiny.
Despite the guilty verdict the people’s verdict eventually prevailed, and led to Cheryl and her family running from their hometown that essentially exiled them.
The good thing thing about times changing attitudes change too.
The people that vilified Cheryl I think now essentially would be ashamed by their conduct.
This case if repeated could have potentially set a dangerous precedent in regards to the treatment of rape victims.
It’s good to know the judicial process has changed in regards to the protection of the rights of rape victims, as I think most people can agree Cheryl was failed by the system that was essentially meant to protect her.
But the sad thing the change came too late for Cheryl Araujo.
After being run out by her community almost 3 years after the trial .Cheryl couldn’t catch a break.
Her life descended into alcohol and drug abuse.
While driving with her children in her car allegedly intoxicated she hit a utility pole ,and she died.
She was just 25 years old.
The bitter irony her rape case was the first rape case to be broadcast on USA tv and journalists were scrambling to get in.
But her death was barely acknowledged by the same media.
(To know about the case watch the Accused 1988 its very gripping film or Netflix’s ‘’Trial By The Media’’ episode Big Dan’s)