Sydney gang rapes

The Sydney gang rapes were a series of gang rape attacks by a group of up to fourteen Lebanese Australian men led by Bilal Skaf, against girls not of Lebanese descent, some as young as 14, in Sydney, Australia in 2000. The crimes — described as ethnically motivated hate crimes by some commentators cite news | first = Tracy |last = Bowden | title = Ethnicity linked to brutal gang rapes | publisher = ABC|date= July 15, 2002 | url = http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2002/s607757.htm| accessdate = 2006-07-30 ] cite news | authorlink = Miranda Devine|first = Miranda|last = Devine | title = Racist rapes: Finally the truth comes out | publisher = Sydney Morning Herald|date= July 13, 2002 | url = http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/07/13/1026185124700.html| accessdate = 2006-07-30 ] cite news | first = Patrick |last = Goodenough| title = Gang Rape Convictions Trigger Ethnicity Debate | publisher = CNSnews.com |date= July 16, 2002 | url = http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=%5CForeignBureaus%5Carchive%5C200207%5CFOR20020716b.html | accessdate = 2006-07-30 ] — saw blanket media coverage, the passing of new laws, and the trumpeting of "more than 240 years" in jail time handed out to the nine men. In court transcripts, Judge Michael Finnane mused that the rapes were events "you hear about or read about only in the context of wartime atrocities". [ [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/09/16/1032054759536.html The Age - When race and rape collide] ]

Attacks

;10 August 2000, Thursday:Attackers offered a ride and a portion of marijuana to two women aged 17 and 18. The women were taken by the attackers to Northcote Park, Greenacre where more collaborators were waiting. The women were then forced to fellate eight males.cite web | author = Judge Michael Finnane | title = R v H (sentencing remarks) |date= 23 August, 2002 | url = http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/s676658.htm | accessdate = 2006-07-30 ]

;12 August 2000, Saturday:A 16-year-old girl was brought to Gosling Park, Greenacre by who she believed was her friend, 17-year-old Mohammed Skaf. At the park she was raped by Mohammed's brother Bilal Skaf, and one other man, with twelve other men present who she said were "standing around, laughing and talking in their own language".cite news | author = AAP | title = Gang rapist Skaf gets 31 years | publisher = NEWS.com.au |date= July 28, 2006 | url = http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,19939084-1702,00.html | accessdate = 2006-07-30 ] The second man was said to have held a gun to her head and kicked her in the stomach, before she was able to escape.cite news | author = AAP | title = Victim 'happy' with Skaf rape sentence | publisher = The Age |date= July 28, 2006 | url = http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Skaf-sentenced-to-38-years-jail-for-rape/2006/07/28/1153816359618.html | accessdate = 2006-07-30 ]

;30 August 2000, Wednesday:Another woman was approached by attackers at the Bankstown train station, who proposed she join them in smoking some marijuana at another location. She agreed and went with them, however she was taken to three separate locations by the men, raped 25 times by a total of fourteen men, in an ordeal that lasted six hours. After the attacks the woman was said to have been hosed down with a fire hose. The woman, who was known during the trial as 'C' to protect her identity, later told her story to "60 Minutes". She told of how the attackers called her an "Aussie Pig", asked her if "Leb cock tasted better than Aussie cock" and explained to her that she would now be raped "Leb-style".cite news | title = When race and rape collide | publisher = The Age |date= September 17, 2002 | url = http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/09/16/1032054759536.html | accessdate = 2006-07-30 ]

;4 September 2000, Monday:Two women, both 16, were taken by the attackers from Beverly Hills train station to a house in another suburb, where three men repeatedly raped them over a period of five hours. One of the victims was told that "You deserve it because you're an Australian".cite web | last = Hayes | first = Liz | authorlink = Liz Hayes | title = Life Sentence: Transcript | work = 60 Minutes | publisher = Nine Network |date= September 2, 2001 | url = http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/sixtyminutes/stories/2001_09_02/story_407.asp | accessdate = 2006-07-30 ]

Further attempted attacks

A further series of gang rapes were said to have been attempted, but thwarted. On Friday 4 August 2000 four of the attackers approached a fourteen-year-old girl on a train where she was threatened with violence, punched twice and slapped,cite news | last = Crichton | first = Sarah | title = Gang rapist jailed 25 years as judge finds grounds for leniency | publisher = Sydney Morning Herald |date= August 24, 2002 | url = http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/08/23/1030052975310.html | accessdate = 2006-07-30 ] told that she would be forced to perform fellatio on several men and that she was going to be raped. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/s676658.htm Four Corners - 16/09/2002] ]

Attackers

*Bilal Skaf was said to have led and orchestrated the three August 2000 attacks. He was initially sentenced to a total of 55 years imprisonment but had his prison time reduced by the New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal to 28 years, with parole available after 22 years. However, on 28 July 2006 Acting Justice Jane Mathews added another ten years to his sentence for his role in the 12 August rape (his original conviction over the attack was quashed in 2004 and a retrial was ordered after it was revealed that two jurors had conducted their own investigations at Gosling Park).cite news | last = Wallace | first = Natasha | title = Gang rapists re-sentenced | publisher = Sydney Morning Herald |date= July 28, 2006 | url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/gang-rapists-resentenced/2006/07/28/1153816358559.html | accessdate = 2006-07-30 ] Bilal Skaf will now be eligible for release on 11 February 2033. In March 2003, Skaf was charged with sending mail containing white powder to a corrections department official from prison in an apparent hoax terrorist act.cite news | last = Gibbs | first = Stephen | title = Rapist out of sight but not out of mind | publisher = The Age |date= August 2, 2003 | url = http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/08/01/1059480552721.html | accessdate = 2006-07-30 ]

*Mohammed Skaf, younger brother of Bilal Skaf was also said to have been one of the gang rape attackers. He was sentenced to 32 years for his role in the gang rapes but has also had his sentence reduced on appeal, to 19 years with a non-parole period of 11 years. However, on 28 July 2006 he received an additional 15 years, with a minimum of seven and a half years over the Gosling Park attack. Mohammed Skaf will now be eligible for release on 1 July 2019. Skaf showed no remorse for his crimes, making sexually inappropriate remarks to female staff at the Kariong juvenile facility where he was incarcerated, and continued to blame his victims for initially agreeing to go with him because "they came out with us as soon as I asked them." [cite news|url = http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/10/10/1034222543718.html|title = Puny brother a cowardly bully|last = Crichton| first = Sarah|date = 2002-10-11|accessdate = 2008-07-15|publisher = Sydney Morning Herald]

*Belal Hajeid, then aged 20, was another gang rapist who was convicted and imprisoned for 23 years with a non-parole period of 15 years. Hajeid had his sentence later reduced on appeal.

*Mohammed Sanoussi, then 18, gang rapist who was sentenced to 21 years with a non-parole period of 12 years for the August 10 and 30 rapes. Sanoussi had his sentence later reduced on appeal. Shortly after his conviction, Sanoussi's brother and cousin were banned from visiting him in prison for three months after a rowdy clash staff at the Kariong Juvenile Justice Centre where he was incarcerated. Shouting broke out when staff removed the visitors after they had tried to pass newspaper clippings to the brothers about their sentencing the previous day. [cite news|url = http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/09/14/1031608343098.html|title = Rape leader's mum banned from prison|last = Mitchell|first = Alex| publisher = Sun Herald| date = 2002-09-15|accessdate = 2008-07-15]

*Mahmoud Sanoussi, then 17, is the brother of Mohammed Sanoussi who was sentenced to 11 years and three months imprisonment with parole available after six-and-a-half years. Mahmoud Sanoussi unsuccessfully appealed against his sentence in 2005.

*Mahmoud Chami, (then 20) - attacker sentenced to 18 years with a non-parole period of ten years. Chami unsuccessfully appealed against his sentence in 2004.

*"H" (Identity sealed: H has had his name suppressed under court order due to his "intellectual and mental disabilities" [cite web|url = http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/s676658.htm |title = Sentencing of H: On 23 August, 2002, Justice Michael Finnane sentenced H to 25 years in gaol with 15 years non-parole. These are Justice Finnane's sentencing remarks.| work = Four Corners - [http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/archives/2002b_Monday16September2002.htm story broadcast 16 September 2002: "... For Being Lebanese" ] | publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation| date = 2002-09-16|accessdate = 2008-07-15] ), (then 19), was sentenced to 25 years with a non-parole period of 15 years. 'H' had his sentence reduced later on appeal.

*Tayyab Sheikh, then 18, was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment with a non-parole period of nine years for his role in the August 30 rape. Sheik however received a retrial where he was sentenced to eight years and six months imprisonment with a non-parole period of four years and six months. Sheik was released from prison in late June 2007. [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/freedom-for-gang-rapist-who-faced-two-trials/2007/07/02/1183351125251.html Freedom for gang rapist who faced two trials - National - smh.com.au ] ]

*Mohammed Ghanem, then 19, was the final person to be sentenced and was imprisoned for 40 years with a non-parole period of 26 years for two counts of rape. Ghanem, like his co-offenders Bilal Skaf and Mohammed Skaf has shown no remorse for his actions, effectively opting to "tough it out" at the Kariong Juvenile Justice Centre where he was detained while awaiting his trial. [cite news|url = http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/10/11/1034222596283.html| title = Gang rape man jailed 40 years|last = Crichton| first = Sarah|date = 2002-10-12|accessdate = 2008-07-15|publisher = Sydney Morning Herald]

There was evidence to convict only nine men of the fourteen suspects, and in total over 240 years of prison time was handed out for the rapes.

Racial controversy

Conservative commentators such as Miranda Devine claimed that the crimes were racially motivated hate crimes The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the rapists were said to have stated to a victim, during the attack, "You deserve it because you're an Australian" and "I'm going to fuck you Leb style".

At the same time, the crimes have been cited by Muslim Australians as contributing to an increase in racial vilification towards the Muslim community.cite news | first = Brigid |last = Delaney |coauthors = and Cynthia Banham | title = Muslims feel the hands of racism tighten around them | publisher = Sydney Morning Herald |date= June 17, 2004 | url = http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/06/16/1087244979369.html | accessdate = 2006-07-29 ]

New laws

The public uproar caused by the gang rapes led to the passage of new legislation through the Parliament of New South Wales, dramatically increasing the sentences for gang rapists by creating a new category of crime known as "aggravated sexual assault in company".cite web | title = SECT 61JA | work = Crimes Act 1900 | publisher = Australasian Legal Information Institute | url = http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/ca190082/s61ja.html | accessdate = 2006-07-30 ] Also in the course of one of the trials, the defendants refused counsel as they believed that "all lawyers were against Muslims". This led to the contentious prospect of the defendants being able to cross examine the witnesses themselves,Fact|date=May 2008 a situation that was averted by further legislation being put through the New South Wales parliament.cite web | title = SECT 294A | work = Criminal Procedure Act 1986 | publisher = Australasian Legal Information Institute | url = http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/cpa1986188/s294a.html | accessdate = 2006-07-30 ]

Actions taken by government ministers, including the then Premier of New South Wales, Bob Carr, who publicly identified the perpetrators' background, led to controversy. Ethnic community group leaders, including Keysar Trad of the Lebanese Muslim Association complained that Carr was smearing the entire Lebanese Muslim community with the crimes of a few of its members, and that his public comments would stir up ethnic hatred. cite news | last = Goodenough | first = Patrick | title = Gang Rape Convictions Trigger Ethnicity Debate | publisher = Cybercast News Service |date= July 16, 2002 | url = http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=%5CForeignBureaus%5Carchive%5C200207%5CFOR20020716b.html | accessdate = 2006-07-30 ]

The first court case heard under the new sentencing regime concerned the gang rapes of two white women by Pakistani immigrants in Ashfield on July 28 2002.

MS used as tool

The attackers used SMS and mobile phones to orchestrate the attacks, utilizing this technology to phone ahead to other attackers to co-ordinate timely transport of rape gang members to the locations where women were being held. Authorities later intercepted these phone records, and a small sample of this material was released to the media, the rest being too offensive to publicise. The attackers texted such messages as "When you are feeling down ...bash a Christian or Catholic and lift up".cite news | first = Candace |last =Sutton |coauthors = and Eamonn Duff | title = Rapist's loving family: Where did we fail our son? | publisher = Sydney Morning Herald |date= September 8, 2002 | url = http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/09/07/1031115957991.html | accessdate = 2006-07-30 ] and "I've got a slut with me bro, come to Punchbowl". cite news | first= Sarah |last =Crichton | title = Sentence angers rape gang victims | publisher = The Age|date= August 24, 2002 | url = http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/08/23/1030052975185.html | accessdate = 2006-07-30 ]

Movie in the making

A movie titled "Wrong Girl" directed by Michael Jenkins regarding the Sydney gang rapes (and specifically on the August 30 attack) is due to begin production in 2007. The film has received $51,000 in federal and NSW state funding and has drawn criticism from Police and Government ministers. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Gang rapist movie plans draw outrage |url=http://au.news.yahoo.com/070128/2/127xc.html |work=Yahoo7 News |publisher=Australian Associated Press |date=2007-01-28 |accessdate=2007-01-29 ]

References

External links

* [http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/sentence-slashed-gang-rapes-not-worst-category/2005/09/16/1126750110895.html "Sentence Slashed: "Gang rapes not 'Worst Category']
* [http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=national&category=general+news&story_id=184920&y=2002&m=10 "40 years jail for last of Nine gang rape offenders"]
*"The West Australian" ("Reign of terror by mobile phone and the promise of a smoke", July 31 2002).
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,797463,00.html The Guardian: Racially Motivated Crime and Punishment]
* [http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/archives/2002b_Monday16September2002.htm ABC TV's Four Corners: "...For being Lebanese]
* [http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/s675775.htm ABC TV: Sentencing hearing of Bilal Skaf]
* [http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/ojs/index.php/TfC/article/view/599/546 "The 'Young Muslim Man' in Australian Public Discourse"] by Kiran Grewal, "Transforming Cultures eJournal", Vol.2, No.1, Novemeber 2007