It was with great alarm that I read the front page article "Genetic Genealogy Leads to Rape Conviction" in the October 24, 2019 edition of the Alexandria Gazette Packet.
The lurid and demeaning details of the attack, the reported violence that was used against the victim and the elaborate scheming done by the rapist showed no respect for the victim. Further, the amount of detail used in how the rapist carried out his crime leaves a blueprint for anyone else planning to rape and beat another vulnerable human being. My heart breaks for the victim. She showed such courage, resilience and the ability to remain alert enough to call for help. She need not read and relive those gruesome details.
This was a verbatim report from the City of Alexandria Office of the Commonweath's Attorney. Next time, for a crime of such dehumanizing treatment of a person and violence inflicted on a human, take the time to flesh out what details, if any, are needed to report the crime for the public's general safety and awareness of such crimes in the city, and what details are so gratuitous as to show no respect for the victim. This crime happened 3 years ago, no need to go into graphic detail. This woman is remarkable--she showed such courage, strength, resilience and clarity to get herself help and survive such an assault. She waited 3 years for her attacker to be identified. Take the time to edit your reporting to reflect the whole of the victim and their humanity.
Katherine Breen
Alexandria