A horrific hate crime took place in Lincoln, Nebraska recently when an openly gay woman was held hostage by three masked men who tortured her and carved slurs into her body. The unidentified woman is lucky to be alive, but the damage of the attack is so horrendous it'll be a wonder if she ever fully recovers from it.
The woman isn't being named for reasons of her safety, but it's being reported that three masked men broke into her home, stripped her naked and then tied her up so she couldn't move. They carved hateful words into her body with knives and then spray painted the words "We found u Dyke" on her basement wall. They then spread gasoline over the floor of her home and threw down a lit match with the intent of burning the house down with her in it.
These vile pieces of excrement were not successful in their attempt at a fatal hate crime, luckily. The woman was able to escape and drag herself naked and bound to a neighbor's home where police were called. She is now residing in an emergency shelter for her safety, but the three masked individuals are still at large. Will she have justice or will these men go forth and attack more homosexual persons? There is no excuse for committing crimes such as this one, and hopefully the police in Lincoln make an example out of these fools if and when they're caught.
Crime analyst and profiler Chelsea Hoffman can be found on The Huffington Post, Chelsea Hoffman: Case to Case and many other outlets. Follow @TheRealChelseaH on Twitter or click here to contact Chelsea directly.
recommend
Facebook
Twitter
bookmark 
print
Comments: 25
All those who villify gays and use their beliefs as a cudgel to try and force everyone else to share their hate-filled point of view are guilty of incitement in crimes like this.
I say this as a man of faith.
That one may not or may also be a hate crime designed to denigrate or encourage the elimination of an entire group of people. Which is precisely why hate crime laws are a great idea - to discourage discrimination and genocides against an entire class of persons. HELLO!
It is interesting to note that the people who don't like hate crimes laws tend to be aligned with political parties or religions that are against say - gay rights. Railing against hate crime laws is often just another thinly-veiled angle of their groups' hatred.
For instance, a number of prominent religious groups came out for California's anti-gay marriage Proposition 8 - which passed. Then on 7 Feb. 2012, CBS News reported that presidential contenders Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney are upset that law was overturned by a court. Hand in glove.
"Gays want special rights." by those aligned with the same groups who still deny us even equal rights - absolutely mind blowing lies.
E.g.: ~32 U.S.A. states have put gay marriage to direct citizen vote. 0% of those states voted to give us this same right straights have. THESE are hate crime laws by hypocrites who claim we don't need hate crime laws - they just call them by another name. HELLO?!
Native Americans forced onto reservations, Africans forced into slavery - then segregation - then Jim Crow laws, widespread discrimination against Jews for being "The Jesus Killers", denying women the right to vote - and even serving on a jury until 1975, running "the heathen Chinee" out of a number of towns and even rioting against them in San Francisco, anti-Catholic riots in a number of U.S.A. cities, etc. This is and has always been a nation chock full of stupid bigots.
You're damn right we need hate crime laws.
I could not possibly agree more.
I absolutely believe GLBT's should have all the same exact rights, of straight married couples. Identical in fact.
Personally I would prefer it be called a civil union, unless done in a church that believes in it. I believe straight couples should have the same restriction on the word even tho 100% of all legal rights are allowed.
Just my opinion.
But yes, we absoluetly need hate crime laws.
I am personally horrified by this incredibly ignorant, vicious and cowardly act.
Not that there's anything wrong with being a Ms/Mr.
Especially on a sultry Saturday night out on the town.
Certainly increases your odds of getting a date they say!
Even maggots wait till something is dead before they try to destroy and devour it.
It stands to reason that they were in some way either acquainted with and/or known to the victim. Inasmuch, as first, they were aware that she was a lesbian, second they knew where she lived, third they knew when she would be home alone, fourth they knew that they had the time to carryout their barbaric intentions without any interuption and fifth they wore mask to conceal their identity. The first four reasons demonstrating their knowledge of the victim and her daily schedule, with the last being a precaution against victim identification.
My sincere empathy goes out to the victim and her family as well as my hope and prayers for her full and speedy recovery.
I want to believe that this may not be a hate crime. Instead maybe revenge for something, or a bitter lover's quarrel - and just dressed up to look like a hate crime.
Because it is hard for me to imagine torture in this country based on someone's sexual orientation alone.
Even if one or both recent crimes is shown to NOT come from group bias, that in no way lessens the need for hate crime laws. These are just drops in the historical bucket against any number of identifiable groups in our nation and world.
I have been verbally denigrated/attacked (not just disagreement) about my orientation - out of the blue - on more occasions than I can remember. Including from my parents.
Many years ago a Seattle acquaintance was so badly gay bashed that he was hospitalised - where I visited him. Even though he is a martial arts expert, he is a smaller guy, and his head was a visual mess.
But a beating is different than tying someone down for torture. If the carved body 'tatoos' were directed at sexual orientation rather than other aspects of the victim, it seems likely to be a hate crime.
It would feel less bad if it were not a hate crime directed at an entire group.
My condolences on your attack and loss - and your point is well taken, Lebrea.
I too am deeply saddened at your attack, as well as those described by Mr. Intellect.
I am also glad I saw your comment, as I was not sure which gender designation to use!
You're likely right, Lebrea - we shall probably see.
I am in total agreement
My heart and soul truly weep for this woman.
There are days, when I simply cannot wrap my mind around all the hatred, and violent acts.
Note to self: proof it before you post, will not need to delete and repost so often lol
Anyway, thanks for your comment.
Sometimes I get a thought typed out, get exited, and hit the reply button.
And you are welcome.
I used to think hate crimes were unconstitutional. But as I got older, I started to understand their importance.