Adult women held captive for 10 years?

[robert_columbia]

@TriPolar

How do you know they didn’t? All we can assume is that it took 10 years to hatch a successful escape plan.

Old Andy loved Geology. He knew that all it took was pressure and time.

[tdn]

@Martin_Hyde

That’s basically how an old school dungeon worked and people typically did not escape from those.

Bolding mine.

There are two ways to read that. The way I read it made me think “Wow, teachers were a lot stricter in those days.”

[Amara_1]

What a horrible story. I really feel for those poor, poor women; it won’t be easy to move on with their lives.

I can’t even think of a punishment for those guys. These guys and that German (Austrian?) guy who locked up his own daughter really make me wonder about the evil in people.

[Enright3]

@Baker

That’s creepy, really. Why should such details be released to a nosy public? What business is it of anyone but the victims? I think we all can pretty well figure out what was going on.

If the women choose to tell the public, well and good. But until then I think it would be sick to want to know “details”

I’m being misunderstood by you; and hopefully not others. I don’t have some perverse interest in the specific “details.” It’s an interesting news story, nothing more. If it wasn’t interesting it wouldn’t be consuming every news webpage and broadcast in the nation. When I say “details” I mean there’s virtually no information out yet about the circumstances of these victims lives over the last 10 years. If you didn’t want “details” yourself, why did you bother opening and reading this thread? It’s sick that you opened this thread!

[Ambivalid]

@Malthus

I can only conclude that certain types of abuse and isolation create a very powerful mental conditioning in some people. Perhaps something similar was at work in this case.

I think a big part of the “mental conditioning” is a complete degradation of feelings of self-worth. They don’t feel as if they are worthy of any sort of life outside of the life provided by their captors, so they remain complacent.

[Enright3]

@Ambivalid

I think a big part of the “mental conditioning” is a complete degradation of feelings of self-worth. They don’t feel as if they are worthy of any sort of life outside of the life provided by their captors, so they remain complacent.

I couldn’t agree more. I think the end of this one nightmare is the beginning of another. They’ve lost 10 years of their lives. I hope there’s some way they can eventually lead some semblance of a ‘normal’ life. I grieve for all of them; but especially for Amanda Berry. I know I can’t begin to imagine the tormented feelings that Amanda Berry must have. One one hand loving a child because it’s yours; but knowing it was the result of something so horrible. I’m overwhelmed at how horrific this is.

[md2000]

@Senegoid

Still too creepy. For that, you’d want a deadbolt or similar lock, that can be opened from the inside without a key, but requires a key from the outside.

Yeah, I’m imagining the sneaky little brother closing and sticking a pencil through the hasp while big brother is sleeping in the room.

---

Also reported that one girl has facial and hearing damage from the level of beatings she sustained.

I would think physical restraint with chains and ropes, beating, and psychological torture would be sufficient to reinforce the need to obey. These are obviously some really sick people.

[Guinastasia]

I was instantly reminded of Gary Heidnik. In that case, he was caught within six months – however, two of his captives were killed.

[Zebra]

@TriPolar

I could easily seal up the basement of my house so that no one could readily escape. People can be chained drugged, threathened. We don’t know what else went on in that house. We’ll find out eventually.

Threatened?

He beat the shit out them. If they got preggers he beat them till they miscarried.

I’m guessing he didn’t have them pee on a stick every month. So when she starts showing, he knocks her down and stomps on her belly.

And I’m sorry, but the OP is nothing but victim blaming. Sure, maybe it’s, in that situation I would have… Like so many people after 9/11 thought, “If I were on that plane…”

But you’re not a teen girl, kidnapped, raped and beaten and locked in a basement. You have not clue as to what that would be like. The fact that they are still alive and not vegetables is a testament to how tough these teen girls/young women are.

They are a hell of a lot braver than Angelina Jolie. That’s for sure.

[Dogzilla]

@Enright3

I couldn’t agree more. I think the end of this one nightmare is the beginning of another. They’ve lost 10 years of their lives. I hope there’s some way they can eventually lead some semblance of a ‘normal’ life. I grieve for all of them; but especially for Amanda Berry. I know I can’t begin to imagine the tormented feelings that Amanda Berry must have. One one hand loving a child because it’s yours; but knowing it was the result of something so horrible. I’m overwhelmed at how horrific this is.

I keep waiting for Ariel Castro to file for custody of the child. Or suggest that he has a right to her. :: shudder::

[Annie-Xmas]

Outrageously, Ohio is one of 31 states that allow a rapist to claim parental rights.

[2gigch1]

I have not slogged through this entire discussion so forgive me if I happen to echo someone else without proper acknowledgement.

I read threads like this (okay technically threads similar to this since I have already admitted to not reading this one) and I am usually left with the feeling that there are a lot of people in this world who lack empathy.

I happen to be very empathetic - it’s my greatest weakness frankly. I can easily see how other people view the world and I tend to lack a judgemental reaction to events and people.

In this case I don’t think people really understand how it feels to be weak against someone who is strong, to have your physical choices taken from you and then your mental options eroded.

Every human conflict has always been weak vrs strong, and I don’t think many people really feel in their core how it feels to be weak. Personally I am fairly strong today, but I remember vividly when I was young how it felt to be weak, and that fear it generated can still be felt today.

No, life is not a well written book or movie. Ten years of captivity is not a series of moments leading up to a courageous escape. Ten years of captivity is a blurry hell of existence where time and self cease to have meaning, and perhaps if you are lucky, a chance happens where you can cry for help… and hopefully those nearby aren’t listening to an iPod, engrossed in their own world, without empathy.