Rah Cad
05-04-2006, 03:03 AM
As many as 35 Israeli soldiers are suspected of statutory rape of an 11-year-old girl who lived with her family on an air force base in southern Israel.
Defense lawyers say the girl, now in counselling, lied to the soldiers about her age, claiming she was older, and that the sex was consensual. Regardless, legal experts said the soldiers could still be prosecuted for statutory rape.
The case marks a new low for the military, once Israel's most revered institution, tarnished in recent years by incidents of financial corruption and sexual misconduct.
Limited details released by the military indicate at least 17 Israeli air force soldiers have been investigated, and several others are likely to be called in.
The girl lived with her family on the base where her father, a career military man, served.
The family has since left the base and the girl is under psychological care, the army said.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18997972-23109,00.html
smh @ her parents...
Defense lawyers say the girl, now in counselling, lied to the soldiers about her age, claiming she was older, and that the sex was consensual. Regardless, legal experts said the soldiers could still be prosecuted for statutory rape.
The case marks a new low for the military, once Israel's most revered institution, tarnished in recent years by incidents of financial corruption and sexual misconduct.
Limited details released by the military indicate at least 17 Israeli air force soldiers have been investigated, and several others are likely to be called in.
The girl lived with her family on the base where her father, a career military man, served.
The family has since left the base and the girl is under psychological care, the army said.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18997972-23109,00.html
smh @ her parents...