Another arrest made in B.C. rave video gang-rape case

VANCOUVER – RCMP have confirmed a second person has been arrested in connection with last weekend’s alleged gang rape at a party.

Charges are already being contemplated against a 16-year-old who apparently took photos of the attack.

There’s no word yet on charges in connection with the second arrest. The 16-year-old may face child pornography charges, as the victim is 16.

Mounties expressed outrage Thursday as they called for a halt to the Internet distribution of graphic photos made early Saturday morning showing a 16-year-old girl – likely drugged – being gang-raped by a group of seven males in a field outside Vancouver.

"I’ve been involved in investigating sexual assaults for many years. In that time I’ve never experienced anything like what is occurring in this investigation," said Sgt. Jennifer Hyland who is leading the investigation. She said copies of the images have been "spreading like wildfire."

"The very public discussion about this victim and the taking and subsequent sharing of photos depicting this rape is disgusting, morally corrupt and criminal," she said.

The images were posted on YouTube within hours of the assault and were removed when police became aware of them Sunday. However, copies had been downloaded and have since gone into circulation.

"I want to be clear about this. What happened after this incident and continues to happen is beyond disgusting," Hyland said. "Those photos are child pornography. They have been viewed, shared, saved and re-posted numerous times. This is an offence and is so socially corrupt it is sickening.

"The posting and viewing of photos is continuing to victimize the young girl and her family and needs to stop."

Hyland said police are desperate to help the girl overcome the effects of the rapes – and the dissemination of the rape imagery is preventing this.

The rapes in a field behind a house in an isolated rural area – known to police as a party house – occurred at about 1 a.m. Saturday during a rave attended by hundreds of youths and adults.

The victim had become separated from her friends and is believed to have been given a date rape drug, said Insp. Derren Lench.

"This was a gang rape by several males who took advantage of a female who couldn’t consent, was drugged and had no opportunity to defend herself. She was taken to a field by several males who raped her. It was an horrific act," Lench said.

The girl suffered significant injuries from what police described as an aggressive series of assaults involving between five and seven males that lasted 20 minutes.