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Susanna Shahnazaryan

Goris Heartbreak: 13 Year-Old Rape Victim, Mother, Continue to be Ostracized One Year Later

About one year ago, the Armenian press widely covered the story about a 13 year-old Goris girl who had been sexually assaulted, allegedly by her father.

The girl’s pregnancy was aborted in Yerevan, but that didn’t stop the family from being targeted with a harassment campaign by neighbours and others in Goris.

A signature drive was launched and presented to local police to have the family evicted from the neighbourhood. The irate neighbours also went to the owner of the apartment, telling him to evict the family who had rented the apartment.

The family had to put up with these threats and intimidation for several weeks until they found new lodging.

The criminal case of rape was even dropped. The argument given by law enforcement was that a new round of forensics examinations had to be initiated. They supposedly are continuing till today.

Vardoush, the mother of the young rape victim, claims that law enforcement told her that the samples have been dent to Moscow for analysis.

She says that law enforcement has even neglected her demand that the girl’s father, the prime suspect in the case, be subject to forensic analysis.

As to why no one has been criminally charged, one year after the incident, is another story entirely. Law enforcement argues that it cannot provide details so as not to compromise the investigation.

Let’s assume that this is so, but those same law enforcement officers are fully aware of the psychological torment this family is being subjected to.

“At the start of the school year, I tried to take my daughter to school but was met by fierce resistance. Many parents started a petition, saying they would take their kids out of class if my girl was allowed to attend,” Vardoush says, adding that the Syunik Regional Governor had to intervene in order that the school would agree to organizing individual lessons for her daughter.

“The lessons went well for a time, but then the teacher started to miss classes. One day she was busy, the next day she called in sick,” says the mother, adding that her daughter was forced to stay inside the house to avoid being asked uncomfortable and probing questions from the other kids and even neighbourhood grown-ups.

Vardoush told me that her daughter started attending computer lessons provided by the principal of a local kindergarten.

The girl became more strung-out psychologically when neighbours went to the family’s new landlord, demanding that he evict them from their new apartment in a multi-story building.

Vardoush says the girl became more and more withdrawn and avoided all contact with the outside.

The mother says she decided to seek the help of a psychologist and took the girl to the Arabkir Children’s Health Institute in Yerevan.

The girl was prescribed medication for post-stress syndrome.

When the family returned to Goris they found that their electricity had been cut off.

Vardoush called up the utility and was rudely tod that the landlord had ordered the power to be cut. He also demanded that the family vacate the apartment the very next day.

The mother says she pleaded with the landlord for a few days grace period to find another suitable apartment but that he refused.

Vardoush was forced to leave her job at the bakery and start looking for a new place.

“My daughter was constantly crying. She said she no longer wanted to live. Once she took a knife and was about to cut her throat. Luckily, I stopped her in time.”

Since she had to search for a new apartment and not wanting her daughter to be alone, Vardoush had the girl admitted to the Syunik Regional Neurological Dispensary with the help of an employee at the Goris Police.

The despondent mother is at a loss as to why she and her daughter have been tormented so for the past one year.

“What have we done that we cannot live in peace in the town? Rather than find the person who assaulted my girl, they and the local council are in cahoots with the landlord to get us out of the apartment as soon as possible,” said a teary eyed Vardoush.

“I’d wish they would leave us alone. I will work day and night to provide for my family. Who knows, in time my girl will have a desire to live again,” says the mother.

After one year of continuous harassment by neighbours and town officials, it would indeed be a miracle if this 14 year-old girl could somehow get on with her life.

For that to happen, however, the psychological torment she is now undergoing must be replaced with understanding, compassion and professional help.

It would appear that these are in short  supply in Goris.

Comments (12)

karen Mkrtchyan
Could Hetq.am please do a follow up of this? What happened to the girl and the family? Please...we all want to know. Thank You
Nver
hima tesnes @ntaniq@ inch vichakum e? ays hodvaci tpeluc heto jamanak e ancel, tesnes inch lav norutyun ka?
Jaana
I have the letter ready that i would like to send to the authorities of Goris to request more information about what happened and ask what are they doing to help the victim. Can anyone help me with contacts? Should i send it to Goris mayor (Nelson Voskanyan?)? Authorities of Goris? I would encourage everyone to do the same, i can share my letter here. As well, maybe someone has good ideas how to help the family?
Arsen
Ցավում եմ, որ ազգը լինելով առաջինը քրիստոնեությունը որպես պետական կրոն ընդունող սենց գազանա դարձել: Արա դուք մարդ եք, այ ոչխարներ, այ անասուններ, այ տգետներ ու չինքնահաստատված ամիոբաներ, թույլ եք տեսել հալածում եք, արա եթե էդքան թասիբ ունեք գնացեք էդքան բանը անողի բռնեք ու պատժեք այ անթասիբ ոչխարներ, 14 տարեկան երեխայի հետևից եք ընկել հա արա: Սկի չեմ էլ ուզում իմանամ թե այդ երեխան ինչ ձևի իրա պահվածքով այ հիվանդներ ինքը երեխայի, ոչխարներ: Ինչ վերաբերվումա պետությանը քաղաքում պաստառներ են կպցրել ոստիկանների գովազդով մենք միշտ ձեր կողքին ենք կարգախոսով, բա ուր եք դուք ուր եք արա, թե մենակ գովազդ եք կարողանում անել, հեսա մարդիկ ձեր անմիջական միջամտութայն կարիքը ունեն բա դուք ուր եք: Հետո էլ ասում եք այս երկրում ապրեք, ովա ցանկանում որ իրա երեխան սենց գազանների ու սենց անօրինականության մեջ ապրի ես չեմ ցանկանում չնայած իմ երկիրը շատ եմ սիրում, բայց ամեն ինչ անելու եմ որ իմ երեխան այս երկրում չապրի,թող մեծանա ու գնա ստեղ ապագա չկա:
zohrab
i agree with harry above
harry k
Dear Armenian‘s comments are very useful and important to the other readers, but we should start to send direct emails and faxes to the Goris mayor and the regional governor offices , plus Yerevan ministry of social affairs. Diaspora should start to show direct support for these kind of innocent victims. When there is a will there is a way. 13 years old victim need your full support.” ACT NOW” Unfortunately our homeland societies are so ignorant and dangerous in their acts to a degree that can cause a fatal reaction to the innocent victims. Go to Armenian government websites. Thank you hetq/sussana Syunik Regional Governor so bussy with elections and personal vedetas no time for innocent victims try direct to the armenian government offices.
Լուսինե Վայաչյան
պետությունը պարտավոր է հոգալ բռնության ենթարկված երեխայի ու նրա ընտանիքի մասին, նրանք պետք է տեղափոխվել այլ բնակավար, նրանց պետք է ապահովեն ամեն անհրաժեշտով, նոր բնակավայրում ոչ ոք ոչինչ չպետք ա իմանա երեխայի հետ կատարվածի մասին: պահանջել պետությունից, կամ ով իրան պետության տեղ ա դրել: ամեն տեղ էլ ամեն տեսակի բարքեր կարան լինեն, բայց պետությունը նրա համար ա, որ անկախ բարքերից պաշտպանի ու պատսպարի թույլին ու տուժվածին... պետություն, ո՞ւր ես
Afina
Inch kareli e asel erp vostikanutyun e michamtum vor lken tarachkn,Voch vok apahovagrvach che iren vaxva orva hamar, sa mi djbaxt depk e vor ankaxateseli e, nshanakutyun chuni tnoxn ushadir e, dastirakutyun inchpesin e. Inch e harevanerin, u shrjapatin tvum e te hacheli e es amen@ axchka hamar. Mayrn nshech vor porcher e arel inknaspanutyan, inch e kmexadri et nuyn orenki asxatoxn et harevannerin vor irenk en drtel axchkan ayt kaylin, te irexen apachuychner en petk. Pahanjum en turkyan chanachi chexaspanutyun@, chen gitakchum mer hasarakutyun@ vor irenk el irench mashtabov u karoxutyamb en verchnum mi @ntanik,
A.
menk azg chenk.urishi kiankin xarnvox,urishi djbaxtytyan vra uraxazox,menak pnoven,halazen,aranz mardu vichaki mej mtnelu.inchi ek edkan char MARDIK.ete ognel chek karoxanum gone mi xarnvek mekt miusin hetevelov,aranz haskanalu.Mard en verjapes
Karine
Ինչ դաժան իրականություն:
liana
cavum em vor mer hasarakutyunn aysqan tget e ev choban...poxanak ays djbaxt yntaniqin ognutyan dzerq meknen, inch vor dzevov spopen, ajakcnen, mi ban el amen koxmic halacum en...amot mez boloris vor tuyl enq talis u handurjum enq...
Meline
Shat hargeci dzer ashxatanq@! Mer azg@ chi poxvum eli..ho zorov chi! Gone mi hat el mi banov ognen, cinikutyamb en zbaxvac! Amota amot! Petqa, anunner ela petq, nkarner ela petq! Harevanneri nkarner@ orinak! Tox iranq amachen iranc pahvacqi hamar!

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