'Man Accused Of Raping His Mother' (video)

Man Accused Of Raping His Mother


Melissa Moon Man Accused Of Raping His Mother
6:22 p.m. CDT, October 10, 2011


FAST FACTS:

* A 37-year-old South Memphis man is accused of sexually assaulting his mother
* The man is charged with aggravated rape
* Victim advocates say this type of case is extremely rare

(Memphis 10/10/2011) A shocking crime in Memphis.


An adult son is accused of sexually assaulting his own a mother last month in their home in South Memphis.

The suspect was arrested over the weekend.

We can't show the 37-year-old suspect's face or even give you his name because we would also be identifying the alleged victim his 57-year-old mother.

According to court papers, last month the suspect asked his mother to come into his bedroom and hold a table while he changed a light bulb in the ceiling, but instead police say he grabbed his mother from behind and raped her.

"It's awful," said Annette Griffin.

Annette Grffin, who lives in the neighborhood, didn't know the woman and hadn't heard about the crime.

She's is glad the son is now behind bars, but not completely surprised by the violence.

"They do it all the time," said Griffin.

Victim advocates, though, say rapes committed by an adult child against a parent are very rare.

In fact, Anna Whalley, Administrator of Crime Victim Services of Shelby County says she can't remember ever dealing with a case similar to this.

"Usually sex in a family involves an adult abusing a child. In this case, it's unusual that it's an adult who is attacking another adult," said Whalley.

And Whalley says anytime you are dealing with inter-family violence it can become complicated because besides the violence involved, there is also love between the parties.

"You wouldn't have any bad feelings about putting a stranger in jail for the rest of his life if that's what they deserve, but when it's your own child you do," said Whalley.

Friends who didn't want to talk on camera says the victim in this case moved out of the house just days after the attack and doesn't seem like herself anymore.

Victim advocates say in most sexual assault cases they try to help the victim remember what life was like before the attack.

"Let them know anyone would consider this a tragic loss and then help get going with their life afterwards so they don't stay stuck in that terrible moment," said Whalley.

The suspect is being held in the Shelby County Jail on $500,000 bond.