THE INVISIBLE SEX CRIMES

When I was a sophomore in college I went to my hometown for the weekend to see my parents. I went to see my dad first and afterwards I headed over to my mom's. It was midnight and there were no other drivers on the road. Except for the car following closely behind me.

The driver came around to my passenger side keeping a steady pace alongside me. I did not want to look over. I was scared. It was a man laughing and flashing his genitals and buttocks at me. My little Ford Escort went from 30 mph to 60 mph. I was suddenly in the Indy 500, swerving, mastering the sharp turns, up and down every side street and main road. No matter how fast I drove, he kept up, trying to follow me home.

After approximately 15 minutes of the cat and mouse game, I finally lost him. I was free and almost home. My vision was clouded with the images of this creep. I replayed the entire incident in my head all night. I didn’t call 911. I just wanted to go to sleep and go back to school.

The next weekend was Easter. For the second time that month, I was in my hometown again, shuttling between my parents for the holiday.  It was midnight. I was on the same road as last week. It was desolate. Everything I experienced before was there again. I sensed him a mile away. I was prepared for him this time.

I saw headlights in my mirror and a red truck riding my ass. It was him. He was driving a different car but he didn’t fool me. He proceeded to drive along next to me and repeated his act. I wasn’t scared. I was angry. I said to myself, “Dude, you have messed with the wrong girl.” I grabbed a pen and wrote down his license plate number.

I endured the same high speed wild goose chase, and managed to lose him again. As soon as I got home I called 911 and reported the incident, gave them his license number and the general direction he was headed when I last saw him.

Two hours later, the phone rang. The police called to inform me that they arrested this guy. His name was Ronnie Lonhardt and he was 35. In order to press charges, I had to go downtown to write up a report and identify him. To this day, I’ve never forgotten his face, and my memory didn’t fail me that night either.

He was charged with a DUI and an additional charge for “lewd and lascivious” behavior. Turns out he confessed to police that he had been doing this to dozens women that month alone. Go figure.

Note: After a criminal records check, he pleaded down to four separate “Disorderly Conduct” charges. Two were dismissed at the request of the prosecutor, and the other two were forfeited. Thanks Racine County Prosecutors.

For years I had issues with driving at night. I was fixated with who was behind me, and I never looked at the person to my side out of fear. I carried a knife. Was I paranoid or justified in my fears?

AN EVERYDAY OCCURRENCE

Exhibitionism. Voyeurism. Groping. Frotteurism. Many women have experienced any one of these crimes at some time in their lives. Most offenders will get away. I did not let my offender get away. In my mind, I believed I might have averted another sex crime.

What are “invisible sex crimes”? These particular offenses are the most under-reported sex assaults. Why? Because it happens when you least expect it. Did you see his face? You can’t remember because it happened so fast and you were in shock and embarrassed. What do you say or do? By the time you figure out what is going on, they are dust in the wind. These acts against women happen everyday.

GROPING 

Groping is a form of sexual assault. It can be unwanted pinching or grabbing. The groper targets the breasts, legs, buttocks and groin area. Groping is likely to happen in such places like crowded bars or parties, concerts, subways, sporting events and elevators. The predator is less likely to be detected and has the ability to flee before the victim realizes what happened.

ANGRY VOICES

"I went to a music festival in a big park last year, and people had crowded together to see the headliner. It was dark except for the streetlight and stage lights up ahead, and I was encircled by young men. One or more of them kept subtly touching me inappropriately. I tried to squirm my way out to another location, but there just was no room to squeeze through. I had to endure the harassment for the whole show.” (Anonymous post, Wiesen, 2003-2012 Conjecture Corporation, “What is Groping?”)

“I had the misfortune of getting groped while exiting a crowded elevator and I was more mad than anything. It is such a violation of your personal space and I hate knowing there are so many perverts out there that can get away with things like that just because there are so many people around.” (Id.)

FROTTEURISM

Frotteurism is the act of rubbing the hand(s) or erect genitals against another person in a non-consensual manner in order for sexual gratification. Like groping, this act is done in public where the victim cannot easily respond to their attacker.

Studies have concluded that the average age of a “frotteur” is between 15-25, beginning at puberty and decreasing after 25. (PsychNet, 1998.) It was also noted that “older men with shy and reserved personalities or who are withdrawn socially” are common frotteurs. (Id.)

I have been a victim of many frotteurs in my day. When it happened, I became enraged. There have been times where I have grabbed the guy and screamed out to everyone within earshot what just happened. Slapping, punching, pushing…nothing was ever out of the question for me. I wasn’t going down without a fight.

However, in each situation I was the ultimate loser. What the hell just happened? Where am I going to find this guy? I didn’t know who he was, I don’t remember what he was wearing. I was shocked, angered, and out of control. What did he look like?

I don’t know. He looked like them all. They all look alike.

VOYEURISM

These offenders are formerly known as “peeping Toms”. But times, they are a changin’. With the advent of cameras, electronics, and other digital technology, voyeurism is out in full force.

This is the only sex crime where the offender doesn’t need to have direct contact with his victim. His crimes do not occur in public. A voyeur doesn’t need to stand in front of your window with binoculars. He won’t have any witnesses to his crime because he is safely sitting behind his computer, sometimes watching multiple women at once. 

Voyeurism is one of the hardest sex crimes to prosecute because of the predator’s elusiveness and ability of non-detection.