Woman Vindicated Of Faking Her Kidnapping Now Getting Harassed Online
HUNTINGTON BEACH (CBSLA.com) — Denise Huskins survived the unimaginable.
She was kidnapped, beaten, locked in the trunk of a car and driven to her dad's home in Huntington Beach.
She thought her ordeal was over. But then Vallejo police called her a liar. She was finally vindicated when her attacker confessed.
Now nearly two years later, Huskins says, she's the target of new attacks, this time online. A man who claims to be from Peoria, Ill., recently messaged her on Facebook:
"Are you that horrible lying woman who faked her own kidnapping??? ...you are going to hell for the (expletive) u have done. I'd like to slap u a few times. I'd like to have my wife beat u up bad too ... and just so u know, ur not as pretty as u think. ...you are an ignorant slut and a filthy liar and I'm glad ur going to hell." -Jeffrey McFadden Peoria, Illinois
UC Irvine Social Media Professor Gloria Mark isn't surprised.
"I think the current political climate in this country has given people license to become meaner," Mark says.
On Huskins' Facebook page, she explains why she decided to share the post.
"I don't post this for pity, I post this to increase awareness. Unfortunately this is just one example of countless messages like this that I have received. And like the ones before this, unfortunately this guy won. After reading this I went into one of my many PTSD episodes of terror." -Denise Huskins
Mark says it's a perfect example of why so many who are victimized once shut down their social media sites so they don't get triggered by trolls.
"It's easy to post this kind of hate on the Internet without seeing the effects it has on another person," Mark said.
Many shared their support on Facebook:
-"Hard to believe that man is even a human being."
-"ignore the uneducated haters. most of us sane people believe you. God bless you both! Happy New Year!"
Mark says we are entering an unprecedented era on social media. Where people feel they have a license to say anything.
