Assault Survivor Natalie Sandy Herbst Vinge Honored with Citizens of Courage Award
This 78-year-old woman survived being bound, gagged, and beaten by intruders.
Text Size:
April 16, 2010
Natalie "Sandy" Herbst-Vinge, a 76-year-old resident of La Mesa, California, survived being bound, gagged and beaten by intruders. According to SDNN.com, the septuagenarian will be awarded a Citizens of Courage Award by District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis.
Herbst-Vinge's attack occurred last December, when two men entered her home, bound her and put her in the trunk of their car. The men drove around for 26 hours, but were discovered when a sheriff pulled the suspicious-looking vehicle over, according to the news outlet.
Other victims who will be honored with the award include a woman who survived being beaten and set on fire by her ex-boyfriend, and a dog who works with mentally disabled adults, the news source reports.
Though many women fear assault from a stranger, statistics suggest that an estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year.
Most experts agree the cycle of domestic violence is unlikely to be broken without outside intervention and recommend those affected by it seek help from law enforcement, social workers or healthcare providers.
Victims can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline, which offers anonymous around-the-clock help and is available in all 50 states.
Those struggling with abuse as well as survivors can find valuable resources on the website of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Natalie "Sandy" Herbst-Vinge, a 76-year-old resident of La Mesa, California, survived being bound, gagged and beaten by intruders. According to SDNN.com, the septuagenarian will be awarded a Citizens of Courage Award by District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis.
Herbst-Vinge's attack occurred last December, when two men entered her home, bound her and put her in the trunk of their car. The men drove around for 26 hours, but were discovered when a sheriff pulled the suspicious-looking vehicle over, according to the news outlet.
Other victims who will be honored with the award include a woman who survived being beaten and set on fire by her ex-boyfriend, and a dog who works with mentally disabled adults, the news source reports.
Though many women fear assault from a stranger, statistics suggest that an estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year.
Most experts agree the cycle of domestic violence is unlikely to be broken without outside intervention and recommend those affected by it seek help from law enforcement, social workers or healthcare providers.
Victims can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline, which offers anonymous around-the-clock help and is available in all 50 states.
Those struggling with abuse as well as survivors can find valuable resources on the website of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
