'I was gang raped by my boyfriend and his friends - then tattooed with his name'

A young victim of domestic violence has told how she was savagely attacked and tattooed with the name of her abuser as part of a worrying new trend.

Latishia Sanchez, 20, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, revealed to CBS that she was just 14 years old when she was raped by five men, including her then boyfriend.

During the assault they branded his name 'Aaron' in large script lettering across her neck using a pencil, needle and black ink.
'I didn't think that I'd get raped, let alone by people I didn't know, let alone my boyfriend allowing it,' she said.

She admitted that she is still struggling to come to terms with the ordeal six years on and just looking at the inking brings back painful memories.

 

It's hard,' she explained. 'Right now our mirrors are covered up because I can't look at myself.' Similarly, a 22-year-old from the same neighborhood who wished to retain her anonymity, told NPRthat she was pinned down and repeatedly tattooed with a former partner's name when she tried to break off the relationship.

'I was with a guy for five years. He was much older. He was really abusive toward me,' she said.
'After a while when I tried to finally end it, he kidnapped me, held me hostage and tattooed his name all over my body against my will.'