Sabine Dardenne
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Sabine Dardenne (born 1983) is a Belgian woman who, at the age of twelve, on May 28, 1996, was kidnapped by serial killer Marc Dutroux while on her way to school. Dardenne was one of Dutroux's last two victims. She survived, but four other girls and an alleged accomplice named Bernard Weinstein were found dead on Dutroux's properties.
Dardenne and 14-year-old Laetitia Delhez, who had been abducted a couple of days earlier, were rescued on August 15, 1996 by the Belgian police, two days after Dutroux had been arrested. Dutroux admitted to having raped them both and abducting them. He managed to convince Dardenne and Delhez (12 and 14), that he had rescued them from a gang that wanted to ransom and kill them.
Dardenne's ordeal in the basement of Dutroux's house lasted 80 days. Earlier victims included eight-year-olds Melissa Russo and Julie Lejeune, who died of starvation during their ordeal, as well as seventeen-year-old An Marchal and nineteen year old Eefje Lambrecks, both of whom were murdered.
The slow pace of the trial and disturbing revelations of more of Dutroux's victims created public outrage. Initially, Marc tried to mislead investigators by claiming to be a minion of a continent-wide paedophile ring that included prominent political figures in Belgium.
Dardenne and Delhez both testified against Dutroux during his 2004 trial, and their testimony played an important role in the conviction of Dutroux. They both also asked him why he did what he did to them.
Dardenne's account of her abduction and its aftermath are documented in her inspiring memoir J'avais douze ans, j'ai pris mon vélo et je suis partie à l'école (In English: "I was twelve years old, I took my bike and I left for school") and published in English as "I Choose to Live", published following the trial, which became a number one bestseller both in the UK and Europe-wide ("A dignifying, restrained, and ultimately uplifting testimony" —Big Issue, "[A] bold, vivid and dignified memoir" —The Guardian).
[edit] Similar incidents
- Steven Stayner, a boy from Merced, California, USA kidnapped at age 7 and held captive for a little over 7 years from late 1972 to early 1980. His ordeal was turned into a Made-for-TV movie.
- Sano Fusako, a woman in Japan kidnapped at age 10 and held captive for 9 years from 1990 to 2000
- Tanya Kach, a woman in Pennsylvania held at the home of Thomas Hose from 1996 to 2006
- Colleen Stan, a.k.a. "Carol Smith" was held captive from 1977 until 1984 by Cameron Hooker and his wife in locked wooden boxes that he had created. One of the boxes was located under the bed that he shared with his wife. During her imprisonment Colleen was tortured and sexually assaulted to the point of complete mental and physical subservience. The Case of the Seven Year Sex Slaveand Perfect Victim: The True Story of "The Girl in the Box" by the D.A. That Prosecuted Her Captor[ISBN 978-0440204428]
- Lena Simakhina, 17 and Katya Martynova, 14 abducted by factory worker Viktor Mokhov, 53. He kept the teenagers as sex slaves in the underground cellar for 3.5 years from 2000 until 2004.[1]
- A 27-year-old Hungarian woman in Budapest was held captive for 13 years in her home by her father and regularly raped and beaten.[2]
- 15 year old Shawn Hornbeck (Held for 4 years by his captor) and 13 year old Ben Ownby (Held 4 days), both abducted by Michael J. Devlin
- Natascha Kampusch, a girl in Austria kidnapped at age 10 and held captive for 8 years from 1998 to 2006
- Kaspar Hauser, a mysterious foundling in 19th century Germany
[edit] Bibliography
- Dardenne, Sabine; Marie-Thérèse Cuny (2004). J'avais douze ans, j'ai pris mon vélo et je suis partie à l'école (in French). Paris: Oh. ISBN 2-915056-29-3.
- Dardenne, Sabine; Marie-Thérèse Cuny (2005). I Choose to Live, trans. Penelope Dening, London: Virago. ISBN 1-84408-209-1.
