Woman posing as male veteran convicted of additional sexual assault
The Guardian reported that a jury convicted Blade Silvano, 44, of six counts of sexual assault after she pretended to be a male army veteran to lure women…
The Guardian reported that a jury convicted Blade Silvano, 44, of six counts of sexual assault after she pretended to be a male army veteran to lure women she met on an online dating site. Silvano is already serving a prison sentence for a similar offence in which she duped a partner into a physical relationship by claiming she was a man who had served in the armed forces. The new verdict found her guilty of tricking another woman into a comparable abusive partnership, meeting the victim in person before the assault took place. The case illustrates how false identities on dating platforms can be used to facilitate sexual violence. The article also provides contact details for rape‑crisis support services in the UK, the United States, Australia and other countries for anyone affected by sexual abuse.
Why it matters
The convictions show how online deception can lead to sexual assault and highlight the need for victim support services.
Key details
- Location
- United Kingdom · Europe
- Reported by
- The Guardian
- First reported
- Key names
- Blade Silvano
- Section
- World
- Figure cited
- In both cases, Blade Silvano, 44, met the women on an online dating site and falsely claimed she was a man who had served in the armed forces before meeting them in person and sexually assaulting them. (The Guardian)
Sources
This is an independent summary. Read the full, original reporting from the publisher:
Read the full story at The GuardianSpotted an error? Request a correction · How this summary was produced
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