Victim of massage parlor rapist remained silent

Police say Danford Grant, a successful Seattle attorney, sexually assaulted at least four women over a period of several months. He was finally arrested on Sept. 24, when police say he raped an employee at Carnation Massage in Greenwood for the second time in less than a week.

According to court documents, the first attack occurred on Sept. 19, but the employee did not call police. Instead, she notified her boss who helped to catch the suspect when he returned.

There are questions about why the victim did not report the previous rape and allowed Grant to return to the business on the night of his arrest.

University of Washington researcher Rae Wu was asked to translate for the victim, who came to the U.S. from China six months ago and speaks no English. When asked about the victim’s immigration status, Wu told KIRO Radio she was not able to say.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement could not confirm the victim’s status either, but said many who are in the country illegally fail to report crimes out of fear of deportation.

“Especially when we’re talking about a sexual assault or rape,” said Aaron Wilson, an assistant special agent in charge with the Homeland Security Investigations Branch of I.C.E. “Our experts tell us that 60 to 70 percent of rapes and sexual assaults go unreported in the U.S., regardless of the person’s immigration status. So when you add that element that they’re an undocumented immigrant and the fear of deportation … they’re going to be hesitant to come forward.”

Should a victim come forward, Wilson said they can be offered protections that will delay deportation. In rare instances, they may receive U.S. citizenship.

“They’re usually afforded some sort of immigration remedy that’s for a temporary period of time,” he said. “There are some instances, if they’re the victim of a severe form of human trafficking for example, that they’ll be afforded the opportunity to stay in the U.S. indefinitely.”

But those protections can sometimes hinder a criminal case. Wilson said defense attorneys will argue that the victim’s testimony was “bought” with a promise that they could remain in the U.S.

Grant, 47, has been charged with six felony counts, including three counts of first-degree rape, one count of second-degree rape, burglary and attempted rape.

Police are looking into the possibility that there are more victims who have not come forward.

According to court documents, Grant researched his victims and knew information such as their home addresses. While it is unclear if he specifically targeted immigrants, I.C.E. said those who are in the country illegally are vulnerable because they are less likely to report crimes to police.