JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A TikTok video of a local airman is going viral this week.
Staff Sergeant Kacie Suchanek is a medic with the 125th Fighter Wing.
In the TikTok, she calls out the military and the 4th Judicial Circuit Court for failing her when she reported being raped by a fellow airman.
“I was raped by a fellow service member on Oct. 11 of 2021,” Suchanek said on the TikTok. “I am currently being failed by both the military and the criminal justice system in Duval County, Fl., the 4th Judicial Circuit.”
In just four days, it’s gotten more than 160,000 likes and has been viewed almost 900,000 times. Those numbers continue to climb each day.
“It was something I felt really needed to be brought to the public’s attention,” Suchanek said.
According to police records, her alleged rapist was arrested on two counts of felony sexual battery.
However, just recently, she said prosecutors with the state attorney’s office told her that wouldn’t be the case.
“My prosecutor said that there wasn’t enough evidence and that the most they could do was try and get a simple battery plea and ten months probation from drinking alcohol, and I told her absolutely not,” Suchanek said.
Suchanek said there was plenty of evidence documenting her brutal attack, including a rape kit, photos of her ripped hair and clothing, bruising, and a controlled phone call with her rapist.
The report details statements made in that call such as:
“I’m so sorry. I know alcohol was involved and that’s no excuse!”
“I never meant to do this to you. I never meant to be in this position!”
“I caused this trauma on you, and I have to live with it!”
After the suspect’s arrest, she said he was reassigned to a different unit in the 125th.
She also has a no-contact order filed against him, but nothing else has been done.
That’s what brought her to TikTok.
“After posting my video and actually reading these comments and reading how many people this has happened to, (I realized) the system has failed. It lights a fire in me,” Suchanek said.
That fire inside her turned out to be inside thousands of others.
“I will never be silenced,” Suchanek said.
Suchanek said she had barely been in contact with the state attorney’s office throughout her case — until now.
“I just find it quite ironic that it was after my video blew up that now they’re concerned and want to talk to me,” Suchanek said.
She shared several texts with Action News Jax.
One of them is from the state attorney’s executive assistant, asking Suchanek if she wants to meet directly with State Attorney Melissa Nelson.
She’s also gotten multiple texts from a victim’s advocate.
Kacie says she hasn’t replied yet, but she knows what she wants, and that’s her day in court.
“He doesn’t deserve to wear the same uniform that I do,” Suchanek said.
Suchanek said her expedited transfer request to another unit was recently denied.
We reached out to the Florida National Guard for comment. We received this statement:
“The Florida National Guard is aware of the reported sexual assault of one of
our members. We stand firmly alongside all victims of sexual assault and
are committed to responsive care and justice. The 125th Fighter Wing has
provided continuous assistance, using all available resources, since being
informed of the assault in October 2021. We continue to work with the
victim on all aspects of this case including finding a compatible transfer.
In order to protect the victim, the suspect was moved to a geographically
separated unit and given a “no contact order” with the victim. We continue
to monitor the progress of the suspect’s civilian case.
The Florida National Guard will never cease our pursuit to eradicate sexual assault.”
The state attorney’s office said it cannot comment on an active case.
The TikTok can be watched HERE.
Suchanek also has a Facebook fundraiser set up as she pursues a civil case: SSgt. Kacie Suchanek #justiceforkacie (facebook.com)
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