Sexually abused from age 5-12 by her father, who also beat her mother, she learned to suffer quietly and keep things to herself. Same thing when she was raped at the age of 20 in her dorm room by one hapless Gonzalo Ramirez. A bit later she made the mistake of confiding the rape to her then-boyfriend, (allegedly) hotheaded Gianni Van. Feeling the rape to be an assault to his manhood, he resolved, with a few conspirators, to avenge it (allegedly.) After a while they had Norma driven over so that she and the bloodied Gonzalo could see each other.