[18][19] One conclusion of the report was that Nova Scotian schools "need to do a better job preventing harassment and sexual aggression". We are that big sister guiding you through with advice that will get you #adulting like a pro. [42], Last edited on 14 December 2022, at 08:33, Anonymous muscle in on Canadian teen rape case, Post-assault treatment of sexual assault victims, List of suicides that have been attributed to bullying, Rehtaeh Parsons Video Tribute Marks Life Of 'Angel' (VIDEO), "Rehtaeh Parsons, Canadian Girl, Dies After Suicide Attempt; Parents Allege She Was Raped By 4 Boys", "Canadian teen commits suicide after alleged rape, bullying", Rape, bullying led to N.S. Be sure to readBody Drama: Real Girls, Real Bodies, Real Issues, Real Answers. Rehtaeh Parsons was raped by four boys at a party. I had to read it more than once. Nor that her mother, Leah Parsons, would meet Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister of Canada, to create a Crime Victims Bill of Rights. Search instead for rethaeh parsons? Parsons attempted to hang herself two years later and suffered severe brain damage. If only is a poor response in the wake of this tragedy and it makes me so angry that those, yet again, who are supposed to protect their citizens (regardless of country) fail to do so. [16] In an unusual move for a case involving minors convicted of a crime, the judge ruled that this conviction would be kept in his criminal record for a period of five years. Earlier this year I flew to Halifax to be interviewed for an Investigation Discovery documentary about Rehtaeh. Their beloved daughter left this world on April 7, 2013, at the age of 17. Tell me a teenager who hasn't. Rape and revenge porn is about power. Two Anonymous protesters and Ivan Herritt at the Nova Scotia courthouse. Photo by Hilary Beaumont, Ivan Herritt, who showed up to support Rehtaeh's family and wore an Anonymous-branded hoodie but said he wasn't part of the group, said the court decision was "absolutely disgusting.". Halifax police Chief Jean-Michel Blais said policed and prosecutors agreed the available evidence did not meet the threshold for sexual assault charges against the two. Despite the darkness and the cruelty of this situation, there are positive things happening that I believe have been inspired by the way we treat women who fall victim to online predators. She was transferred from Cole Harbour District High School, to Dartmouth High School, to Prince Andrew High School to Citadel High School. On April 7, 2013, almost two years after her sexual assault, Rehtaeh killed herself. If we did something stupid when we were a kid, made out with some boy or something, the worst thing you had to worry about was, was your name going to be written in some stall?". The boy raping Rehtaeh posed and gave a thumbs up. These images are reaffirming. We consider a womans sexuality so linked to her physicality that for a woman to appear naked publicly is automatically an act of sex and not for herself My prerogative was to share the stories and plight of women just like you or me. A woman holds a photo of Rehtaeh Parsons at Victoria Park in Halifax on April 11, 2013. . Only a year later, the police concluded their investigation stating that there was insufficient evidence despite a viral photograph of Rehtaeh with her rapists. That she was bright and funny? On April 4, 2013, Rehtaeh Parsons (/rte/, r-TAY-;[1] December 9, 1995 April 7, 2013), a 17-year-old former Cole Harbour District High School student, attempted suicide by hanging[2] at her home in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, leading to a coma and the decision to switch her life support machine off on April 7, 2013. "[28], There are reports that members of the hacker group Anonymous involved itself in tracing the alleged perpetrators of the incidents Parsons suffered. I am not ashamed of my body, but it is mine. Credit: Telegraph.co.uk In November of 2011, 15-year-old Rehtaeh Parsons was gang raped at a party by four of her male peers. Another 20-year-old man charged in the case, whose identity is also protected, was given a conditional discharge in November after he pleaded guilty to making child pornography by taking the photo of the accused. [39], Canadian media reports about criminal trials involving child pornography are subject to a publication ban under the Criminal Code: they must omit any information that would identify any minor who was involved in or witness to the case, including the victim, or be subject to fines. Really? [8] The story drew international attention and sparked outrage on the Internet, with CBC reporting the phrase "Nova Scotia" was "trending on Twitter worldwide. Instead, today a. 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Your email address will not be published. The photo was taken like it was a typical Facebook photo, just some kids having fun. ), In an interview with the National Post, the teen and his parents insisted that the sex was consensual. The legacy of Rehtaeh Parsons In the 5 years since her tragic death, the image of the alleged rape of the Nova Scotia teenager has sparked outrage, reviews, and new laws but also an awakening. Her . Legend: TikToker parodied pharmaceutical company and said it was lowering the price of insulinthe company actually did it, The Mandalorian season 3 brings it back to basics, The Mandalorian finally explains what happened to Cara Dune after Gina Caranos firing, Finally my coffee will be right: Customer makes her own coffee order at self-serve Dunkin Express, *First Published: Apr 9, 2013, 5:04 pm CDT. Her parents lobbied NS Justice Minister Lena Diab to lift the ban so her story could be publicized. He also said, "I have pled (sic) guilty to distributing child pornography, not a sexual assault" and, "I never played a part in the bullying [of Rehtaeh], nor would I.". Just as rape and sex have nothing to do with each other, pictures shared with and without consent are completely different things.. In response to Parsons' suicide, Nova Scotia enacted a law in August 2013 allowing victims to seek protection from cyberbullying and to sue the perpetrator. Perhaps we should consider a disclaimer. These consensual images progress a move away from a society. She is giving her consent to be photographed, and aware these images will be posted on the internet. Police initially concluded there were no grounds to charge anyone after a yearlong investigation. ", "She didn't get to see any of those goals listed and she never will," Leah added. Her assailants documented her rape through photographs shared with classmates and posted on Instagram. [19] Among the 13 recommendations[20] made by the authors were: The report traced Parson's history through the school system. She would be haunted by that photograph and what it meant until her last breath. He told us that while the names of the boys themselves took no more than two hours, finding the actual proof, in terms of incriminating posts, messages, and photos, took a team of several people less than a week. We seek to illustrate that the bullying of Rehtaeh in her immediate community continues on, even after her death. She was raped that night and a photo was taken of one of her assaults. His name is still covered by the ban.). Only several months after Rehtaehs assault, a 16-year-old high school student was raped by two high school football players in Steubenville, Ohio. Canadian police have yet to convict a single person in the case of Amanda Todd, despite a detailed trail of online evidence. Her parents took her off life support three days later. [13] In November 2014, the first defendant to plead guilty was sentenced to a conditional discharge with 12 months' probation. The two boys who had sex with her, both 16, passed the photo to several friends. Asignificant number of celebrities (includingKim Kardashian, Keira Knightley, Chelsea Handler, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, and Scout Willis) have posed for nude photos or posted their own to the internet. What we dont want to do is just drop names and start a witch hunt. I amsimply stating that all women should have the ability to make these decisions:when and who they want to have sex with, and whether or not they want to share nude photographs of themselves. The girl told her parents that while she was heavily. Judge Gregory Lenehan said Parsons, who was 17 at the time of her death, did not know the photo was being taken and did not give consent for it to be shared. Also in November 2014, the second person charged, then 19, pleaded guilty to a charge of distributing child pornography, in relation to the photo of himself and Parsons. Consent is key. When Rehtaeh was born I dedicated everything to her and promised her the world. [3] Her death has been attributed to online distribution of photos of an alleged gang rape that occurred 17 months prior to her suicide, in November 2011. The RCMP have a history of dragging their feet in cases of teen sexual abuse. She could never have imagined that her death would unite friends and supporters with an international force of hacktivists and anti-bully activists. Thank you for sharing and thank you for staying strong for Rehtaeh spreading the word on cyber bullying, getting laws changed, providing resources for the sexually abused, and much much more. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. My heart bleeds for all of you, as a parent now I just cannot imagine what you are going through. He's looking at the camera and giving a thumbs-up. [32][33] Parsons has been described as a "victim of sexting". Neither was given any jail time. I never spoke to my so called friend again but she did refer to me as slut from then on. "[36], In August 2013, Nova Scotia enacted a law allowing victims of cyberbullying to seek protection, including help in identifying anonymous perpetrators, and to sue the individuals or the parents in the case of minors. She had also written, "I am very much looking forward to the rest of High School. The authors met with 111 people, including school board staff, Ministerial staff, school staff, youth, police, health-care workers and others. Shes looking into the camera. In November, Lenehan handed a second young man, who snapped the photo, a conditional discharge. Justice is Blind: a slogan that is paraded through courthouses across the United States, a motto adopted by countries across the globe. Thank you for your message. Rehtaeh Parsons' suicide caused outcry across North America (AP) Facebook has issued an apology after publishing a dating advertisement that used a picture of Rehtaeh Parsons, a 17-year-old. They didnt even interview the boys until much, much later, she added. The stigmatization of womens bodies? If only her rapists were found guilty immediately following her assault and she had the chance to move on with her life and recover from the trauma of her assault. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. Child pornography charges laid in case where girl killed herself after images of her alleged rape were posted online, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Rehtaeh Parsons, who killed herself after photographs of her alleged rape were distributed online. At today's sentencing, he said posing for the "sexually degrading" photo and texting it to two people warranted a harsher penalty. Skr8 this wom didint get raped called it rap when everyone found out about I got the boys 100% if this gose to court Ill be there to fuck it up. [15] He was sentenced on January 15, 2015, to one year of probation and required to submit a sample to a DNA database. "[2] The blog of Rehtaeh's father, Glen Canning, also went viral. He admitted to sharing the picture of himself and the girl, that was taken during a small house party at his home in November 2011, and was given 12 months probation by a court in Nova Scotia. [3][4] On a Facebook page set up in tribute to her daughter, Parsons' mother blamed the four boys who allegedly raped and released images of her, the subsequent constant "bullying and messaging and harassment", and the failure of the Canadian justice system, for her daughter's decision to commit suicide.[5]. "I thought, Oh, today I don't have to remind people, I don't have to send out a notice to say her name today, we're actually allowed to say her name.