The girl we couldn't names attacker whom we also can't name as he is also underage to be sentenced today for not being the dead kid in a picture we can't show you. Her assailants documented her rape through photographs shared with classmates and posted on Instagram. We believe it's in the public interest in this unique case, given the widespread recognition of [her] name, and given the good that can come, and has already come, from free public debate over sexual consent and the other elements of her story." Wait a sec. "[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. Search from Rehtaeh Parsons Photos stock photos, pictures and royalty-free images from iStock. [8] The story drew international attention and sparked outrage on the Internet, with CBC reporting the phrase "Nova Scotia" was "trending on Twitter worldwide. Photographs of the attack, which took place at a rave, spread throughout social media. [21], Significantly, the authors recommended an external review of the IWK Health Centre, the Halifax hospital where she was a patient for five weeks after she had a breakdown and became suicidal. Depending on the direction the RCMP are going it could very well be them. The underlying reasons for it - the drugs, the sex, the bullying, whatever she might've had going on before the party in question - are much larger than any one individual. 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. In November 2011, Rehtaeh Parsons, then 15, allegedly went with a friend to a home in which she was reportedly raped by four teenage boys. Police initially concluded there were no grounds to charge anyone after a yearlong investigation. Not simply because strangers, friends, and family alike would see you nude, but because of the judgment of these victims. There was shots and just being a 15 year old that wanted to be liked and cool I drank. But they havent come out and said the reasoning for dropping the case originally. Kevin Morris is a veteran web reporter and editor who specializes in longform journalism. Their names can't be legally published in Canada. He's looking at the camera and giving a thumbs-up. We may earn a commission from links on this page. In addition to her parents, she left behind two darling sisters, Temyson and Teaghan, who both live in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia with Leah. Parsons had little memory of the event, except that, at one point, she vomited while a boy was allegedly raping her. When Rehtaeh Parsons died following a suicide attempt, a national conversation was sparked on how people address sexual assault and consent. Theyve produced a series of shorts under the title Web Of Lies. She described how damag-ing her experience and the dissemina-tion of the photo were. Canadian teenager Rehtaeh Parsons . Perhaps Rehtaehs suffering and death can act asa catalyst for reassessing how we treat women who have been violated. She would be haunted by that photograph and what it meant until her last breath. Both of you are in my heart. The young man cried when he first heard Rehtaeh died. Funny you asked. Why? 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?". ), "Obviously, if I felt like if she didn't want it, it wouldn't have happened," the teen told the paper. I am not ashamed of my body, but it is mine. Rehtaeh's death prompted the Nova Scotia government to launch reviews of the RCMP's original investigation and the school board's handling of the matter. Rehtaeh Parsons' case attained worldwide notoriety last April, when she committed suicide after months of cyber-bullying. Rehtaeh Parsons was a 14-year-old teenager in Nova Scotia who went to a party in November 2011, where she was allegedly gang-raped. Lastly, the justice system failed her. The Canadian prime minister, Stephen Harper, applauded the progress in the case and said Rehtaeh's death was a terrible tragedy that touched people across Canada. The pre-sentence report says the man cried when he learned Parsons had been taken off a life-support machine after she slipped into a coma due to a suicide attempt. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. And able to make decisions about their bodies. The conclusion to Leah Parsonss Facebook post is heartbreaking. Royal Canadian Mounted Police Chief Superintendent Roland Wells said one man, 18, had been charged with two counts of distributing child pornography and the second man, also 18, was charged with making child pornography and distributing it. 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. 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. You certainly should have, the judge said, but you should have been crying while she was alive.. Just as rape and sex have nothing to do with each other, pictures shared with and without consent are completely different things.. Photograph: Andrew Vaughan/AP, Ask.fm loses advertisers as Cameron calls for 'irresponsible websites' boycott, Ask.fm faces backlash from advertisers after teenager's suicide, Cyberbullying: a mother's fight for justice, Boycott 'vile' websites, says David Cameron - video, Cyberbullying websites should be boycotted, says Cameron, Hannah Smith suicide: MPs call for education in social-media awareness. [12] Citing the offender's age at the time of the crime and Canada's Youth Criminal Justice Act, the Crown had advised the Judge that the only possible penalties in this case were either probation or a conditional discharge. 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. [20], The Parsons case also prompted an external inquiry into the conduct of the Crown Prosecutor's office. I had bruises on the insides of my thighs and my entire pelvic area. Another was about taking away their ability to make decisions. His name is still covered by the ban.). Never has the message been so powerful than Caitlin Staseys (ofReign)Herself,a feminist website that features not only nude photographs of women but also in-depth interviews with each participant. Rehtaeh Parsons was a gifted teenager with boundless curiosity and a love for family, science, and the natural world. How can we undo the damage that has been done? In 2011, 15-year-old Rehtaeh Parsons attended a party with a handful of friends. On Rehtaehs memorial Facebook page, her mother, Leah, described how the rape and ceaseless harassment pulled the girl into depression and suicidal thoughts. The episode, The Girl in the Photo, was released yesterday in the United States and, going by the comments, emails, and Facebook posts Im receiving, it made quite an impact. One of the two boys convicted of distributing a photo of himself having sex with Rehtaeh Parsons , the 17-year-old Canadian teen who died after she was taken off life support following a suicide attempt, has given his first interview. Posted on Apr 9, 2013Updated on Jun 1, 2021, 7:00 pm CDT, Rehtaeh Parsons was just 15 years old when she was allegedly raped by four boys at a friends home in 2011. [7] Likewise, there were no arrests for the March 2013 stabbing incident. And of course, theres backlash. 35 Rehtaeh Parsons Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 35 Rehtaeh Parsons Premium High Res Photos Browse 35 rehtaeh parsons stock photos and images available or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. She has a keen interest in WikiLeaks and web culture, and her bylines have appeared in Salon, Vanity Fair, Serious Eats, and elsewhere. Lorraine Murphy is an Ottawa-based cybersecurity journalist and founding editor of the Cryptosphere. Rehtaeh, 17, was taken off life-support in April 2013 following a suicide attempt after the explicit photo of her was circulated amongst her peers in Cole Harbour, N.S. Staseys project is a positive move towards de-stigmatizing the nude female form. Miss Millennia Magazine LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Their names can't be legally published in Canada. Would you trust your family members to be around him in a public spot? Two 18-year-old men were arrested on. The man, 20, who remains anonymous under Canadian law as he was 17 at the time, is the second person convicted of distributing child pornography charges after spreading a photo via text message of Rehtaeh Parsons, who committed suicide in April 2013 after being tormented by those who viewed the image. I am so very sorry for what happened to Rehtaeh. She was raped that night and a photo was taken of one of her assaults. I just saw the episode about Rehtaeh on ID. Six years after Rehtaehs death her life and struggle is still making a difference in peoples lives. Your email address will not be published. A source spoke to the Daily Dot on condition of (extra) anonymity. The girl in the photo, Rehtaeh Parsons, faced vicious slut-shaming and harassment as a result of the photo. Press J to jump to the feed. Three years ago in British Columbia, another teenage girl was gang-raped. Holten has reclaimed the power that was stolen from her when her nudes were posted online. The two boys who had sex with her, both 16, passed the photo to several friends. "[28], There are reports that members of the hacker group Anonymous involved itself in tracing the alleged perpetrators of the incidents Parsons suffered. Only several months after Rehtaehs assault, a 16-year-old high school student was raped by two high school football players in Steubenville, Ohio. Tell me a teenager who hasn't. He was sentenced to 12 months probation. Try not to drop it this time., Screenshots via AnonPaste.me. [32][33] Parsons has been described as a "victim of sexting". "It was all mutual. Be sure to readBody Drama: Real Girls, Real Bodies, Real Issues, Real Answers. This article originally appeared on VICE Canada. Regardless of whether they were willing participants in these images or victims of sexual assault, they are shamed. I blamed myself for years. Where's the rape charge? The death of Rehtaeh, who was taken off life support after a suicide attempt in April, led to an outcry. She was just 17 when she hanged herself in the bathroom of the familys home in Nova Scotia. [8], A year following the alleged rape, the RCMP concluded an investigation stating, "[an] investigation into an earlier sexual assault was completed, and in consultation with the Crown, there was insufficient evidence to lay charges". But her life was derailed when she went to a friend's house for a sleepover and the two of them dropped by at a . "He's not. In November 2011, Rehtaeh Parsons, then 15, allegedly went with a friend to a home in which she was reportedly raped by four teenage boys. Please be respectful of each other when posting, and note that users new to the subreddit might experience posting limitations until they become more active and longer members of the community. Dont worry, we wont send spam! Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. April 7 - Rehtaeh Parsons is taken off life support and dies three days after she tried to kill herself following an alleged sexual assault by four boys at a party in November 2011. She later locked herself in a bathroom and attempted suicide. She called me a slut and a liar and swore he would never do that. The dox continues for nearly 5,000 words, exhaustively quoting the Speak the Truth Facebook group, which was deactivated on April 15 after multiple complaints from, among others, Rehtaehs father. It has been sent. You have all worked so hard through such difficult times. Images via DarksideBarones/Twitter. Did you know that the day she was born she changed my life for the better? "I will not live with the guilt of someone passing away, but I will live with the guilt of the photo.". According to Jezebel,just this week two Vanderbilt University football players were found guilty for the gang rape of a student that took place in the summer of 2013. There was an error trying to send your message. During the sentencing hearing, the courtroom was packed with reporters tweeting Rehtaeh's name. Blatchford calls that "a courageous challenge to the public narrative" around the case and calls the teen "brave." I am in tears over this. I can assure you we had the names of the alleged rapists within hours of the story going live, he said: Unfortunately a few short-sighted Anons have rushed to release names (almost every dox Ive seen has incorrect names). 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. "[27] Later, Anonymous announced it would not publicize the names of the individuals it believed to be the rapists, in respect of the Parsons family's wishes. In December, Diab removed the ban on the condition that Rehtaeh's name is respected. "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. You can read our previous coverage of the court case here and here. Rehtaehs former school, Cole Harbour District Highschool, did not support or even acknowledge her when she needed them the most. I will say that I always believed Rehtaeh would make an imprint on this world. Wells said the two were not being identified because they were minors when the alleged crimes occurred. In September 2014, one of the boys, by then 20, pleaded guilty to a charge of making child pornography in relation to the photo of Parsons. I hope we will be able to see this documentary! No, you would not know these things because you never took the time to view her as a person. The ban remains technically in place but unbiased reports about the case will not be subject to prosecution. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. And there are many that find video and images of their assault posted through social media and shared through text messages. She's gone," Glen Canning said. I am not suggesting that this is a route for all victims of sexual assaultto take. The group was a gathering place for those who supported the boys rather than Rehtaeh. "Her voice was not heard when she struggled to be heard, but it sure is now," Leah Parsons told the court during her victim impact statement. I had to read it more than once. [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. Once the two boys were done they carried her over and laid her on the bed to sleep. That was very debilitating. "This has had a huge negative impact on me," he said. She read a list of goals that Rehtaeh had penned in a journal: learn to drive, make new friends, "plan for the rest of my life." BestsellerThe Barista Express grinds, foams milk, and produces the silkiest espresso at the perfect temperature. The Halifax-area teen committed suicide after allegedly being gang rape. 04/11/13 AT 12:22 PM. Rehtaehs story is well documented in the media. I got extremely messed up. Through the eyes of her parents, this film re-examines these alarming events, which ultimately led to Rehtaeh's suicide. Showing results for rehtaeh parsons. [18][19] One conclusion of the report was that Nova Scotian schools "need to do a better job preventing harassment and sexual aggression". [41], In December 2014, Nova Scotia's attorney general announced that she was directing the province's Public Prosecution Service to pursue breaches of the publication ban in Parsons' case only if the breach is derogatory of Rehtaeh Parsons. Earlier this year I flew to Halifax to be interviewed for an Investigation Discovery documentary about Rehtaeh. "[2] The blog of Rehtaeh's father, Glen Canning, also went viral. Police in Canada have charged two young men with distributing child pornography in the cyberbullying case of Rehtaeh Parsons, a 17-year-old who killed herself after a photo of her allegedly. The administrator of a website that used photos of Rehtaeh Parsons to advertise online dating is apologizing and has taken down his website, saying the use of the girl's image was a mistake . Rehtaeh Parsons Case Connected To Stabbing? [39], A replacement law, the Intimate Images and Cyber-protection Act,[39] was passed in 2017[40] and came into force in 2018. When this happened Rae suddenly stood up on her chair in the movie theatre and started screaming for someone to help the fish. Welcome to Canadas official subreddit! In a memorial gallery the Parsons family posted to YouTube, you can see Rehtaeh holding her newborn sister in her arms, her mother smiling in the background. The man said that he did not expect the photo to be shared among people. Now that the court case is over, former Ontario chief prosecutor Murray Segal is free to conduct his independent review of how police handled Rehtaeh's case. Does Alan Cumming Really Live in a Scottish Castle? You probably knew nothing about her whatsoever. Instead, the police called it a "he said, she said" case and also decided the photo was not criminal, in spite of Parsons being a minor. 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. 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. cyberbullying legislation allows victims to sue", "New cyberbullying law can force removal of intimate images online", BILL NO. 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. She was just 15. [18][19][20] The provincial government of Darrell Dexter requested the report, which is entitled "External Review of the Halifax Regional School Boards Support of Rehtaeh Parsons". "I'm not going to go on about all the struggles I now have to endure just to make it through the day. Really? Her parents lobbied NS Justice Minister Lena Diab to lift the ban so her story could be publicized. The Barista Express grinds, foams milk, and produces the silkiest espresso at the perfect temperature. Earlier in the day, Rehtaeh's parents said news of the arrests brought them some solace, though the girl's father expressed disappointment that his daughter never saw justice served. "Simply making the report doesn't guarantee it happens. Rehtaeh Parsons, a 15 year old student from Nova Scotia, was raped by four schoolboys while drunk at a sleepover. New laws are being considered after these events. The outrage over. He said the photo was a "gross violation of the personal integrity of Ms. Parsons" and that the man had showed "utter contempt for Ms. Parsons," saying she was "no more than a . I went back to my friends house to sleep over after this with her and told her what happened. At this party, Parsons consumed a substantial amount of vodka - substantial enough for her recollection of the . The charges come a day after a new law took effect in the province that allows people to sue if they or their children are being cyberbullied. My daughter was three years old when we went to watch Babe: Pig in the City. This is unacceptable. This inquiry, which was requested by the Dexter government in August 2013 and released on October 8, 2015, during the government of Stephen McNeil, was performed by Murray Segal, a former chief prosecutor in Ontario. How could the police press no charges in a case where obvious child pornography spread virally across an entire high school? She died shortly after. That is called rape. Rehtaeh al - leged that the photo depicted a sexual assault. The end of this story could have been quite different. Rehtaeh Parsons was 15 years old when she attended a party, including four male friends. I just never imagined it would be at such a young age and it would cost her her life.". Sorry guys but Im taking down the support group because the police have asked me that it be removed due to the fact this is cause names to get leaked out and spread around, she said. I left her house that night and walked to a friends house. I can only agree that these two and other unnamed men complicit in this heinous crime should pay dearly for their actions. The crime itself. A Nova Scotia man who texted a photo that showed him penetrating a 15-year-old girl and flashing a thumbs-up while she vomited won't see the inside of a prison anytime soon. Her mother said a boy took a photo of the alleged assault in 2011 and that her daughter was bullied for months after it was distributed online. Parsons had little memory of the event, except that, at one point, she vomited while a boy was allegedly raping her. Following the suicide, Rehtaeh Parsons's mother, Leah Parsons, went public with the story and started a memorial Facebook page[7] called "Angel Rehtaeh. Unfortunately Amanda Todd and Rehtaeh Parsons share a seeming failure on the part of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to properly serve and protect them. A review into the handling of the Rehtaeh Parsons case by the RCMP and Nova Scotia's Public Prosecution Service says it was reasonable of the Crown to conclude there was no realistic prospect that . The girl's identity was protected by a statutory publication ban but her parents pushed to have her name released, saying they wanted her story and her name to be shared widely. [7], According to an RCMP report, in March 2013, six boys, including some of Parsons' alleged rapists, had an argument with three other boys. Im Jasmine. Her ordeal began after a photo got shared of her leaning out a window . The two who were in the photo and took the photo, respectively, are both now 20; one pled guilty to manufacturing child pornography and the other to distributing it. If these boys had not taken pictures of their assault, what would they be charged with? [37][38], That law was quashed in 2015 by the Nova Scotia Supreme Court who ruled the law's definition of cyberbullying was too wide and infringed on Charter rights and freedom of expression. After she was born I spent the next seven years in university and she was my driving force. In November of 2011, 15-year-old Rehtaeh Parsons was gang raped at a party by four of her male peers. A woman holds a photo as several hundred people attended a community vigil to remember Rehtaeh Parsons at Victoria Park in Halifax on Thursday, April 11, 2013. [6] The teenagers were drinking vodka at a small party. Posted on Apr 25, 2013Updated on Jun 1, 2021, 5:34 pm CDT. And the message they relay. At today's sentencing, he said posing for the "sexually degrading" photo and texting it to two people warranted a harsher penalty. Her parents said she was sexually assaulted when she was 15 years old and then bullied relentlessly for more than a year. [3] According to the family, the boys were not questioned and their phones were not reviewed for the photograph of the rape in progress. This page was last edited on 14 December 2022, at 08:33. Only a year later, the police concluded their investigation stating that there was insufficient evidence despite a viral photograph of Rehtaeh with her rapists. When given a chance to speak Thursday, the man who posed for the photo said, "I have already apologized to Rehtaeh a few days after the picture was sent." Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. What we dont want to do is just drop names and start a witch hunt. The 17-year old student from Cole Harbour, N.S., committed suicide after four boys sexually asssaulted her and then distributed photos of the. He put me in his parents car where I slept. Parsons died in April after a suicide attempt at the age of 17. A woman holds a photo of Rehtaeh Parsons at Victoria Park in Halifax on April 11, 2013. . Nobody expects them to shout from the rooftops. Please try again later. involving young people in advisory roles; ensuring that students help develop policies that affect them; clarifying the process for transferring students between schools; removing barriers between government bodies that serve students and their families; stronger anti-bullying and anti-sexual aggression policies in schools; restorative justice to help students "learn from their mistakes"; more young people in government advisory roles; a curriculum that includes "intellectual, ethical, social-emotional, and physical development for all students"; schools should ensure harassment allegations are thoroughly investigated and perpetrators punished.