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. The consequences of these actions are severe. The two boys who had sex with her, both 16, passed the photo to several friends. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. 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. They didnt even interview the boys until much, much later, she added. 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 should have been crying when she was alive," the judge told him. Thumbs up. 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." Search instead for rethaeh parsons? Parsons was hanging out a window after having just vomited, being penetrated, when the photo was taken without her knowledge or consent. I will say that I always believed Rehtaeh would make an imprint on this world. Another was about taking away their ability to make decisions. According to Rehtaeh's mother, Leah Parsons, the Nova Scotia teenager went to a party in 2011, when she was 15, and became drunk on vodka. How can we undo the damage that has been done? Yesterday, 17-year-old Rehtaeh Parsons' father wrote a heart-rending letter about his daughter. [26], Parsons' suicide and the circumstances surrounding it have been compared to those of British Columbian Amanda Todd[26][31] and with Audrie Pott, a fifteen-year-old girl from Saratoga, California, United States, and appear to show similar characteristics. The day after she discovered the photo, she formed a suicide plan and came close to putting it in effect, ex-plaining that she couldn't see another option. Posted on Apr 25, 2013Updated on Jun 1, 2021, 5:34 pm CDT. Your email address will not be published. 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. Her parents said she was sexually assaulted when she was 15 years old and then bullied relentlessly for more than a year. 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). Rehtaehs family took her off life support on Sunday, April 7. Rehtaeh Parsons killed herself after allegedly being been raped and bullied (Facebook) The father of a teenage Canadian girl who killed herself after allegedly being raped by . Im Jasmine. She sought assistance from the authorities. [8] The story drew international attention and sparked outrage on the Internet, with CBC reporting the phrase "Nova Scotia" was "trending on Twitter worldwide. These images reclaim power over the female body. 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. You probably knew nothing about her whatsoever. [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. That is called rape. 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 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." Rehtaeh Parsons, a 15 year old student from Nova Scotia, was raped by four schoolboys while drunk at a sleepover. 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. When I was 15 years old, I went to a party with my Friend. 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. And now he's not a young offender, so everyone should know who he is. Please try again later. Anonymous knows who the suspects are, but its staying silent out of respector Leah Parsonss wish that the boys not be publicly named. These images are reaffirming. BestsellerThe Barista Express grinds, foams milk, and produces the silkiest espresso at the perfect temperature. Rehtaeh Parsons was raped by four boys at a party. Wells said the two were not being identified because they were minors when the alleged crimes occurred. 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. 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. Her assailants documented her rape through photographs shared with classmates and posted on Instagram. Update:2 arrests made in Rehtaeh Parsons rape case. Only a year later, the police concluded their investigation stating that there was insufficient evidence despite a viral photograph of Rehtaeh with her rapists. "I was unable to console her as she crumbled emotionally after that photo was taken. Leah Parsons added in an interview with Nova Scotias Chronicle Herald: People texted her all the time, saying Will you have sex with me? Girls texting, saying Youre such a slut.. She would be haunted by that photograph and what it meant until her last breath. I got extremely messed up. The Chronicle Herald became the subject of investigation for its actions following complaints by police, although other media outlets have been investigated in Halifax for violating the ban but have not been subject to any charges. On April 4, 2013, Rehtaeh Parsons ( / rte /, r-TAY-; [1] December 9, 1995 - April 7, 2013), a 17-year-old student at Cole Harbor District High School, attempted suicide by hanging herself [2] at her home in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, leading to a coma and decision to shut down medical support machinery on April 7, 2013 . Despite the fact that some people have criticized her decision. "[28], There are reports that members of the hacker group Anonymous involved itself in tracing the alleged perpetrators of the incidents Parsons suffered. 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. [5], After her suicide, posters appeared locally in support of the boys who allegedly attacked Parsons. Theyve produced a series of shorts under the title Web Of Lies. "[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. How and why is she being sentenced? [24] Segal continued: "Some work has also been done to clarify how schools and police interact, (but) we were informed that there is a lot of mystique around police investigations from the schools perspective: school authorities are loath to act when they are aware of an active criminal investigation, because they do not want to influence the evidence or prejudice the investigation." 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. Nor that her mother, Leah Parsons, would meet Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister of Canada, to create a Crime Victims Bill of Rights. That was very debilitating. Police initially concluded there were no grounds to charge anyone after a yearlong investigation. 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.". I am so very sorry for what happened to Rehtaeh. 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. Did you know she loved to read, would drop everything to help an animal or friend in need? 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. [18][19] One conclusion of the report was that Nova Scotian schools "need to do a better job preventing harassment and sexual aggression". Parsons' parents have called it rape. The teen's family said she was tormented for months after a digital photo of the alleged November, 2011 gang rape was circulated around her school. Perhaps Rehtaehs suffering and death can act asa catalyst for reassessing how we treat women who have been violated. The teen in the photo was sentenced Thursday to one year of probation and ordered not to drink alcohol. The stigmatization of womens bodies? Theres something so powerful and beautiful about that. Both accused are due in youth court next Thursday. Blatchford also wrote the photo did not show Parsons' face. [14] With a conditional discharge, his criminal record will not show a conviction in this case, unless he breaches the terms of his probation. He also faces separate charges of assault and making death threats. "[22], Significantly, the Segal report found that school board officials prevented a police investigator from talking to students at Parsons school. "He's not. He was sentenced to 12 months probation. Shunned by almost everyone she knew, Rehtaeh was forced to move away and attend a new school. According to Rehtaeh's mother, Leah, the Nova Scotia-based teenager had attended a party two years earlier where she had got drunk and been raped. 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. In July 2010, there was a reaction to the use of one of Anonymous' slogans by the Oregon Tea Party. 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 . If the news of her rape and subsequent death had not gone viral, Im not sure if Rehtaeh would have ever been given the justice she deserved. [7] Likewise, there were no arrests for the March 2013 stabbing incident. A Halifax court ruled on Thursday that no jail time or probation would be given to the young man responsible for the photo that led Rehtaeh Parsons to kill herself in April 2013. She checked herself into a hospital for six weeks as she struggled to cope with the fallout from the attack. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. 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. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. I am not suggesting that this is a route for all victims of sexual assaultto take. Leah Parsons said she planned to meet with Segal as soon as he's back in town. The crime itself. [39], A replacement law, the Intimate Images and Cyber-protection Act,[39] was passed in 2017[40] and came into force in 2018. 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 . 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. [13] In November 2014, the first defendant to plead guilty was sentenced to a conditional discharge with 12 months' probation. So the public has a right to know who these rapists are, who these sexual deviants are. [10] On April 12, the RCMP announced the case was being reopened in light of "new and credible information" that they said did not come from the Internet.[11]. The Halifax-area teen committed suicide after allegedly being gang rape. Rape and revenge porn is about power. Would you trust your family members to be around him in a public spot? The RCMP expressed concern that the posters might lead to vigilantism, although they did not name the accused. [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". There was an error trying to send your message. Others in this world took that away from her. If only the justice system had not failed Rehtaeh. Six years after Rehtaehs death her life and struggle is still making a difference in peoples lives. I wish I had known her. 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 . 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?". "This will be a life sentence for me," he concluded. This is unacceptable. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, The man also faces separate charges of assault and making death threats, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. 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. The ban remains technically in place but unbiased reports about the case will not be subject to prosecution. Tell me a teenager who hasn't. Rehtaeh Parsons, 17, of Nova Scotia, killed herself in April after being taunted over a photo of her alleged rape by four boys, her mother has said. The second person convicted in the Rehtaeh Parsons child pornography case in Nova Scotia has been sentenced to 12 months probation. In the end, several adults (members of the school district) were indicted for failing to report child abuse and tampering with an ongoing investigation. He led the Daily Dots esports vertical and, following its acquisition by GAMURS in late 2016, launched Dot Esports, where he serves as the sites editor-in-chief. Her parents lobbied NS Justice Minister Lena Diab to lift the ban so her story could be publicized. An independent review released in June concluded the Halifax regional school board could have done a better job but was hindered by the fact that Rehtaeh was often absent from class. 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. 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. Rehtaeh Parsons was a gifted teenager with boundless curiosity and a love for family, science, and the natural world. Nor that the Halifax Regional Police would open an internal investigation to the negligent way the case was handled, why a yearlong investigation with photo evidence closed without a single charge. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigated the case, but found insufficient evidence to press chargesdespite photographic evidence of the crime. I thought she died. Holten has reclaimed the power that was stolen from her when her nudes were posted online. Neither was given any jail time. Rehtaeh Parsons Case Connected To Stabbing? Dont worry, we wont send spam! When gang-rape victim Rehtaeh Parsons hanged herself April 5, she saw nothing ahead for herself but a future of accumulating pain. 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. He said he would like to apologize to her parents through his lawyer. 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. If theres anything indicative of 21st-century fears of young women, perhaps it is the fear of having your most intimate photographs and videos strewn across the internet. In November of 2011, 15-year-old Rehtaeh Parsons was gang raped at a party by four of her male peers. Only a year later, the police concluded their investigation stating that there was insufficient evidence despite a viral photograph of Rehtaeh with her rapists. Only several months after Rehtaehs assault, a 16-year-old high school student was raped by two high school football players in Steubenville, Ohio. But they havent come out and said the reasoning for dropping the case originally.