Soap Box

Rehtaeh Parsons.  If you've not yet heard the name, take a moment and google it.  Go ahead, I'll wait.

With colours of Stubbenville, this case if very similar.  Young girl who was mistreated (and that's a very pg way of putting it).  Now, I will admit straight up I have not read any of the numerous news reports, nor do I know anyone involved, my information is not first hand.  And the info I do have came from such a reliable source as the internet.  Because it's all over the internet.

17 months ago Rehtaeh's life changed.  She was sexually assaulted by 4 guys.  At the time she was 15 years old, much too young to have to deal with any of this, and she tried to deal with it herself.  She didn't say anything, not to her mother at any rate.  The assault didn't come to light until someone posted a photo that had been taken during the assault.  This is now a matter of child pornography.  Police were brought in.  They apparently did a bang up job of investigating things - not.  No charges were brought.  Rehtaeh was willing to testify, to follow the charges through.  But the matter was dropped.  Rehtaeh was bullied, called names, life was made miserable.  She changed schools, she tried to soldier on.

Last week, Rehtaeh attempted suicide.  She hung herself.  Her mother found her, but it was too late.  The child was still alive, but damage had been done.  She was kept on life support for 2 days, she is no longer with us.

And now, 17 months after the fact, THE WORLD CRIES.  The family weeps, the friends cry, social media roars, editorial cartoons are being shared, this dude in the Guy Fawkes mask has taken up the issue, and celebrities are up in arms.

Where the FUCK were all these people 17 months ago?  Where was all this anger and energy when Rehtaeh needed it, needed the support?  What IS it with people and the need to lock the barn door AFTER the horse has run free?  It isn't as though this child stayed quiet all this time and things only came to light because of a suicide note.  NO!  This child came forward less than a week after it happened.  Granted, it wasn't the day of, or even the day after.  Much needed physical evidence was lost.  But you know what?  There was a fucking photo taken with someone's fucking cell phone, and it was fucking POSTED!  It was SHARED!  Production and distribution of Child fucking Pornography.  Kids who sext with their own cell phones are fucking being charged, why not the person who took the photo of the assault?  And she was 15 fucking years old!  DOES STATUTORY RAPE MEAN NOTHING ANY MORE?  What the hell?!?!

Police claim it was a he said/she said matter.  Well yes, that's usually how rape goes, you morons!  Pull your fucking donuts out of your fucking ass and do something, investigate!  They didn't bring charges against the person the phone belonged to because they couldn't say with certainty who actually took the photo!  I'm sorry, WHAT?  Hello!  It was still on their phone days later, they had to have known it was there, how else would it have been POSTED?!?!?!  When that child felt the need to change schools, where were all the Bully Task Forces?  Why was there nothing done, then?

WAKE THE FUCK UP, PEOPLE!  This behaviour is UNACCEPTABLE!

How many more girls need to be sexually assaulted before Society Will Change?

How many more teens need to take their lives before bullying will be taken seriously?

How many more anti-bullying campaigns need to come out before people will stop it before it begins?  Because really, wearing a pink t-shirt one day out of the year just won't cut it...

And I feel for Rehtaeh's parents, really I do.  But where the fuck were they 17 months ago?  Why cry and wring your hands now, when Rehtaeh needed it 17 months ago?