"It was all mutual. The consequences of these actions are severe. Rehtaeh Parsons' case attained worldwide notoriety last April, when she committed suicide after months of cyber-bullying. The Party's Facebook page was flooded with image macro and flames. [34], On April 26, 2013, Christie Blatchford wrote in the National Post that a problem in the case was that one of Parsons' friends claimed Parsons was "flirtatious" on the night the photo was taken, was seen laughing in bed with two boys and also there were "accounts from Rehtaeh herself and independent evidence, including retrieved online messages, that supported the suggestion the sex that took place was consensual." Theres something so powerful and beautiful about that. The law was passed in response to Parsons' suicide. 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. Does Alan Cumming Really Live in a Scottish Castle? I wanted these women to be subjects, not objects. "[2] The blog of Rehtaeh's father, Glen Canning, also went viral. She could never have imagined that her death would unite friends and supporters with an international force of hacktivists and anti-bully activists. My heart bleeds for all of you, as a parent now I just cannot imagine what you are going through. Neither was given any jail time. 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. Editor-in-Chief of Miss Millennia Magazine. Nor that her mother, Leah Parsons, would meet Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister of Canada, to create a Crime Victims Bill of Rights. You can read our previous coverage of the court case here and here. It has been sent. The ban remains technically in place but unbiased reports about the case will not be subject to prosecution. 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. In December, Diab removed the ban on the condition that Rehtaeh's name is respected. I know she was not cruel or mean to you [name removed]. I wish I had known her :(, It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live. ~ Marcus Aurelius, 2023 All rights reserved Glenford Canning. She was allegedly gang-raped, photographed, and shamed under similar circumstances. The boy's mother, meanwhile, insists that he's a good kid, although she doesn't understand "why kids are having sex at parties," she says. Parsons had little memory of the event, except that, at one point, she vomited while a boy was allegedly raping her. Rehtaeh Parsons had her life support machine switched off after she attempted suicide following bullying over an explicit image taken against her will (Creative Commons) A man has walked free. These images are reaffirming. Facebook. If only. Her parents lobbied NS Justice Minister Lena Diab to lift the ban so her story could be publicized. [5], After her suicide, posters appeared locally in support of the boys who allegedly attacked Parsons. They didnt even interview the boys until much, much later, she added. Update:2 arrests made in Rehtaeh Parsons rape case. It sometimes feels impossible to encompass all that needs to be said. "[27] Rehtaeh's funeral on April 13 was attended by 500 people, including Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter, who said he came "first and foremost as a father trying to imagine what kind of incredible, unfathomable grief could be visited upon a family. Rehtaeh Parsons, 17, killed herself after photos of the incident were widely shared and months of cyber-bullying from her peers. Im grateful to everyone for all of your support, thoughts, and the prayers youve sent us. I hope we will be able to see this documentary! 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. Parsons had little memory of the event, except that, at one point, she vomited while a boy was allegedly raping her. 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. This article originally appeared on VICE Canada. Within a few hours, the Tea Party posted a message saying "Anonymous: We appreciate your resources and admire your tactics. His name is still covered by the ban.). The crime itself. In the end, several adults (members of the school district) were indicted for failing to report child abuse and tampering with an ongoing investigation. And y is this anonymous group involed with this one n not any other of the suicides or rapes that have happend in the last 2yrs. [35] In response, Parsons' father, Glen Canning, accused Blatchford of victim blaming and argued, "The two boys involved in taking and posing for the photograph stated Rehtaeh was throwing up when they had sex with her. Wells said the two were not being identified because they were minors when the alleged crimes occurred. 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. Press J to jump to the feed. We must understand what is at stake when these images go viral, whether they were taken by the women themselves or their lovers, but especially when the women arenot consentingto what is taking place in these pictures or videos. Pinterest CMO Andra Mallard joins the Kajabi board (Exclusive), Resurfaced podcast clip shows The 1975s Matt Healy calling Ice Spice dumb, mocking accents, Fashion and comedy icon Tyshon Lawrence shares insight from building an audience of over 18 million followers on TikTok, AI tool users beware: Copyright Offices denial of protection for graphic novel underscores new legal vulnerabilities for creators, *First Published: Apr 25, 2013, 8:34 am CDT, 2 arrests made in Rehtaeh Parsons rape case. [22][23][24][25] The report was delayed until legal proceedings involving two men charged with child pornography offences in the case concluded. 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 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. 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. Rehtaehs story is well documented in the media. 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. If these boys had not taken pictures of their assault, what would they be charged with? Her . A woman holds a photo of Rehtaeh Parsons at Victoria Park in Halifax on April 11, 2013. . Rehtaeh Parsons, 17, died just days after a suicide attempt that followed years of cyberbullying after she was allegedly gang-raped at a party. "Humans make mistakes," said the young man, who turned 20 yesterday. At some point the RCMP reached out to the group defending Parsonss alleged rapists, prompting admin Latisha Brimicombe to deactivate it. [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]. It spread like wildfire and she was cruelly mocked. And the message they relay. 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. On Sunday he and his wife had to take her off of life support. 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. VICE Canada respected the ban while it was in place. "That kid pled guilty to having sex with her while she was vomiting out a window," he said. In a heartbreaking victim impact statement delivered during his Thursday sentencing, Rehtaeh's mother Leah told the teennow a manhow much she'd lost with her daughter's death, and chided him for not bothering to learn what a beautiful and generous person she was: I know that Rehtaeh did nothing to deserve that type of treatment. BestsellerThe Barista Express grinds, foams milk, and produces the silkiest espresso at the perfect temperature. Sort by: Most popular Bullying Kills Why ex Neighbours actress Caitlin Stasey launched feminist website Herself.com, 11 Absolutely Empowering Ways to Celebrate the Woman In Your Life, 7 Important Adulting Skills That Everyone Should Know, 6 Simple Ways to Keep Your Business Going When Times Are Tough, 5 Low-risk Investment Alternatives To A Savings Account, The Truth About Millennials And Plastic Surgery, How To Dominate Dating When You Live A Busy Life, Download: 100+ Websites That Pay You To Blog. Between those two extremes of extraordinary violence, Rehtaeh lived as a perpetual victimof her rapists, who took a photograph of that night and made sure it spread virally among her classmates, and the Canadian Mounted Police, who never filed a single charge in the case., UPDATE: How schools and police failed Rehtaeh Parsons. She's gone," Glen Canning said. Parsons, who was attempting to throw up out of a window at the time the photo was taken, while the teenage boy was having sex with her and holding his thumb up to the camera while another teenager took the picture, according to Herald News. She was just 15. 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 . 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. Her assailants documented her rape through photographs shared with classmates and posted on Instagram. 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. . 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. Rehtaeh al - leged that the photo depicted a sexual assault. Six years after Rehtaeh's death her life and struggle is still making a difference in peoples lives. Fed up with the abuse that continues on and offline against a dead rape victim and her family, hacker collective Anonymous decided the law wasnt working fast enough. Please try again later. 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. Rehtaeh Parsons is shown in a Facebook photo. The RCMP have a history of dragging their feet in cases of teen sexual abuse. Just as rape and sex have nothing to do with each other, pictures shared with and without consent are completely different things.. "I don't sit here as a parent and say he's perfect," she told Blatchford. She was 17 when she died. The incident was photographed and the photo became widespread in Parsons' school and town in three days. 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 am so very sorry for what happened to Rehtaeh. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Canadian media cannot refer to Parsons or the man by name because . Showing results for rehtaeh parsons. He insists the sex was consensual and that he didn't 'bully' Rehtaeh, while his parents defend him as a good kid "who's made some mistakes.". It is about having control over someones body. Thank you for your message. Police initially concluded there were no grounds to charge anyone after a yearlong investigation. You certainly should have, the judge said, but you should have been crying while she was alive.. The charges against both men are disgusting. No. "She's dead now. The end of this story could have been quite different. This attempt was apparently thwarted by school authorities. cyberbullying legislation allows victims to sue", "New cyberbullying law can force removal of intimate images online", BILL NO. 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. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. This page was last edited on 14 December 2022, at 08:33. She loved animals. 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 wish I had known her. New information, from Canada.com, about the police investigation into the young. 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. The man said that he did not expect the photo to be shared among people. 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. 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. Two 18-year-old men were arrested on. You need to have a number of people holding [the government] to account and seeing what's actually done", said Dalhousie law professor Wayne MacKay. A judge for the Halifax Provincial Court imposed a mandatory DNA sample and ordered that the accused apologize to Rehtaeh Parsons' family. Anonymous wasnt involved in Steubenville? [17], On June 14, 2013, the 56-page report of Penny Milton and Debra Pepler, two education experts from Ontario, was released. No, you would not know these things because you never took the time to view her as a person. "[26], Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper commented on the case, saying he was "sickened" by the story and that the online bullying was "simply criminal activity. [22] Segal made 17 recommendations, and found the system "failed" on just about every level; a series of improvements to policies, procedures and actions relating to cyberbullying, sexual violence, investigations and prosecutions was contained in the report,[23] but significantly Segal wrote that it was reasonable of the Crown Prosecutor's office to conclude there was no realistic prospect that sexual assault charges would result in conviction, and thus "the decision not to lay charges of sexual assault was understandable. In November of 2011, 15-year-old Rehtaeh Parsons was gang raped at a party by four of her male peers. You have all worked so hard through such difficult times. Thats right: the group designed to support the boys had been responsible for leaking the name of one of the accused. The boy raping Rehtaeh posed and gave a thumbs up. Your email address will not be published. And this was how the notorious picture of Rehtaeh Parsons naked from the waist down, hanging out a window after she'd thrown up, unaware that the half-naked boy behind her was looking over his. The review of the RCMP's investigation continues. 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.. 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." Only a year later, the police concluded their investigation stating that there was insufficient evidence despite a viral photograph of Rehtaeh with her rapists. Consent is key. Sat, Apr 13: Family and friends gathered together for Rehtaeh Parsons' funeral today. Rehtaeh Parsons was raped by four boys at a party. The conclusion to Leah Parsonss Facebook post is heartbreaking. A photo of her rape soon began circulating online. In addition to her parents, she left behind two darling sisters, Temyson and Teaghan, who both live in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia with Leah. She had also written, "I am very much looking forward to the rest of High School. Nor could she have imagined that this alliance, under the Twitter-organized OpJustice4Rehtaeh, would successfully push the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to reopen the investigation of her assault two years ago. 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. "Rehtaeh Parsons case prompts scrutiny of police, prosecution procedures", "Rehtaeh Parsons Suicide: Justice Minister Revisiting Alleged Rape Case", Rehtaeh Parsons case to be reopened by police, "Young man enters guilty plea in high-profile Nova Scotia child porn case", "No jail time in high-profile child pornography case in Halifax", "No jail for Canadian man over photo of alleged sex assault", "Second young man pleads guilty in Rehtaeh Parsons case", "Second man sentenced in Rehtaeh Parsons case gets probation", "Rehtaeh Parsons case: Teen in explicit photo gets probation", CH: "Rehtaeh Parsons report: Review IWK, Capital Health programs", therecord.com: "Rehtaeh Parsons cyberbullying report calls for hospital review", ottawasun.com: " Rehtaeh Parsons report calls for changes to Nova Scotia curriculum", theobserver.ca: "Rehtaeh Parsons report calls for changes to Nova Scotia curriculum", macleans.ca: "Review: Crown decision in Rehtaeh Parsons case was reasonable>, cbc.ca: "Rehtaeh Parsons report makes 17 recommendations", globalnews.ca: "Rehtaeh Parsons report prompts review of how school boards deal with police>, ctvnews.ca: "Report provides validation for family of Rehtaeh Parsons", Rehtaeh Parsons' mom calls for vigilantes to stop, Stephen Harper 'sickened' by Rehtaeh Parsons story, Friends, family, dignitaries attend Rehtaeh Parsons funeral, "Rehtaeh Parsons Suicide: Web Calls On Anonymous To Act After Nova Scotia Teen's Death (UPDATE: Anonymous Responds)", 'Anonymous' won't release names of Rehtaeh Parsons suspects, Bullying blamed in death of Nova Scotia teen, "U.S. teen's death eerily similar to Rehtaeh Parsons' story - Nova Scotia - CBC News", "3 U.S. teens arrested for sexual battery after girl's suicide - World - CBC News", "Rehtaeh Parsons case: RCMP worried posters supporting 4 boys could incite vigilantism", "Christie Blatchford: Why there may never be a case against the alleged Rehtaeh Parsons rapists", "Cyberbullying law inspired by Rehtaeh Parsons' suicide takes effect", "N.S. When a girl ends her life after two years of slut-shaming and harassment, including watching photos of her attack spread around Facebook and her high school, people dont forget so easily. Segal made it clear that Parsons' complaint of sexual assault and cyberbullying was mishandled, and as early as one day later there were calls to implement his recommendations. It's a relief.". 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. In 2011, 15-year-old Rehtaeh Parsons attended a party with a handful of friends. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. 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 girl told her parents that while she was heavily. "We are curious and we've been wondering for three years now what are in those reports and what are the reasons that nothing was done when it should have been done and why no sexual assault charges. 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.". In which we treat women like objects and allow them to be the subjects of their lives. 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. Rehtaeh's death has been compared to similar cases in the United States, including 15-year-old California girl Audrie Pott, who hanged herself after her family says she was sexually assaulted by friends and a photo surfaced online. "[28], There are reports that members of the hacker group Anonymous involved itself in tracing the alleged perpetrators of the incidents Parsons suffered. Both of you are in my heart. At today's sentencing, he said posing for the "sexually degrading" photo and texting it to two people warranted a harsher penalty. Please contact Crisis Services Canada or your local mental health hotline. That is called rape. If only the justice system had not failed Rehtaeh. The Halifax-area teen committed suicide after allegedly being gang rape. 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. He's made mistakes. "[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. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan . Rehtaeh stood up for others, showed compassion to animals and people. 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. She described how damag-ing her experience and the dissemina-tion of the photo were. The Rehtaeh Parsons' case has aired on the Investigation Discovery television program Web of Lies and her parents Glen Canning and Leah Parsons are speaking out about the program and their daughter's case. After she was born I spent the next seven years in university and she was my driving force. 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. I thought she died. Holten is right when she says that rape and sex have nothing to do with one another. "You lit the wildfire, so to speak, and it got completely out of control," judge Lenehan said to the man who appeared in the photo. 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. Two 18-year-old men were booked on child. Parsons was hanging out a window after having just vomited, being penetrated, when the photo was taken without her knowledge or consent. 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. Thumbs up. 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. 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. A vicious campaign of cyber bullying ensues that drives an innocent girl to take desperate action. Perhaps Rehtaehs suffering and death can act asa catalyst for reassessing how we treat women who have been violated. 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. 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. [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 outrage over. We may earn a commission from links on this page. There was an error trying to send your message. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Rape and revenge porn is about power. Arrests were made in that case. 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 teenager Rehtaeh Parsons . That she was bright and funny? Rehtaehs case is yet another sad reminder of the power of social media to stretch a moment of sexual violence into a years-long ordeal that destroys a teenagers life. She stated: The pictures are an attempt at making me a sexual subject instead of an object. Through the eyes of her parents, this film re-examines these alarming events, which ultimately led to Rehtaeh's suicide. There was shots and just being a 15 year old that wanted to be liked and cool I drank. I'm proud of Anonymous for doing what they did.". She sought assistance from the authorities. Following the suicide, Rehtaeh Parsons's mother, Leah Parsons, went public with the story and started a memorial Facebook page[7] called "Angel Rehtaeh. Nothing was done about that because they couldnt prove who had pressed the photo button on the phone, Parsons told the Herald. New laws are being considered after these events. 95 talking about this. Nous parlons en anglais et en franais. "[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. He also faces separate charges of assault and making death threats. The boy I was set up with raped me. She got drunk, and while vomiting out of a window, she was allegedly raped while other people took photographs. A man has walked free from court after he was convicted of sharing a sexually explicit image of himself with a 15-year-old girl who then killed herself after being bullied over it. The second person convicted in the Rehtaeh Parsons child pornography case in Nova Scotia has been sentenced to 12 months probation. Its true, but only if youre privileged, white, and male.