Rehtaeh took her own life last week at the age of 17 after being gang raped in 2011 and relentlessly bullied by her classmates and peers ever since. Sat, Apr 13: Family and friends gathered together for Rehtaeh Parsons' funeral today. The consequences of these actions are severe. Rehtaehs former school, Cole Harbour District Highschool, did not support or even acknowledge her when she needed them the most. The girl told her parents that while she was heavily. I am not ashamed of my body, but it is mine. Im grateful to everyone for all of your support, thoughts, and the prayers youve sent us. Search from Rehtaeh Parsons Photos stock photos, pictures and royalty-free images from iStock. She's gone," Glen Canning said. Funny you asked. 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. Until recently, Parsons's name was the subject of a publication ban as she was underage when the photo was taken, and thus it qualified as child pornography. 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?". That night Rehtaeh was viewed as an object, and instead of helping her you posed for a photo and shared it with others. Those are the people that took the life of my beautiful girl. Education Minister Karen Casey said one week after the report's release that "each of the provinces school boards has its own protocol when it comes to dealing with police investigations on school property."[24]. She was allegedly gang-raped, photographed, and shamed under similar circumstances. I am so very sorry for what happened to Rehtaeh. Wait a sec. Lorraine Murphy is an Ottawa-based cybersecurity journalist and founding editor of the Cryptosphere. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. 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. How and why is she being sentenced? Then about 15-years-old, she reportedly drank some vodka. never seized any of the boys phones, computers, or hard drives. Did you know she had two little sisters that she adored? Parsons attempted to hang herself two years later and suffered severe brain damage. He's looking at the camera and giving a thumbs-up. I will say that I always believed Rehtaeh would make an imprint on this world. 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. "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. This, of course, brings into question what the RCMP, with their greater (legal) resources, have in terms of evidence. They gave no thought at all to her. Parsons' parents have called it rape. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? The charges against both men are disgusting. Within a few hours, the Tea Party posted a message saying "Anonymous: We appreciate your resources and admire your tactics. Rehtaeh Parsons killed herself after she said she had been raped and bullied (Facebook) Hacktivist group Anonymous has threatened to release the names of four boys accused of . [8] The story drew international attention and sparked outrage on the Internet, with CBC reporting the phrase "Nova Scotia" was "trending on Twitter worldwide. 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. When Rehtaeh was born I dedicated everything to her and promised her the world. Other photos offer a further glimpse into her life. She stated: The pictures are an attempt at making me a sexual subject instead of an object. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. 2023 Miss Millennia Magazine Privacy Policy Splendor Theme by Restored 316, The pictures are an attempt at making me a sexual subject instead of an object. 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 . 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. In November of 2011, 15-year-old Rehtaeh Parsons was gang raped at a party by four of her male peers. Earlier this year I flew to Halifax to be interviewed for an Investigation Discovery documentary about Rehtaeh. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan . My daughter was three years old when we went to watch Babe: Pig in the City. Justice minister Ross Landry introduced the legislation in the weeks after Rehtaeh's death. One of the three boys, who was a friend of Parsons, was stabbed and treated for a "non-life-threatening injury". Only a year later, the police concluded their investigation stating that there was insufficient evidence despite a viral photograph of Rehtaeh with her rapists. The Halifax-area teen committed suicide after allegedly being gang rape. Dont worry, we wont send spam! In July 2010, there was a reaction to the use of one of Anonymous' slogans by the Oregon Tea Party. 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 . Its true, but only if youre privileged, white, and male. I want to help demystify the female form, to assist in the erasure of coveting it, and to help celebrate the ever-changing face of it. "It was all mutual. The desire to objectify, to dominate, and assault? 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. I know she was not cruel or mean to you [name removed]. 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. Rehtaeh Parsons, a 15 year old student from Nova Scotia, was raped by four schoolboys while drunk at a sleepover. The ban remains technically in place but unbiased reports about the case will not be subject to prosecution. I went back to my friends house to sleep over after this with her and told her what happened. Nobody expects them to shout from the rooftops. "[28], There are reports that members of the hacker group Anonymous involved itself in tracing the alleged perpetrators of the incidents Parsons suffered. 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. 35 reviews. Rehtaeh is gone today because of the four boys that thought that raping a 15 year old girl was OK and to distribute a photo to ruin her spirit and reputation would be fun. 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. 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. When gang-rape victim Rehtaeh Parsons hanged herself April 5, she saw nothing ahead for herself but a future of accumulating pain. And a photo of the incident had subsequently been . Her parents took her off life support three days later. 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 that the day she was born she changed my life for the better? 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. Despite the fact that some people have criticized her decision. Blatchford calls that "a courageous challenge to the public narrative" around the case and calls the teen "brave." The death of Rehtaeh, who was taken off life support after a suicide attempt in April, led to an outcry. This has never been about solely highlighting the alleged abusers. 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. Staseys project is a positive move towards de-stigmatizing the nude female form. [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. 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." 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. My heart bleeds for all of you, as a parent now I just cannot imagine what you are going through. She was transferred from Cole Harbour District High School, to Dartmouth High School, to Prince Andrew High School to Citadel High School. "[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. 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. 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 remember crying and saying NO but it didnt stop. 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. In 2011, 15-year-old Rehtaeh Parsons attended a party with a handful of friends. You can read our previous coverage of the court case here and here. Wells said the two were not being identified because they were minors when the alleged crimes occurred. [22][23][24][25] The report was delayed until legal proceedings involving two men charged with child pornography offences in the case concluded. 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. Collect, curate and comment on your files. 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. 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. 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. 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 . [29] In its news release, Anonymous blamed the death on "school teachers, administrators, the police and prosecutors, those who should have been role models in the late Rehtaeh's life. You certainly should have, the judge said, but you should have been crying while she was alive.. She made my life complete. 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 the end, several adults (members of the school district) were indicted for failing to report child abuse and tampering with an ongoing investigation. [30] Leah Parsons had called for the case to be settled legally rather than by vigilantes. 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. You probably knew nothing about her whatsoever. He said he would like to apologize to her parents through his lawyer. Your email address will not be published. And able to make decisions about their bodies. "He's not. 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 only. Its about highlighting the facts of that night. She later locked herself in a bathroom and attempted suicide. I got extremely messed up. The boy raping Rehtaeh posed and gave a thumbs up. The tone can be expressed with a few quotes: Oh my I dun think this shits ever gunna end nothings gunna happen this time just like before no eveidence n people keep talkin bout chargeing them for child porn well fuck gotta charge a whole bunch of people every single person that got the pic I guess all them gotta b charged aswell OH MY! 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. I didnt tell him or anyone what happened until I was older. Yeah, it's an oddly-worded headline. New laws are being considered after these events. Her assailants documented her rape through photographs shared with classmates and posted on Instagram. 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. New information, from Canada.com, about the police investigation into the young. 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. [7], According to an RCMP report, in March 2013, six boys, including some of Parsons' alleged rapists, had an argument with three other boys. These screenshots contain blurred-out names of the alleged attackers. The girl in the photo, Rehtaeh Parsons, faced vicious slut-shaming and harassment as a result of the photo. Then the slut-shaming, bullying and mental health challenges that are so often experienced by the victims of sexual assault followed her for. 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. "I just want to say how pleased we are that progress has been made. 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. The boy I was set up with raped me. Canadian teenager Rehtaeh Parsons . Only several months after Rehtaehs assault, a 16-year-old high school student was raped by two high school football players in Steubenville, Ohio. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. "[24] Segal found that it was "important that either police or school authorities" speak to the students. The alleged rape went unreported for several days until Parsons broke down and told her family, who contacted an emergency health team and the police. 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.". He also faces separate charges of assault and making death threats. Today, Rehtaeh's mother Leah Parsons said she was relieved the ban was lifted. 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 . [19] School boards need to share more information when kids transfer schools, as Parsons did to escape harassment. Amanda Todd's case has gone completely . Canadian media cannot refer to Parsons or the man by name because . 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. Following the sentencing, members of Halifax anonymous wearing Guy Fawkes masks yelled at the young man's supporters as they left the courthouse. Facebook. 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. I just never imagined it would be at such a young age and it would cost her her life.". [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. ", The man who appeared in the photo "displayed absolutely no respect" for Rehtaeh, Judge Gregory Lenehan said in his ruling. They didnt even interview the boys until much, much later, she added. 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. I just saw the episode about Rehtaeh on ID. 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. The second person convicted in the Rehtaeh Parsons child pornography case in Nova Scotia has been sentenced to 12 months probation. [20], The Parsons case also prompted an external inquiry into the conduct of the Crown Prosecutor's office. And of course, theres backlash. [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. That she was bright and funny? The policenever seized any of the boys phones, computers, or hard drives. We are highlighting the actions, both off and online, of 19 individuals in Rehtaehs broader community. There's a part in the movie when Babe knocks over a goldfish bowl and the fish falls onto the floor and starts flopping around. 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. 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. Just as rape and sex have nothing to do with each other, pictures shared with and without consent are completely different things.. There was shots and just being a 15 year old that wanted to be liked and cool I drank. Her parents lobbied NS Justice Minister Lena Diab to lift the ban so her story could be publicized. Shes looking into the camera. "Where's the consent? Everybody has a right to know, in all honesty, even a young offender. Do not hesitate to message the mods if you experience any issues! "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. Rehtaeh Parsons was raped by four boys at a party. Thats right: the group designed to support the boys had been responsible for leaking the name of one of the accused. 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. The 17-year old student from Cole Harbour, N.S., committed suicide after four boys sexually asssaulted her and then distributed photos of the. We may earn a commission from links on this page. 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. She would be haunted by that photograph and what it meant until her last breath. He was bullied as a result of the photo, his lawyer told the court. She has a keen interest in WikiLeaks and web culture, and her bylines have appeared in Salon, Vanity Fair, Serious Eats, and elsewhere. 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. Web of Lies - After a teenage house party spirals out of control, a shocking photo goes viral around the local schools. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 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. [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. If these boys had not taken pictures of their assault, what would they be charged with? 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. 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. Required fields are marked *, document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a1aa1346911fa80a19d61cea02e4d757" );document.getElementById("gd89858695").setAttribute( "id", "comment" );Comment *. Holten is right when she says that rape and sex have nothing to do with one another. This is the place to engage on all things Canada. There was an error trying to send your message. I never spoke to my so called friend again but she did refer to me as slut from then on. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. Secondly, All the bullying and messaging and harassment that never let up are also to blame. When this happened Rae suddenly stood up on her chair in the movie theatre and started screaming for someone to help the fish. Im Jasmine. Depending on the direction the RCMP are going it could very well be them. She was 17 when she died. Update:2 arrests made in Rehtaeh Parsons rape case. Why? The photo shows Parsons and the 17-year-old both naked from the waist down, with him pressed against her. We are that big sister guiding you through with advice that will get you #adulting like a pro. I left her house that night and walked to a friends house. He's made mistakes. 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. I mention Rehtaeh Parsons, Steubenville, and the Vanderbilt cases because of the enormous amount of media attention they havegained, but there have been many women and men who have been victims of sexual assault and harassment. She could never have imagined that her death would unite friends and supporters with an international force of hacktivists and anti-bully activists. Police in April said a person had provided new information in the Parsons case and was willing to identify the suspects. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. [6] The teenagers were drinking vodka at a small party. "The public had the right to know who the creeps are amongst them. This happened in the 80s before there were cell phones. Anonymous says they know who Rehtaeh Parsons' rapists are, providing a little extra "incentive" for Canadian authorities to re-open the case themselves. Sort by: Most popular Bullying Kills Web of Lies After a teenage house party spirals out of control, a shocking photo goes viral around the local schools. Justice is Blind: a slogan that is paraded through courthouses across the United States, a motto adopted by countries across the globe. Two years earlier, when Rehtaeh was just 15 years old, she told her mother that four teenage boys had raped her while she was drunk on vodka and passed her around at a small house party in. Three years ago in British Columbia, another teenage girl was gang-raped. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. [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." I am not ashamed of my body, but it is mine. 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.