I recently learned of the Steubenville rape case and the guilty verdict announced on Sunday. Well because you know, we don’t see court cases played out on television in Canada because no cameras or audio devices are allowed in any court room and youth under 18 are protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
I am sickened by the media coverage of this case – when did media start portraying rapists with such empathy? CNN, ABC, NBC – all the major networks reported on how the guilty verdict will affect the lives of the defendants, 17-year-old Trent Mays and 16-year-old Ma’lik Richmond.
I am floored by the amount of sympathy that these boys have been getting in the press. Reports seemed to focus on how the guilty verdict will affect their lives, how their dreams of college are gone now that they have “sexual offender” on their record. In fact, although the boys pled not-guilty, Richmond apologized to the victim’s parents for what he had done… oh so guilty.
These boys have been portrayed as football stars whose lives have been ruined… what about the 16-year-old girl who was violated and RAPED?
I am aware as a journalist, that finding the hook to the story is important. But taking the side that these boys’ reputation will be forever tarnished? Not the side I would be taking!
All I can think of is that girl who was unconscious, violated, raped, photographed and humiliated. End of story.
Never for once did I think of those boys’ futures and how they would be ruined when I read the story. I can only think of the girl who was raped. All I can think of is how could these boys do this to a young girl?
One news station reported the case as “a caution to the age of social networking” – is this the lesson we should be walking away with? That you commit a crime but don’t be stupid to put it on the internet?
What about the simple message that RAPE IS A CRIME.
Of course after the backlash yesterday of the media’s coverage, news stations like CNN started to cover more about the victim and we did finally hear from her mother. She released a statement saying that this will not define her daughter – she will get through it. The question she asked – what if this was YOUR daughter?
Sad that this question must be asked in the first place… but for many who have become so desensitized to the news, the only way to feel any sort of empathy is to imagine this happening to someone they love… Sad that our society has come to this.
After the verdict on Sunday, Ohio attorney general Michael DeWine said that he planned to convene a grand jury to investigate whether others should be charged in the case. At least 16 people refused to talk to investigators about the case. Many students tweeted about the crime after it had happened, doing nothing to help the victim but rather standing by the two boys.
Two girls were arrested for making threats to the victim on social media – one girl tweeted a threatened homicide and the other threatened with bodily harm.
Where are the parents of these students? How can these youth have no respect, empathy, feelings? Basic human emotion.
What should we be teaching our teenagers about this story?
Other articles of interest:
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/18/how-blogger-helped-steubenville-rape-case-unfold-online
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/03/18/1732701/media-steubenville/
1 Comment
The onus is not on a person to protect herself or himself from harm. The onus is on every person to do no harm. The onus is on bystanders to take action to help prevent harm.
This is basic humanity and ethics. Not only is it a topic for discussion at the family dinner table but it’s also a topic that should be covered in school.