A couple of nights ago a former student of mine posted some images on Facebook. The title was something like Guy Gets Revenge on His Girlfriend. I accidentally clicked "Like" before going to view it but half-way into the process, I decided it was too much bother to open it. Then I got a PM from a former OS member expressing surprise that I had clicked "Like" and wondering if someone had taken over my account. I "unliked" it and blocked my student. I still wasn't aware of what the content of the video was, and didn't think about it again until I heard a news report about a 16-year-old girl who'd been drugged and gang raped at a rave party near a suburb of Vancouver while some boys/men photographed it. The graphic images went viral on Facebook. Turns out that was what my student had shared. Facebook is not taking the images down as of this writing. The RCMP has asked some people posting them to take them down, but many have refused.
The photographer and another young man have been arrested and released. Sexual assault charges will likely follow. Canada does not have the crime of rape any longer; the law was changed to assault to reflect its violent nature. But what about the additional violence inflicted upon this teenage girl as a result of the images of her being sexually assaulted by 5-7 men over a 20-minute period going viral? Or the comments by total strangers, many of whom accuse her of taking drugs, deserving what happened to her, and lamenting that she wasn't hurt more badly? Some wrote that the victim is a "Straight up WHORE," a "complete slut," and another suggested, "Cmon who's not down for a gang bang?" What about the students at her high school, many of whom were at the party, who expressed little sympathy in on-camera and private interviews and voiced the opinion that they "heard" it was consensual. I guess it didn't occur to them to ask or wonder how a person can give consent when they are drugged and their memory is seriously impaired. The girl had no memory of the assault and only found out about it after someone recognized her in the photos on Facebook and went to the police. She had gone to hospital for her injuries, but it's not clear what she thought had happened. This kind of memory lapse is common with date-rape drugs, which can have a hypnotic effect.
Socially corrupt
The sergeant in charge of the case called the sharing of the images "socially corrupt" and begged people not to continue doing it. Her appeals have fallen mostly on deaf ears. So have police threats that distributing the images is child pornography since the girl is underage. Today the victim's father talked about what this nightmare is doing to his daughter and her chances of recovery. They're not good.
Some of you may be thinking: so what? Stuff like this happens all the time on the Internet. I urge you to think of it this way: imagine the worst thing that could ever happen to you with or without your consent. Now imagine it being spread across the Internet with hateful, sexist comments, some courtesy of people you might even know. Imagine that these images are out there permanently and could re-surface at any time. Imagine creepy strangers on the other side of the world getting a vicarious thrill at your pain and thinking of you as nothing more than a piece of meat to be abused. Imagine that you are absolutely powerless to do anything about it. Not even the police can help you.
We've come a long way baby
As an post-secondary educator, I know that there are a lot of good teens out there. I also know that peer pressure makes people of all ages behave in ways that they wouldn't behave on their own. But I have another question. What are the suburban parents of these teens thinking when they are out all night? Why haven't they taken their teenagers' cell phones and computers away to prevent these images being disseminated? Who's running the show? Or are they responsible for teaching their children that people, especially women, have no value, and that there are no boundaries and seemingly, no consequences for immoral -- yes, I'm going to use that old-fashioned word - and even criminal actions. That anything you do is OK as long as you get away with it. If someone gets hurt, that's their fault.
In the meantime, a young girl is suffering the most horrible public humiliation possible at the hands of these heartless and conscience-free dregs of humanity. If she survives her ordeal somewhat intact, she will be a (likely) unheralded heroine of the Internet era where the survival of the fittest is the rule, not the exception. We've come a long way baby.
UPDATE: Facebook has removed the images as of Sept. 18.
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Comments
Sadly, as a former victim of much lesser proportions, I'm not even a tiny bit surprised. I wish I believed differently but it will probably get worse. People are expected to defend themselves all the time.
I'm so sorry you know the former student, you must be just sick inside. Good for you for putting this up. Anything, absolutely anything, that can happen to another can happen to us.
Martin Niemoller was right and his words apply to everything. No one says stop until it's happening to them. Then it's far too late to stop it. I hope there is an end in sight. Thank you for speaking out.
I'm disgusted by the total lack of empathy some of the commenters showed toward the victim, instead of denouncing the crime AND the person who posted the pictures of it.
Infuritating! My heart goes out to that poor girl. She shouldn't have to endure this
There's also the case of the family tortured by the horrible pictures of a fatal car accident in which their daughter was killed that got spread all over the Internet, and try as they might, the parents could not get them removed.
The sad truth is the worst elements of the Internet are like the Hydra -- remove one instance and two replace it.
Thank you for posting this-- I share your rage.
I read in the Globe that the RCMP were threatening child pornography charges against those who possessed or distributed the video. Is there not some creative (and brave) crown prosecutor who could level similar charges against FB for permitting the continuing dissemination of this video?
If FB will not stand up for what is right and protect what little is left of this girl's dignity, why are we shocked when our youth fail to display compassion?
You have company in your rage, though little good it will avail you.
People constantly surprise me with both their kindness and cruelty.
No wonder you are shaking with rage, knowing the victim of this horror. Bummer that you are on record for having clicked "like".
Makes the desire to go after those who would "share" this a tad tougher.
Interesting to learn that Canada no longer considers "rape" a different or separate charge, because it is assault-like.
That scares me, and I hope it does not spread to other legal jurisdictions. I consider rape a very different level than simply unwanted touch.
Horrific tale.
I am deeply frightened of the monsters.
This is the question to ask and consider at length. I know, as an educator as well, that most of the time when students got into trouble, their parente were not even knowledgeable of the formers' whereabouts or the company they kept. Yet, they were naive enough to allow them the tools such as cell phones, computers with cameras in their rooms without supervision into late hours, etc. which cause much of the potential problems. Peer pressure is rampant; and parents, either because or sheer laziness, or inexcusable naivite also give into this pressure along with their own offspring.
Good piece, Emma, and I hope it gets much coverage. ~R
A very good if disturbing piece. In a sense I understand from the victims position. As a child I was molested when little and later on when I was 13. The damage to my self esteem for all of this has been very difficult. It is like one is locked in a freeze frame of that demeaning act leaving a feeling of being soiled and unworthy of anything. Am I judged? Give me my innocence back! A maniacal voice that jabbers in the back ground.
Night before last I went on the TAKE BACK THE NIGHT walk. Date rape was a huge topic of discussion. For thirty years or more, the walk has been happening. I walk but know we are still not safe. As for the internet, it adds a whole other dimension as we've seen this week. To many technologically desensitized kids (and adults), these are just photos. To this girl and her loved ones, an irrevocable disaster and tragedy.
I share your outrage.
I'm often accused of being idealistic and high-minded but trust me, this kind of crap makes me want to bring back Charles Bronson. Find the bastards and make them pay.
and what have we done to our children that THEY are not sickened as well? the 'she wasnt that messed up...' type comments by other teens just terrify me for the future.
May the punishment fit the crime. r
Just yesterday my high school batch celebrated the b'days of one our best friends ( who died in a freak accident in 2005 ) on Facebook. We created a page, out up photos of him and swapped memories and anectdotes featuring him. It was such a great warm fuzzy feeling just looking at the page and seeing so many of us come together after ten years to remember and celebrate the life of a great guy.
And today this. Makes me realize once again that Internet and all other media are characterless in themselves it is we the users who give them character. No sentence is severe enough for everyone directly or indirectly involved in this debacle. I believe the Facebook authorities have to be held accountable for taking so long to pull the stuff down.