Months ago I posted the harrowing story of Amanda Todd, a bullied teenager, who killed herself because of never-ending and VICIOUS cyber-bullying. Sadly cyber-bullying continues and has taken an even more twisted form. Rehtaeh Parsons was a 17-year-old teen who lived in Nova Scotia. She was a kind-hearted person and a great student. She had innumerable opportunities in her future. That is until her family took her off life-support this past Sunday night. Rehtaeh had unsuccessfully tried to commit suicide by hanging herself in the bathroom.
In November 2011, when she was 15-years-old, she was gang-raped by four of her male classmates. In addition to the sadistic act one of the boys took a picture and posted it online. It quickly went viral. Authorities “investigated” the assault but cited “insufficient evidence” for the lack of an arrest. Her assailants were thus free to live their pitiful and pathetic lives. She has yet to get justice.
Rehtaeh’s mother states:
“They didn’t even interview the boys until much, much later. To me, I’d think you’d get the boys right away, separate them…. Nothing was done about [the photos] because they couldn’t prove who had pressed the photo button on the phone…We didn’t have a rape kit done because we didn’t even know until several days later when she had a breakdown in my kitchen. She was trying to keep it to herself.”
The mother was told that the distribution of the photos is not really a criminal issue, but rather more of a community issue. Rehtaeh was tormented and bullied at school. She was forced to move. She eventually sought medical assistance for her suicidal thoughts and depression. Unfortunately she would succumb to her tormentors.
Last Thursday she hung herself in the bathroom. The family took her off life-support on Sunday to end her suffering. Rehtaeh’s mother thinks her daughter would want her to share her story. She created a Facebook page in honor of her daughter.
Stories of this nature are truly dumbfounding to me. These sadistic boys, better yet animals, not only got away with this atrocious crime but they had the audacity to photograph it. I hope they are not only arrested, but imprisoned for life. I still don’t understand why teenagers would torment a girl who was raped. This is beyond perplexing. I hope you share this post so that Rehtaeh’s story is silent no more.
I pray Rehtaeh gains the justice she deserves!
May she rest in peace.
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Twitter: @adrakontaidis & @talkrealdebate
