Topic: Rape

Anonymous Seeks Justice For Rehtaeh Parsons, The Gang Rape Victim Who Died In Nova Scotia

Anonymous Seeks Justice For Rehtaeh Parsons, The Gang Rape Victim Who Died In Nova Scotia

Yesterday, we reported on the story of a 17-year-old girl from Nova Scotia named Rehtaeh Parsons who was allegedly gang raped while drunk, photographed, bullied incessantly and denied justice from all able parties until she attempted suicide. It reminded us of two things: Steubenville, and that people can be absolutely horrible to other people and face zero repercussions.

As Jamie asked yesterday, “What, if anything, can we do to keep things like this from happening over and over again?” What can we do, but also what will we do? More »

Canadian Teen Rehtaeh Parsons Commits Suicide After Alleged Gang Rape And Subsequent Bullying

Canadian Teen Rehtaeh Parsons Commits Suicide After Alleged Gang Rape And Subsequent Bullying

A 17-year-old Nova Scotia girl named Rehtaeh Parsons has been taken off life support after attempting suicide several days prior. Since her alleged gang rape a year and a half ago (I have to say “alleged” for legal reasons, but I believe her), she had been dealing with bullying, victim-blaming, and an incompetent police force that refused to charge the boys for their crimes, factors which her mother Leah Parsons believes contributed to her death, in addition to the initial trauma of the rape itself. More »

Bullish Life: I Have A New Idea For How To Reduce Rape

Bullish Life: I Have A New Idea For How To Reduce Rape

I recently did an interview in which I was asked how I became such a risk taker, and how other women can become more comfortable with risk.

I gave a long answer. Most of the time we hesitate to take risks, what we’re really afraid of isn’t jail or death: it’s embarrassment, rejection, and the feeling of failure. Those aren’t real things. Or at least you shouldn’t be cowed by them. They’re just feelings. I barely notice most of those feelings because I have a lot of projects going on, and I choose not to indulge unproductive feelings when I could instead be making future plans.

But the other part of my answer — well, I paused as I was saying it and wondered whether to keep saying it. I feel like much of my success has been contingent on doing things young women really shouldn’t do, or shouldn’t do alone. In polite society, we say, “Are you sure that’s safe?” What we really mean is, “You’re likely to get raped. Possibly murdered.”

I think about this every time I read a story about a musician who made a name for himself by traveling around the country and sleeping in his car. Women can’t really sleep in their cars. More »

Why I Will Always Be Afraid Of Walking Alone

Why I Will Always Be Afraid Of Walking Alone

One evening, I took the train with a friend for the first time. It was the middle of winter, so the sun went down before 5 PM each night. Since I had never been on the train before, I grossly underestimated how long it would take to get home; by the time I got to my stop, it was already dark. I got off and quickly walked in the direction of my house.

Then I heard it: scrrraaaaape. More »

Steubenville Rape Survivor Requests Donations For Women’s Shelter

Steubenville Rape Survivor Requests Donations For Women's Shelter

Remember the young women whom all non-Internet media sources– well, and many of them too — have seemingly forgot? The 16-year-old girl whose life and reputation have been shredded by those too blinded by rape culture and misogyny to see that she, who never chose for any of the events leading up to this trial to happen, is the real victim? Yeah, that Jane Doe exists, and while there’s never been any question as to whether or not she’s a better human being than Ma’lik Richmond or Trent Mays, she’s continuing to prove that. More »

Rapists Aren’t Victims

Rapists Aren't Victims

In perhaps the most bizarre possible twist to the Steubenville rape story the rapists have become seen as these bright, excellent young men who have sadly had their lives destroyed. Why did they have their lives destroyed? Why do they have to suffer this way? Why can’t they go on to great colleges and play football and just be great, like tigers?

Because they raped someone. More »

Why The Steubenville Rapists’ Guilty Verdict Matters — To Me & To You

Why The Steubenville Rapists' Guilty Verdict Matters -- To Me & To You

This ruling shows change that has been a long time coming, and has by no means totally arrived, but certainly gives hope to the masses who have spent lifetimes waiting for it. While much of the coverage surrounding this trial has been questionable, at best, anybody who has half a brain and a quarter of a heart knows that the most significant person in this entire situation is the young woman who survived the rape that these two boys put her through.

Here is to whom else it matters. More »

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