Rape, Football, and Social Media

[Peas n carrots]

Has anyone been following this story? Anonymous is now involved, and they have hacked and revealed a truly disturbing video. Things really haven't changed all that much in parts of the USA.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/02/steubenville-high-school-joke-rape-targeted-anonymous-video_n_2398479.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

A chilling video leaked by an Anonymous cell this week has added a new twist to a sordid tale of alleged rape that has shattered the peace of a close-knit Ohio football town.

The disturbing 12-minute video, posted online Tuesday by the hacktivist group “Knight Sec,†shows teens making jokes about the events that reportedly transpired on Aug. 22.

One teen appears to refer to the victim as "deader than" Trayvon Martin, and adds, "she is so raped her p**s is about as dry as the sun right now."

Months later, what exactly happened in Steubenville, Ohio, is still being pieced together. Few witnesses have stepped forward to talk about the parties where the underage girl, who was from a neighboring town, was allegedly transported, assaulted and photographed by athletes from local Steubenville High.

The video, which was allegedly posted to YouTube on the night of the incident, has been brought to the attention of local police.

Steubenville Police Chief Bill McCafferty released the following statement Wednesday (via WTRF):

In an eight-page investigation into the assault published in December, The New York Times wrote that social media has played an interesting, and at times confusing, role in the case.

From the Times:

The newspaper wrote about the assault in detail, describing how the unresponsive and potentially unconscious girl was allegedly penetrated and violated, sometimes on camera.

So far, two football players, Trent Mays and Ma'lik Richmond, have been charged with rape and kidnapping, according to the Herald Star. But this was not enough for Anonymous. Perhaps spurred on by The Times exposé, the group fresh from its hacking victory over the Westboro Baptist Church, became involved.

The group seemed enraged by what it considers a cover-up by authorities and school officials in Steubenville, a town where high school football is king. (The Steubenville Big Red has won three state titles since 2006, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.)

Knight Sec kicked off #OpRedRoll with a website, Stopbigred.com, and published a "preliminary dox" on Christmas Eve, listing the names of football players and teens who may have witnessed or participated in the alleged rape.

The group wrote:

Then on Jan. 1, the group released the video, published along with a private investigative dossier, on Local Leaks.

A former Steubenville student featured in the leaked video had already drawn criticism for comments he made on the night of the alleged rape, tweeting "Song of the night is definitely Rape Me by Nirvana," and "Some people deserve to be peed on," reports Jezebel, which has been following the case.

This latest case of alleged rape in a high school football town echoes that of Savannah Dietrich, a 17-year-old whose sexual assault was documented by her teen attackers. The teen then mounted a public social media campaign of her own to get justice.

I'm so disgusted. What kind of parents raise kids like this?

[TheSassyOne]

Sadly there is still a "they're just boys being boys" attitude the is prevalent in much of our culture. The same parents will refer to their children as good kids and place the blame on the young girl. That said, sometimes it's not the parents fault. Sometimes a parent has done everything correct and the child will still choose to make a bad decision. Until those who commit these crimes are held accountable and serve actual jail time (none of this community service and having their record purged), then I think it will continue.

[merrily]

http://www.thefrisky.com/2013-01-03/the ... t-to-rape/

[ladyamylynn]

This situation is just sickening. I wish nothing but the worst on the young men involved. I'm no proponent of street justice, but if any situation has ever called for it, this would be it... :whistle:

[lovefromgirl]

ngl, falling more and more in love with Anonymous. People who joke on video about raping someone? No love. Can DIAF. Basically, what ladyamylynn said.

[honeyinthesunshine]

I have read about this and was wondering if it was going to come up on FJ. Apparently the mother of one of the young men involved in the self-styled "rape crew" is also the prosecuting attorney and tried to dissuade the parents of the victim from pressing charges. Also, the victim was allegedly assaulted at a party at HER HOUSE. The adults here (from what I've read in the anonymous press release) are just as fucked up (if not more so) than the kids involved. I guess only two of the 15-25 involved were charged, and all of those charges were moved to the juvenile system and both boys (men IMO) are out on bond. No word on more charges forthcoming.

I know some people will say that because of their ages that they shouldn't have to face adult prosecution, and I say, fuck that. These young men are sexual predators. That girl wasn't "juvenile raped" she was fucking raped. She wasn't "juvenile kidnapped" she was kidnapped. She has to deal with the very adult ramifications of these crimes. She doesn't get to be less traumatized because these assholes were in high school. She doesn't get to walk away from the trauma and mosey off to college, like they do. They need to do time. They need to be regretting their actions for the rest of their lives, much like their victim.

Also, if that were my son on twitter saying that he "had no sympathy for whores" or that "some people deserve to be peed on", I wouldn't be trying to shield him from prosecution, I'd be packing his shit away so that it wouldn't clutter my house during his (hopefully lengthy) prison stay.

Sorry about the rant. This whole thing is just a huge trigger for me and it makes my blood fucking boil.

FYI here's the link to localleaks, anonymous' press release

localleaks.blogs.ru/

[RachelB]

I have read about this and was wondering if it was going to come up on FJ. Apparently the mother of one of the young men involved in the self-styled "rape crew" is also the prosecuting attorney and tried to dissuade the parents of the victim from pressing charges. Also, the victim was allegedly assaulted at a party at HER HOUSE. The adults here (from what I've read in the anonymous press release) are just as fucked up (if not more so) than the kids involved. I guess only two of the 15-25 involved were charged, and all of those charges were moved to the juvenile system and both boys (men IMO) are out on bond. No word on more charges forthcoming.

I know some people will say that because of their ages that they shouldn't have to face adult prosecution, and I say, fuck that. These young men are sexual predators. That girl wasn't "juvenile raped" she was fucking raped. She wasn't "juvenile kidnapped" she was kidnapped. She has to deal with the very adult ramifications of these crimes. She doesn't get to be less traumatized because these assholes were in high school. She doesn't get to walk away from the trauma and mosey off to college, like they do. They need to do time. They need to be regretting their actions for the rest of their lives, much like their victim.

Also, if that were my son on twitter saying that he "had no sympathy for whores" or that "some people deserve to be peed on", I wouldn't be trying to shield him from prosecution, I'd be packing his shit away so that it wouldn't clutter my house during his (hopefully lengthy) prison stay.

Sorry about the rant. This whole thing is just a huge trigger for me and it makes my blood fucking boil.

FYI here's the link to localleaks, anonymous' press release

localleaks.blogs.ru/

Good grief. No conflicts of interest there. :shock:

[formergothardite]

This is truly too awful for words. :(

[CallmeChaCha]

I have no words for this, but I saw this picture earlier today and wanted to share.

[Buzzard]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/17/sport ... d=all&_r=0

Here's the NY times article. It appears they're being tried as juveniles and its set for February. The fact that its in juvenile court means no jury...

[BravaAmica]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/17/sports/high-school-football-rape-case-unfolds-online-and-divides-steubenville-ohio.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Here's the NY times article. It appears they're being tried as juveniles and its set for February. The fact that its in juvenile court means no jury...

So disgusted. I'm glad Anonymous is doxing these motherfuckers. I hope it follows them forever. And if I'm ever in a position to hire anyone, I will definitely be checking pastebin for doxing in addition to a thorough internet search.

I don't know what I would do if I saw my son's Twitter feed and it was riddled with the above bullshit. It would be difficult to look him in the eye, much less respect him. I would wonder where I had gone wrong, how I had failed him as a parent that he ended up hating women so much. And my heart would be broken.

[QueenSyd]

Did they seriously think she was dead? Who the hell are these people and why in the world is ANYONE defending them? I come from a serious football town, but I can't imagine anyone ever standing behind boys who've done anything remotely like this just for being football players! I wonder if national attention can get this tried any more fairly?

[nataliemn]

Fundies have spoken about how the less you know about sex before marriage, the more "pure" you are. Even a blog I used to be a part of has in the past made statements such as "you don't need to know much about sex" (I'm not linking because I don't want to bring the author's name into this).

Bull.

I wish someone had bothered to tell me more about sex. More specifically, what constitutes 1) sexual assault and 2) rape. It took me talking to a military police officer and telling him the gory details of what I experienced before I understood. And even then, it took him awhile to convince me.

We've been brainwashed to a sickening degree.

[kiwimusume]

I know some people will say that because of their ages that they shouldn't have to face adult prosecution, and I say, fuck that. These young men are sexual predators. That girl wasn't "juvenile raped" she was fucking raped. She wasn't "juvenile kidnapped" she was kidnapped. She has to deal with the very adult ramifications of these crimes. She doesn't get to be less traumatized because these assholes were in high school. She doesn't get to walk away from the trauma and mosey off to college, like they do. They need to do time. They need to be regretting their actions for the rest of their lives, much like their victim.

Also, if that were my son on twitter saying that he "had no sympathy for whores" or that "some people deserve to be peed on", I wouldn't be trying to shield him from prosecution, I'd be packing his shit away so that it wouldn't clutter my house during his (hopefully lengthy) prison stay.

:clap: :clap: :clap:

[Peas n carrots]

The story is getting more and more coverage. First thing when I opened a few news websites today.

The other thing too is the boy in the video ranting about her...there are people in the background saying very quietly "not cool." How do we empower people like this to stand up and say "you have crossed the line and you are an asshole."

Rape seems to be the only crime where the victim is put under the microscope. She "deserved" it, look how she was dressed! I've never heard someone say they deserve to be mugged, or they deserved to have their car broken into.

[Aisling]

That is horrible, utterly horrible.

If it was my son, i couldn't look at him again. i couldn't look at myself again.

Poor girl :(

[cindyluvs24]

The beauty part is that these miscreants documented everything on tape. Let's see how they try to get it suppressed as evidence.

[Artemis]

Rape seems to be the only crime where the victim is put under the microscope.

It's because of the choice issue we were discussing on the other thread :(

[BoomerLynn]

I feel sick after watching that video. That poor girl. The comments under one of the articles I read (I can't find the link) were awful. One person mentioned rape culture and a man replied that there is no such thing. That apparently women are making it up. These boys just made bad choices, etc. :evil: If rape were actually treated as a more serious crime, and these good ol' boys and star athletes actually had to face the consequences of their actions maybe shit like this wouldn't happened. That boy actually laughed when someone in the background said he could go to jail. He knew they would get away with it. They all knew, because as star athletes they were given special priveledges and were allowed to get away with things others would not. And, in my eyes, their parents are no better. As much as I love my kids, if faced with photo and video evidence of them doing this to someone, I would drive them to jail myself. And then my heart would shatter into a million pieces with the realization that I had failed as a parent. Thankfully, my sons are 8 and 7, and my daughter is only 4. I have repeatedly told all of them that it is not ok to put their hands on someone else without that person's consent, and if they are ever told to stop doing something by that person (tickling, roughhousing, etc.) then they are to immediately stop. I just hope it's enough. I can only hope things will have changed for the better in society by the time they are in high school.

[VooDooChild]

I can't bring myself to watch the video. This shit pisses me off beyond comprehension. I hope these punks and the parents that cover for them have hell to pay for the rest of their pathetic lives. It's the only way to change this victim blaming mentality.

[BravaAmica]

I feel sick after watching that video. That poor girl. The comments under one of the articles I read (I can't find the link) were awful. One person mentioned rape culture and a man replied that there is no such thing. That apparently women are making it up. These boys just made bad choices, etc. :evil: If rape were actually treated as a more serious crime, and these good ol' boys and star athletes actually had to face the consequences of their actions maybe shit like this wouldn't happened. That boy actually laughed when someone in the background said he could go to jail. He knew they would get away with it. They all knew, because as star athletes they were given special priveledges and were allowed to get away with things others would not. And, in my eyes, their parents are no better.

It's not just rape culture, it's the cult of athlete worship. OH, lookee, these fine young mens (and it's always men, never women- women athletes are dykes and butch, unless they're gymnasts. Being a gymnast is appropriately feminine for a girl) can run fast and catch/kick/throw a ball! Let's not hold them accountable for jack shit!

Which is such bullshit. It's not like athletes contribute anything of true worth to society. People argue that athletics is a way for some to get a college scholarship and on to a better life. Yes, some athletes get full rides but along the way they learn nothing that will help them navigate the real world. They've never been held accountable for anything. Any desire is met, teachers are intimidated into passing athletes so they can continue to play.

My son is turning out to be a serious athlete. He's on a speed skating team which is quite intense- at least 15 hours a week of skating and agility training (a lot for an 8YO). One of the reasons he is on this particular team is that the coach has very high standards for behavior and accountability, on and off the skating floor. If you get in trouble at school, you get in trouble on the team. Like when DS acted up at school and got sent to the principal's office. He had to miss a practice because if he's acting like that, he doesn't deserve to skate. (He has to sign a behavior contract at the beginning of every season, so DS knew he would miss a practice for getting in trouble at school.) And before you say that's extreme, well, I think the culture of athlete worship and letting someone get away with all sorts of misbehavior simply because they're better at a sport, a goddamn game, is extreme. If my son is going to be an athlete, it's going to be on a team that teaches him more than "Get out there and win at any cost!"

As much as I love my kids, if faced with photo and video evidence of them doing this to someone, I would drive them to jail myself. And then my heart would shatter into a million pieces with the realization that I had failed as a parent. Thankfully, my sons are 8 and 7, and my daughter is only 4. I have repeatedly told all of them that it is not ok to put their hands on someone else without that person's consent, and if they are ever told to stop doing something by that person (tickling, roughhousing, etc.) then they are to immediately stop. I just hope it's enough. I can only hope things will have changed for the better in society by the time they are in high school.

I tell my son this, and have been telling him since he was a toddler. I plan on adding things like "Don't kiss someone unless you have a very clear yes" ect as DS gets older.

[BoomerLynn]

LaureElle, that does not sound extreme at all. It sounds like your son has a fantastic coach that expects his athletes to be decent human beings. I hope that if either of my sons join a team, they have coaches like your son's. I also agree completely about the culture of athletics. People in this country seem to worship sports teams and athletes, as well as celebrities. I would much rather see people admired for what they do for others, their community, etc. than for athletic ability.

[notablesquid]

It breaks my spirit a bit that it seems that the only way some people would ever believe how horrifying rape is would be if they experienced it themselves.

My heart aches for that young woman and the hell that she is going through, not only as someone recovering from such a vicious assault, but now being on public trial in the media. I hope she and her family are strong enough to make it through this storm. May she find love, support, and healing to replace the trauma and horror of what those beasts did to her body and spirit.

[ndmomma]

I live 30 minutes from Steubenville, and things are getting really wild around here! Hundreds of people are planning to go and protest the corruption. I am the mother of 2 small sons and 2 small daughters, and I was previously a high school teacher. I watched Michael Nodiano's horrific video joking about the girl being dead. He is the son of a prosecutor, and that's why this was not dealt with swiftly and thoroughly. The coach and the sheriff are buddies.

[greek_chorus]

I've been so bothered by this story, I'm glad someone posted it on here. I keep thinking of all the "legitimate rape" comments that were made this last election cycle and the kowtowing and pedestal that "elite athletes" are placed on. We continually see professional athletes like Ben Roethlisberger get away with rape so why shouldn't these boys think that they will also get away with it. And as much as I love Anonymous, I'm more than a little troubled at the thought of them doxxing people who haven't been convicted of a crime. I just foresee this dystopic future of Anonymous justice, where they play prosecutor, judge and jury. So I am torn, the outraged citizen in me is glad someone wants some semblance of justice for this poor girl but the other part of me is worried about feeding an untamed beast that will later destroy us all. But for today, I'm mostly glad Anonymous decided to get involved.