For those of you who may not have heard, there was a very controversial rape case that recently came out of Steubenville, Ohio. I will do my best to summarize what happened that night, but please keep in mind that there has not yet been a clear report on what definitely happened that night. There are some blanks that may never be filled, but I feel that there is enough information to grasp the situation.
In late August, there was a party in a small Ohio town, where underage drinking took place. What could have been a night of innocent fun quickly spiraled into a devastating nightmare when a group of football players drugged, raped, assaulted, kidnapped, and photographed an unconscious 16-year-old girl. Later, a hacker, Knight Sec, leaked a 12-minute video, which showed other teens laughing at the girl, making crude and disgusting commentary on her attack, as well as some footage of the attack itself. So far, two individuals, Trent Mays and Ma’lik Richmond, have been charged with rape and kidnapping.
Trent Mays and Ma’lik Richmond
This event is repulsive and devastating beyond words. To add insult to injury, the victim in this case has to constantly be bombarded with hate mail for speaking out against her attackers, and snide comments from not only the town, but also the media. There is a recent controversy over the CNN coverage, which spotlights Mays and Richmond crying once they received the verdict, saying they “had such promising futures.” It may be true that they were football heroes in a football-centered town. They may have been good students. But in my opinion, once they raped, attacked and humiliated another human being, they forfeited their own futures. How is it in the least bit fair that CNN will run headlines that extend sympathy to the “football stars,” and simply refer to the victim as an “allegedly drunk 16-year-old”? Was allegedly a necessary modifier? And, if you’re going to try and describe her state at the time, why not be completely accurate? Drunk, drugged, unconscious, and defenseless would be much more precise. Anchor Candy Crawley took the time to ask: “What’s the lasting effect on two young men of being found guilty of rape?” I’m not sure what the lasting effect will be for these men, but I am sure it won’t be even an ounce of what this girl felt, and will continue to feel.
I think there are a lot of lessons to be learned in this case. I know there is some controversy surrounding this event, yet I do not understand why that is so. I wish that as human beings, we would all agree that it is necessary to respect the dignity of other human beings. Clearly, that did not happen in this situation. This case will one day be forgotten. The media will lose interest, and it will be on to the next story. Unfortunately, I think this is a cycle that will continue on. As long as we protect people like these attackers, attacks will continue to happen. Different name, different town, same outline. These football players set a precedent that if you do things like this, but play a sport really well, get good grades, and have a town that will stand by you, you will be fine. As many others have pointed out, this mind set encourages such behavior, which is despicable.
However, the victim will never forget. Her family will never forget. Hopefully, all those who witnessed these events and did not step in will also never forget.
To the women out there, this case shows that you have to protect yourselves. I hate to say this, but it is true. In a perfect world, you would be able to go out dressed however you liked, drink as much as you would like, and then wake up the next morning safe and sound. This, however, is not a perfect world. It is not even close. So, please, go out in groups. Protect each other. Watch your drink. Watch your friends’ drinks. And if for some horrendous reason you ever find yourself in the same situation that this girl is in, please do not be afraid to ask for help. It may not be easy, but you’re worth it, and you do not deserve to feel ashamed for what was done to you. You may not feel strong now, but that does not mean you always have to feel this way. There are plenty of places you can go for help, where you will be accepted, loved, and safe.
If you noticed, I never once referred to the attackers as “men.” I don’t think they are men. A man, to me, is a person who acts with dignity. He respects others, and would never do what these individuals did. Maybe a man thinks of his mother or sister, and then treats other women accordingly. Maybe he just has a heart or conscious that prevents him from these things. Regardless, those responsible for this rape, and all others like them, lack whatever it is that makes up a real man.
I would like to, again, remind you all that this article is based on my opinion. I felt the need to write this article because I was so outraged by these events, and I believe the only way to stop this from happening again is to speak out about it. I believe it is incredibly important to show other victims out there that someone supports them. I believe in the dignity of others, and I will continue to do whatever I can to defend it.
Sources:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/17/opinion/simmons-steubenville-verdict/index.html
http://thoughtcatalog.com/2013/the-steubenville-rape-verdict-and-why-you-should-hate-cnn/
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/03/19/steubenville-rape-case-ohio-your-say/2001459/
Photo Sources:
http://fakepretty.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/CNN-Steubenville-rape-apologists.png
http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2013/03/14/AP13031319382_540x405.jpg
http://i1.wp.com/www.myblogdammit.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/steuben2.jpg?resize=480%2C302