‘The justice system failed her’: Nova Scotia teenager commits suicide after being rap

Tecumsehsbones

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The problem with this tragedy is that everyone involved is underage and the courts will make sure we'll never hear what actually happened so that the judgment, whatever it is, will be not understood by everyone.

Is it possible for minors to be charged as adults in Canada? It happens fairly often down here.
 

damngrumpy

Executive Branch Member
Mar 16, 2005
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The comments by Prime Minister Harper today were right on, I agree with him.
He said bullying sounds like the antics of teens, when in fact it is a criminal act.
We have to go after bullies and nail them to the wall.
 

JLM

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Nov 27, 2008
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The comments by Prime Minister Harper today were right on, I agree with him.
He said bullying sounds like the antics of teens, when in fact it is a criminal act.
We have to go after bullies and nail them to the wall.

Well, there's an old saying - "you fight fire with fire" Bring in the Cat & Nine tails, it's fast, it's cheap, it's painful and most people don't go back for a second dose. It's time we quit molly coddling these bastards.

Does it apply to rape and child porn?

I would say rape for sure, child porn is a recent thing, so there's possibly not much track record there.
 

Niflmir

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Dec 18, 2006
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It is one thing for the police to say, "We cannot know for certain whether it was actually rape or drunken consensual sex," it is entirely another thing to say that they cannot know for certain that distribution of the photographs of the naked minor doesn't constitute a crime.

At the very least these 4 rapists produced something which classifies as child pornography and then distributed it. Anyone possessing it is culpable of a crime that has a prison term. Don't want to go to prison? Confess who you got the picture from. These police officers are showing their incompetence.

Why do I call them rapists? Because the courts are not some magical truth divining machine. Humans sit in courts and decide on legal culpability not on the truth of a matter. If the mother of the victim stood up and named her daughter's assailants in the name of justice for her poor child, she would go to prison. For all we know, she is the anonymous activist threatening to disclose the information. That is the point of anonymity: it can give a voice to the politically powerless. Yes it can be abused, but in this situation, where is the justice? There was definitely a crime, who is being held accountable?
 

Dixie Cup

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The fact that this has happened before is so disturbing there are no words to describe how horrendous this is; I want to know why these victums are being "bullied" by others their age - what are they thinking and how can they think this is acceptable behaviour - how on earth can anyone think, especially young teens,that this is okay? What is this younger generation coming to? Can they not see how absolutely wrong this is? Where are the parents? Where are the authorities, both legal and school? I am not understanding this at all. The fact that at least 2 lives were lost because of this BS (and possibly more) is .... I'm just at a loss for words.

JMO
 

JLM

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The fact that this has happened before is so disturbing there are no words to describe how horrendous this is; I want to know why these victums are being "bullied" by others their age - what are they thinking and how can they think this is acceptable behaviour - how on earth can anyone think, especially young teens,that this is okay? What is this younger generation coming to? Can they not see how absolutely wrong this is? Where are the parents? Where are the authorities, both legal and school? I am not understanding this at all. The fact that at least 2 lives were lost because of this BS (and possibly more) is .... I'm just at a loss for words.

JMO

I'm no psychiatrist, but I'd say it all comes down to self confidence and self esteem and some people have to make up for their lack thereof by judging, finding fault and punishing others. When I was a young kid growing up people weren't so afraid of confrontation, now I find most people (except the bullies) will do anything to avoid it.
 

petros

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Nov 21, 2008
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If the system failed my daughter, there would be 5 boys bleeding from the *** for weeks and I'd be doing 6 months on ankle bracelet and hanging out with my alive daughter.
 

Goober

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If the system failed my daughter, there would be 5 boys bleeding from the *** for weeks and I'd be doing 6 months on ankle bracelet and hanging out with my alive daughter.

Rehtaeh Parsons case to be independently reviewed by Nova Scotia | Canada | News | National Post

HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia government will launch an independent review of the RCMP’s original investigation into the Rehtaeh Parsons case, Premier Darrell Dexter said Monday following a week of public pressure and international attention on the teen’s death.

But Dexter said the review won’t proceed until the Mounties conclude their current criminal investigation into the alleged sexual assault of the 17-year-old girl.

“While there is an ongoing investigation, one has to be cognizant of the fact that there are certain legal requirements that have to be observed,” said Dexter.

“The important thing is that it will be comprehensive and it will be fully independent.”

The RCMP announced Friday that it was reopening its investigation into the alleged sexual assault after receiving new and credible information from a source who was willing to work with them. Prior to that, the RCMP said they concluded in their initial investigation that there was insufficient evidence to lay charges in the case after consulting the province’s Public Prosecution Service.

Dexter said provincial officials are still finalizing details on the review’s scope as well as who will lead it. He said the role of the Public Prosecution Service will also be re-examined, but it wasn’t clear whether it would be part of the independent review of the RCMP or subject to a separate review.


Dexter said there will also be an independent review of how the Halifax Regional School Board handled allegations that Rehtaeh was bullied after the sexual assault. That will proceed while the police continue their investigation, he said.

Last week, Education Minister Ramona Jennex said she asked the Halifax Regional School Board to review its response to Rehtaeh’s case, but on Monday she said the independent review will take that over.

Rehtaeh Parsons case to get independent review - Nova Scotia - CBC News

Facebook group supporting boys removed

On Sunday, dozens of people, including Rehateh’s mother, demonstrated outside of Halifax police headquarters.

The event was planned earlier in the week, before police announced that they were reopening the investigation.

Across the street from that demonstration, about a dozen or so people, mainly teens, held a counter-protest in support of the boys involved in the alleged sexual assault against Rehtaeh.

A Facebook Group set up in support of the boys accused of sexual assault was shut down on Monday after police raised concerns.

The Facebook group was called Speak the Truth. On the page friends and family posted messages of support for the teenagers saying what happened that night was consensual.

Some posts named at least one of the boys.

The group had grown to almost 130 members when early Monday afternoon the curator shut it down.

The curator wrote, “Sorry guys but I'm taking down the support group because the police have asked that it be removed due to the fact this is ‘cause names to get leaked out and spread around.”

The members of the group were mainly friends of the boys but there were also adults that lent their support.
 

karrie

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Jan 6, 2007
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If the system failed my daughter, there would be 5 boys bleeding from the *** for weeks and I'd be doing 6 months on ankle bracelet and hanging out with my alive daughter.

I've said it before to other fathers expressing such sentiment....

This kind of attitude is part of why women hide abuse, molestation, and rape.... to protect their families.
 

Tecumsehsbones

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I've said it before to other fathers expressing such sentiment....

This kind of attitude is part of why women hide abuse, molestation, and rape.... to protect their families.
It's also a little pathetic how many men regard a good butt-whoopin' (or butt-something) to be the appropriate punishment for rape. "There y'go, my darlin' daughter, I done whooped the butt of that boy that done raped you. So now ever'thang's OK."
 

karrie

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It's also a little pathetic how many men regard a good butt-whoopin' (or butt-something) to be the appropriate punishment for rape. "There y'go, my darlin' daughter, I done whooped the butt of that boy that done raped you. So now ever'thang's OK."

Nah, I don't see it as pathetic, I see it as a perfectly normal reaction. You hurt my family, I'll hurt you. I don't think any father who's ever sought that course of action thinks it makes it all okay. If it weren't such a normal reaction, women hiding it wouldn't be such a normal reaction.
 

Tecumsehsbones

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Nah, I don't see it as pathetic, I see it as a perfectly normal reaction. You hurt my family, I'll hurt you. I don't think any father who's ever sought that course of action thinks it makes it all okay. If it weren't such a normal reaction, women hiding it wouldn't be such a normal reaction.
Hmm. . . you have a point. Something to take on board.

So, what is the appropriate punishment for rape in the eyes of the victim then?
Rape in the eyes?

That's sick, Cap. Seek help.
 

Tecumsehsbones

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I take it from the big dodge that you see the folly in the comment that you made earlier, or perhaps you'll amplify the distraction in order to pretend that you aren't aware of your folly and resulting non-answer to the question
I see the folly of crossing swords with a person armed with a rubber chicken.