It’s impossible not to remember the Steubenville rape when you read about the Maryville rape, but in this case, we hear from the girls.
The Maryville rape case has many of the elements we’ve come to expect. Small town America. Football. Entitlement. Alcohol. Videos. Social media bullying. A teenage girl discarded and left for dead.
What’s shocking in this case (and I wish the shock was simply that it happened again) is that the survivors have gone public.
In case you’ve missed any of the story, here’s what happened in Maryville, MO last January: Daisy Coleman (age 13) and her friend Paige Paige Borlan (age 14) had a sleepover; they drank some alcohol while Daisy exchanged texts with a boy she knew from school. A little drunk already, they sneaked out to meet him and a friend. Once they were with the boys, the girls were separated and given more to drink. Both were sexually assaulted while a third boy video taped one of the rapes.
When it was over, Daisy was too drunk to stand. Paige was out of it and confused. The boys drove them back Daisy’s, leaving Daisy on her front porch, in the dead of winter, barely conscious, and sending Paige inside.
Named in the case is 17-year-old Matthew Barnett (the grandson of Republican representative Rex Barnett) who allegedly raped Coleman, along with an unnamed boy, and Jordan Zech, who taped the events.
We have the names. There was a tape—so let’s get ‘em, right? Not so fast.
In an unbelieveable turn of events, the case was dropped even though the sheriff’s office agreed that evidence supported the girls’ account of what happened. According to Prosecutor Robert Rice the rape kits, interviews and Zech’s admission that he deleted the video from that night were not enough to convict Barnett of sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child, or to convict Zech of sexual exploitation of a child.
I could, and there’s a version of this post were I did, go on a massive rant about the Maryville rape. I could talk about how we need to educate our boys and support our girls. But I am guessing you know all of that.
Instead, let’s look at how Daisy and Paige have handled themselves since this case went public. In the face of the sheriff’s advice to Coleman to “get over it” and articles like Slate’s “Tell College Women to Stop Getting Drunk” — which includes this gem of a quote, “If I had a son, I would tell him that it’s in his self-interest not to be the drunken frat boy who finds himself accused of raping a drunken classmate,” the girls went public with their names and their faces.
Daisy and Paige are forcing the world to look them in the eye and listen to what happened, which is incredibly brave.
Victims don’t owe the public anything, and they shouldn’t have to prove their case in the media. But, when the judicial system fails as miserably as it did in this case, it’s their right to speak as hashtags supporting their attackers stream across their social feeds.
To be clear, it’s their right, not their obligation. The danger here is the assumption that if allegations are true, victims should, and can, step forward. With the support of their families, these girls made that choice. Maybe speaking out is a way to empower themselves in a situation when all power was removed.
For some, coming forward isn’t an option. Maybe they don’t have familial support. Maybe they fear being judged by their religious community. Maybe they know that putting themselves in the line of fire will subject them to even more attacks.
What we do know is that two girls were raped in Maryville, and the evidence was there to prove it. Now, these girls are being forced to rely on the court of public opinion and hope for a small shred of justice.
The good news is that pressure from the public, including protests by memeber of Anonymous, is actually working. Earlier this week, Missouri Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder released a statement saying recent reports involving the Maryville rape case, “Raise all kinds of questions that it is now clear won’t be put to rest.” And Tim Jones, a Republican member of the Missouri House of Representatives, issued a statement urging officials to re-open their investigation. Thursday, the case was officially reopened. Let’s hope that this time around, Daisy and Paige get the justice they deserve.
Related on EcoSalon:
The Steubenville Rape: That Happened
Blurred Lines and Rape Culture: That Happened
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I have not logged into my Facebook since 10/15/2013. My last post there was "ZZzzzzzzzz" As in Bedtime...
Here is my 12hour Banned Facebook Account HERE: http://www.facebook.com/LedaOhio9 Add (FRIEND ME) for later?
ADD (FRIEND) MY BACKUP NOW HERE
I will not click "NO" or suggest Friends. Nazibook Punished those
That click 'NO' or suggest Friends. SO.. No Worries when Friending me..
So, two days later, logging in, I get Blasted with a 12hour Ban for Violations..
Namely Racist postings.
LOOK.. I hate (Umm, Really DIslike) Obama but, I would never post N.i.g.g.e.r. comments with his image etc. That is BLATANT Nazibook BAN ME CRITERIA... I KNOW BETTER!!!
Playing along, I clicked the Facebook B.S. complain button, filled out their "Never to be Answered" Criteria to get this ban lifted to no-avail.
I post Anti-Zionist, Anti-Hillbilly, Anti-Ghetto Trash Sh*t all the time BUT I NEVER OUTRIGHT call color by their specific "Lord Forbid" Colorful metaphor word(s). I am umm, 80% P.C. at all times.
We all know how flower delicate readers are and that political correctness (The Norm) will be our damn downfall.
For Pete's Sake.. We cannot even call a Radical Islamist "A" Radical Islamist now.. OR, we are "Insensitive" to their plight. GIVE ME A FRICKEN BREAK! Banish Christians from America but, Call a Spade a Spade or a Bomb Vest Wearing Radical a Terrorist and then you are a Terrorist! ::Face Palm::
If the DAMN SHOE FITS??? Then call me a Faggot wanna be Girl! I can take it...
I am only saying.. I NEVER posted anything "N.i.g.g.e.r." or the likes relating to Obama.. HELL, I've boinked a black man or two in my days before and that was about all they were good for, but that is beside the point.. I respect many black men.. Just, never have I met one in person I would trust with my winning lottery ticket.. YA KNOW?. I find them all the time online. Pastor Manning comes to mind...
I sure hope this post is not too harsh for all you Bleeding Heart Lib-Tards out there. I only call them as I see them!
You sell Crack, Rob, Cheat, Steal, and "KILL" and happen to be White.. You are a P.O.S. Redneck Trailer Trash Pile of Dung and deseve a dirt nap. If Black.. Then, the you are a Ghetto POS "N-Word" who also deserves a Dirt Nap! I think Chris Rock cleared up that definition.. He loves black men and hates a N.i.g.g.e.r!
Only a Black Man can say it LIKE IT IS APPARENTLY?
Anyways.. I compiled this video from Deadtrolls that I think sums up the Facebook Employee IDIOTS. It is meant with the best intentions. An older video, but ooh-soo applies to the Obot drones at Nazibook chained to their desks. I am guessing it was an OBOT at Nazibook that posted the racist crap to my page JUST to get me banned!?!?!?!
The sooner we ditch this Prejudice CRAP.. The sooner we can attack the real problem! The Jesuit Order Economic Planetary Monopoly and their Minion Zionist puppeterring our leaders.
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