The best way to eliminate school shootings and decrease teen suicides is to make bullying a capital crime, preferably with public executions.

vernonFL: Was she "raped", or was it more like "raped" rape?

Just forget about the rape altogether. No one should be harassed so relentlessly by a bunch of ignorant sadists about anything. Nothing makes it ok.

Profoundly sick society we live in.

miss diminutive: BarkingUnicorn: WTF did LE do wrong? Do you seriously expect them to waterboard confessions out of four boys just because a girl accused them? WTF is wrong with you people?

I'd be happy with feather-tickle confessions.

/seriously, 2 minutes of tickling and I'd admit to being the unabomber

You've just made some police officer needing to close out cases a happy person.

"Miss Diminutive appears to have been the Zodiac killer, sir.  We have a confession."

LordJiro: iheartscotch: This sounds like a little from column A and a little from column B. I imagine she got a little wild. For Fark's sake; she's got tats at 17. Then there's this whole other situation. I could see where, if she was raped; she'd want to hurt herself, hince, the tattoos.

On the other hand; her parents could have found out that she participated in a sex act know as "the Ghostbusters" and she said rape so she wouldn't be grounded till judgement day.

/ I don't know which is right; and neither will anyone else, this side of the afterlife

// my sympathies to the family

After all, people making false accusations of rape are TOTALLY gonna kill themselves over it!

Bullshiat we don't know which is right. The girl made a poor choice to get drunk (particularly at that age). But that is irrelevant. The men who raped her are, 100%, at fault for raping her.

She killed herself because of the bullying. That isn't proof either way.

I'm not saying she made false allegations; I'm saying that there are legitimate alternative theories. Possibly compelling enough that the prosecutor felt that they couldn't get a conviction. Maybe they can't prove that the suspects were involved.

I agree, the persons responsible should face prison time. For the bullying and the child porn those are the charges that can be proved.

The prosecutor would have a tough time selling rape without a victim to testify. Maybe they can get one with the parent's testemony; but, that would probably count as hearsay.

It's beyond the time when vigilantism should make a appearance...maybe 4 corpses hanging from trees would make rapists and bullies have second thoughts

Pictures taken of the rape of an underage girl and redistributed by the accusers but the police found there was insufficient evidence to lay charges?

I suspect there's a lot to this story that's not being shared by the article, there.  My money is on "the pictures didn't actually depict the crime and the parent is just trying to mitigate their own guilt over not responding to bullying by making shiat up" at minimum.

J. Frank Parnell: Just forget about the rape altogether. No one should be harassed so relentlessly by a bunch of ignorant sadists about anything. Nothing makes it ok.

Profoundly sick society we live in.

I know in a lot of cases it is not possible to retaliate, but the way we've set up our "no bullying policies" very often leaves people defenseless -- they literally cannot fight back.

I got bullied a lot when I was young (I was ahead age-wise in class and always the smallest guy), at the beginning of the ole "Bullies are just insecure people, you just need to learn how to deal with them!" phase in the educational system.  Fortunately, I took my grandfather's advice and publicly beat the hell out of one of them before the "You get suspended from school for defending yourself" rules went into effect.  And surprise: no more bullying.  Wish I would have done it a few years earlier.

On the plus side, most of the bullies actually grew up, and it's not so surprising when you talk to them as adults and learn that they almost all had horribly awful parents.

BarkingUnicorn: Almost Everybody Poops: miss diminutive: "An investigation into an earlier sexual assault was completed, and in consultation with the Crown, there was insufficient evidence to lay charges," MacRae said.

So there's apparently picture evidence of the crime being distributed by the offenders and the Crown doesn't have enough evidence to charge them?

Also, maybe I'm already out of touch with today's youth, but who bullies a girl who's been a victim of rape? Seriously? I know I did some pretty hurtful things in my biatchy teenage days, but something like this would have never crossed my mind. I honestly don't understand.

Anyway, my heart breaks for this girl.

Seriously, this.

It appears to be a lack of empathy and stigma on part of law enforcement.  But this shiat should not stand.

I wish a thousand butt-hole surfers to penetrate the rapists asses while covered in knives and arugula.

WTF did LE do wrong?  Do you seriously expect them to waterboard confessions out of four boys just because a girl accused them?  WTF is wrong with you people?

I'm assuming (hoping) they're all drunk.

Jim_Callahan: Pictures taken of the rape of an underage girl and redistributed by the accusers but the police found there was insufficient evidence to lay charges?

I suspect there's a lot to this story that's not being shared by the article, there.  My money is on "the pictures didn't actually depict the crime and the parent is just trying to mitigate their own guilt over not responding to bullying by making shiat up" at minimum.

Depends where you live.  My gut is that you are probably correct, but there are places where depending on the people involved, the girl (specifically on rape) is going to get stonewalled and encourage to "re-remember" what happened.

But, yes, as it stands, the story does sound rather odd.

okay... 17 year old with tats...  what's up with that?

BarkingUnicorn: Fallout Boy: Alright, I'll be the first to ask:

Was it rape-rape?

/Hell, please

It was rape-rape-rape-rape if all four boys did it.  And we know they did, for certain, because every rape victim and everyone who's ever known a rape victim tells us so.

Rapists are scum.  Rape vigilantes are animals.

What if a boy took turn twice?

These are the thoughts that keep me up at night. And out of normal society.

iheartscotch: LordJiro: iheartscotch: 

I'm not saying she made false allegations; I'm saying that there are legitimate alternative theories. Possibly compelling enough that the prosecutor felt that they couldn't get a conviction. Maybe they can't prove that the suspects were involved.


That's an easy one -- it's very hard to deal with suicide cases in court, because there are almost always comorbidity with other things that can be drummed up as a defense.  A history of depression or any depression or anxiety medication can be used to show instability that "decreases the likelihood" that a particular event was the direct cause of the suicide (even if the comorbid systems were caused by the direct event!).

Got to go through this with a family member who got hurt in an industrial accident.  It wasn't that anyone actually disagreed that his being, for all intents and purposes, essentially ruined for life was due to the accident, but because he had taken anti-depressants before, there was a "pre-existing condition" which diminished the responsibility of the business for the consequences of the accident.

BarkingUnicorn: Almost Everybody Poops: miss diminutive: "An investigation into an earlier sexual assault was completed, and in consultation with the Crown, there was insufficient evidence to lay charges," MacRae said.

So there's apparently picture evidence of the crime being distributed by the offenders and the Crown doesn't have enough evidence to charge them?

Also, maybe I'm already out of touch with today's youth, but who bullies a girl who's been a victim of rape? Seriously? I know I did some pretty hurtful things in my biatchy teenage days, but something like this would have never crossed my mind. I honestly don't understand.

Anyway, my heart breaks for this girl.

Seriously, this.

It appears to be a lack of empathy and stigma on part of law enforcement.  But this shiat should not stand.

I wish a thousand butt-hole surfers to penetrate the rapists asses while covered in knives and arugula.

WTF did LE do wrong?  Do you seriously expect them to waterboard confessions out of four boys just because a girl accused them?  WTF is wrong with you people?

I would assume the PHOTOS THEY TOOK WHILE RAPING HER would be enough evidence, but that's just me.

Almost Everybody Poops: BarkingUnicorn: Almost Everybody Poops: miss diminutive: "An investigation into an earlier sexual assault was completed, and in consultation with the Crown, there was insufficient evidence to lay charges," MacRae said.

So there's apparently picture evidence of the crime being distributed by the offenders and the Crown doesn't have enough evidence to charge them?

Also, maybe I'm already out of touch with today's youth, but who bullies a girl who's been a victim of rape? Seriously? I know I did some pretty hurtful things in my biatchy teenage days, but something like this would have never crossed my mind. I honestly don't understand.

Anyway, my heart breaks for this girl.

Seriously, this.

It appears to be a lack of empathy and stigma on part of law enforcement.  But this shiat should not stand.

I wish a thousand butt-hole surfers to penetrate the rapists asses while covered in knives and arugula.

WTF did LE do wrong?  Do you seriously expect them to waterboard confessions out of four boys just because a girl accused them?  WTF is wrong with you people?

I would assume the PHOTOS THEY TOOK WHILE RAPING HER would be enough evidence, but that's just me.

Have you seen the photos?

Dow Jones and the Temple of Doom: Almost Everybody Poops: BarkingUnicorn: Almost Everybody Poops: miss diminutive: "An investigation into an earlier sexual assault was completed, and in consultation with the Crown, there was insufficient evidence to lay charges," MacRae said.

So there's apparently picture evidence of the crime being distributed by the offenders and the Crown doesn't have enough evidence to charge them?

Also, maybe I'm already out of touch with today's youth, but who bullies a girl who's been a victim of rape? Seriously? I know I did some pretty hurtful things in my biatchy teenage days, but something like this would have never crossed my mind. I honestly don't understand.

Anyway, my heart breaks for this girl.

Seriously, this.

It appears to be a lack of empathy and stigma on part of law enforcement.  But this shiat should not stand.

I wish a thousand butt-hole surfers to penetrate the rapists asses while covered in knives and arugula.

WTF did LE do wrong?  Do you seriously expect them to waterboard confessions out of four boys just because a girl accused them?  WTF is wrong with you people?

I would assume the PHOTOS THEY TOOK WHILE RAPING HER would be enough evidence, but that's just me.

Have you seen the photos?

Of course not, I'm going on what TFA said: "One of those boys took a photo of her being raped and decided it would be fun to distribute the photo to everyone in Rehtaeh's school and community where it quickly went viral".

FitzShivering: iheartscotch: LordJiro: iheartscotch: 

I'm not saying she made false allegations; I'm saying that there are legitimate alternative theories. Possibly compelling enough that the prosecutor felt that they couldn't get a conviction. Maybe they can't prove that the suspects were involved.


That's an easy one -- it's very hard to deal with suicide cases in court, because there are almost always comorbidity with other things that can be drummed up as a defense.  A history of depression or any depression or anxiety medication can be used to show instability that "decreases the likelihood" that a particular event was the direct cause of the suicide (even if the comorbid systems were caused by the direct event!).

Got to go through this with a family member who got hurt in an industrial accident.  It wasn't that anyone actually disagreed that his being, for all intents and purposes, essentially ruined for life was due to the accident, but because he had taken anti-depressants before, there was a "pre-existing condition" which diminished the responsibility of the business for the consequences of the accident.

Indeed.

If she was bi-polar, for example, or had a mental issue; the suspects could argue that any act(s) was/were consensual in nature and she flipped out after her parents found out, and she can't deny that because, she's dead.

Forget the rape, get 'em on the bullying and the porn charges. Those won't have any mitigating factors; and one of them might flip on the others and testify about the rape(s).

/ thems the breaks when you have a functioning legal system; you can't just hang people

wildcardjack: okay... 17 year old with tats...  what's up with that?

PTSD is a helluva thing.

BarkingUnicorn: Almost Everybody Poops: BarkingUnicorn: Almost Everybody Poops: miss diminutive: "An investigation into an earlier sexual assault was completed, and in consultation with the Crown, there was insufficient evidence to lay charges," MacRae said.

So there's apparently picture evidence of the crime being distributed by the offenders and the Crown doesn't have enough evidence to charge them?

Also, maybe I'm already out of touch with today's youth, but who bullies a girl who's been a victim of rape? Seriously? I know I did some pretty hurtful things in my biatchy teenage days, but something like this would have never crossed my mind. I honestly don't understand.

Anyway, my heart breaks for this girl.

Seriously, this.

It appears to be a lack of empathy and stigma on part of law enforcement.  But this shiat should not stand.

I wish a thousand butt-hole surfers to penetrate the rapists asses while covered in knives and arugula.

WTF did LE do wrong?  Do you seriously expect them to waterboard confessions out of four boys just because a girl accused them?  WTF is wrong with you people?

I would assume the PHOTOS THEY TOOK WHILE RAPING HER would be enough evidence, but that's just me.

Well, apparently something was insufficient about those photos (another article says one was circulated, showing her "having sex with one of the boys").  Boy unidentifiable in pic.  Nobody would talk.  So we're back to waterboarding, right?

So because the boy was unidentifiable she wasn't raped?

BarkingUnicorn: FitzShivering: Jim_Callahan: Pictures taken of the rape of an underage girl and redistributed by the accusers but the police found there was insufficient evidence to lay charges?

I suspect there's a lot to this story that's not being shared by the article, there.  My money is on "the pictures didn't actually depict the crime and the parent is just trying to mitigate their own guilt over not responding to bullying by making shiat up" at minimum.

Depends where you live.  My gut is that you are probably correct, but there are places where depending on the people involved, the girl (specifically on rape) is going to get stonewalled and encourage to "re-remember" what happened.

But, yes, as it stands, the story does sound rather odd.

The pic that made the rounds was described in another article as one that "depicted the girl having sex with one of the boys."

IDK Canada's statutory rape or child porn laws.  In the U. S., that would be enough for both.  Seems the cops could have found out who was farking her and who took the pic.  Yet prosecutors decided not to pursue charges long before the girl killed herself.

You're probably right.  I haven't seen the pic (nor do I want to), so don't know what it actually contained and what they should have decided.  I imagine most of us are probably on the same page that if it showed something certain, the police should have done something, and if it didn't, then it is just a shiatty situation all around.

BarkingUnicorn: Almost Everybody Poops: BarkingUnicorn: Almost Everybody Poops: miss diminutive: "An investigation into an earlier sexual assault was completed, and in consultation with the Crown, there was insufficient evidence to lay charges," MacRae said.

So there's apparently picture evidence of the crime being distributed by the offenders and the Crown doesn't have enough evidence to charge them?

Also, maybe I'm already out of touch with today's youth, but who bullies a girl who's been a victim of rape? Seriously? I know I did some pretty hurtful things in my biatchy teenage days, but something like this would have never crossed my mind. I honestly don't understand.

Anyway, my heart breaks for this girl.

Seriously, this.

It appears to be a lack of empathy and stigma on part of law enforcement.  But this shiat should not stand.

I wish a thousand butt-hole surfers to penetrate the rapists asses while covered in knives and arugula.

WTF did LE do wrong?  Do you seriously expect them to waterboard confessions out of four boys just because a girl accused them?  WTF is wrong with you people?

I would assume the PHOTOS THEY TOOK WHILE RAPING HER would be enough evidence, but that's just me.

Well, apparently something was insufficient about those photos (another article says one was circulated, showing her "having sex with one of the boys").  Boy unidentifiable in pic.  Nobody would talk.  So we're back to waterboarding, right?

Also, do you have the article you referenced?  I couldn't find it in TFA.  Seriously interested.

It's especially awful when one so young commits suicide. To deal with a temporary problem with a permanent solution. Of course, the fog of depression doesn't give that kind of clarity. The signs can also be hard to distinguish from normal adolescent mood swings and teens can be secretive about what they get up to.  I just hate seeing lives cut short like this. It happens far too much.

iheartscotch: FitzShivering: iheartscotch: LordJiro: iheartscotch: 

If she was bi-polar, for example, or had a mental issue; the suspects could argue that any act(s) was/were consensual in nature and she flipped out after her parents found out, and she can't deny that because, she's dead.

Hell, I had my depression used against me before when reporting something (serious police misconduct locally).  Fortunately, it seems most people are increasingly becoming aware that a majority of people in America are on or have taken depression or anxiety medication at some point in their lives, and if you try to throw that baby out with the bathwater, it's unlikely anyone can ever attest to anything.

I have no idea what they would have done if I were bipolar -- probably accused me of being a witch and trying to see if I floated.

FitzShivering: BarkingUnicorn: FitzShivering: Jim_Callahan: Pictures taken of the rape of an underage girl and redistributed by the accusers but the police found there was insufficient evidence to lay charges?

I suspect there's a lot to this story that's not being shared by the article, there.  My money is on "the pictures didn't actually depict the crime and the parent is just trying to mitigate their own guilt over not responding to bullying by making shiat up" at minimum.

Depends where you live.  My gut is that you are probably correct, but there are places where depending on the people involved, the girl (specifically on rape) is going to get stonewalled and encourage to "re-remember" what happened.

But, yes, as it stands, the story does sound rather odd.

The pic that made the rounds was described in another article as one that "depicted the girl having sex with one of the boys."

IDK Canada's statutory rape or child porn laws.  In the U. S., that would be enough for both.  Seems the cops could have found out who was farking her and who took the pic.  Yet prosecutors decided not to pursue charges long before the girl killed herself.

You're probably right.  I haven't seen the pic (nor do I want to), so don't know what it actually contained and what they should have decided.  I imagine most of us are probably on the same page that if it showed something certain, the police should have done something, and if it didn't, then it is just a shiatty situation all around.

I think what's more disturbing is how the community treated her.  From what it sounds like the only consolation she had was from her family, and she was shunned pretty much everywhere else. I'm sure she had a few friends, but it seems apparent there was a culture of shame around her that she was subjected to constantly.

FitzShivering: iheartscotch: FitzShivering: iheartscotch: LordJiro: iheartscotch: 

If she was bi-polar, for example, or had a mental issue; the suspects could argue that any act(s) was/were consensual in nature and she flipped out after her parents found out, and she can't deny that because, she's dead.

Hell, I had my depression used against me before when reporting something (serious police misconduct locally).  Fortunately, it seems most people are increasingly becoming aware that a majority of people in America are on or have taken depression or anxiety medication at some point in their lives, and if you try to throw that baby out with the bathwater, it's unlikely anyone can ever attest to anything.

I have no idea what they would have done if I were bipolar -- probably accused me of being a witch and trying to see if I floated.

I dated someone in college who had bipolar disorder. Boy was that a roller coaster, I wouldn't wish it upon anyone.

/well, maybe a few people.....

thisispete: It's especially awful when one so young commits suicide. To deal with a temporary problem with a permanent solution. Of course, the fog of depression doesn't give that kind of clarity. The signs can also be hard to distinguish from normal adolescent mood swings and teens can be secretive about what they get up to.  I just hate seeing lives cut short like this. It happens far too much.

100% agreement.  The awful part about depression is that suicide really does seem the most logical (or passionately correct, depending) action, and there isn't much anyone is going to say to sway that without professional help and/or therapy.

I really wish it were less stigmatized (I know it's way better from where it used to be, to be fair) for people to get help.   I went through a really rough period in my life that was really needless, that if I just hadn't been raised to think seeing a therapist was akin to murdering babies for fun, I probably would have gotten better incredibly quickly, versus it being a multi-year slog.

There can be many reasons the original rape case wasn't prosecuted.  Lack of evidence, conflicting stories, any number of reasons that the prosecutor decided that there wasn't enough to get a conviction.  Add to it these were minors involved and any punishment even if there was a conviction would have been muted.  As far as child pornography charges for the pictures, we don't know what the pictures depicted.   Her passed out with clothes, or with her private parts covered may not qualify as child pornography under the statute. Remember this is Canadian law and it operates under its own rules and interpretations that may or may not conform to your understanding of the law in your jurisdiction. Sexual assault type cases are very difficult even assuming you have physical evidence which we don't know was present in this case.  It is very difficult and unfair to nit pick at the decisions police and prosecutors made when we don't have all the evidence and investigation materials available.

Now what happened after the case didn't proceed just shows the cruelty and lack of social standards in society.  Thats not to say it directly led to her suicide as a unprosecuted sexual assault could have severely damaged her psyche as much as the bullying.  Add to it we don't know the parental relationships or any other support from friends and family and there could be numerous reasons she decided to end her life. Ultimately, nothing can be done to bring her back and it is difficult to say this outcome wouldn't have happened if one or two circumstances were different.  Suicides can and do happen for reason that only the person who commits knows.  Certainly her troubled life made it easier to choose this outcome and it is always sad to see it happen.

Lorelle: Popcorn Johnny: Sorry, you don't convict someone of rape based on the word of one person and a photo or two.

When you're so drunk that you're throwing up, it's clear that you are NOT in any condition to give consent to having sex, or to make any rational decision, for that matter.

While I don't condone taking advantage of someone that is wasted the booze thing doesn't hold much ground alone.

Drive a car? It's your fault. Get in an altercation? It's your fault, etc etc. Pretty much every scenario will end up with it being your fault because being inebriated doesn't give you immunity from your actions (except for "had sex"). Possibly rape, possibly a little too friendly with other party goers. She stayed silent until she was outed to her classmates as a slut, it's easy to toss around the rape word at that point as a last ditch effort to save face.

Barfmaker: Holy shiat...that's outrageously sad.

And yeah, here we are where Anonymous is now our real-life Batman equivalent.

That's the way I see it, too. Without knowing the facts, it seems there's a lot to be said by defenders of the law and defenders of victims. And in ways, they're both right. To come down too heavily on the side of the law in every case like this can, I think, perpetuate the idea that it was just a bunch of stupid boys being boys. To come down too heavily on the side of the victim can also lead to disregard for the law in pursuing what is "right".

I haven't been following this story, but it doesn't seem like there's really enough information given in the two articles I've read for me to come down on one side or the other. I'm glad it's not my call.

FitzShivering: I know in a lot of cases it is not possible to retaliate, but the way we've set up our "no bullying policies" very often leaves people defenseless -- they literally cannot fight back.

There are other ways to get individual bullies to leave you alone. And violence is not really an option for girls. For guys it's probably the most direct route, though.

But when groups get going it's a whole other dynamic. Social stigma, slander, and all that. Everyone feeding on the suffering they're causing someone. I really do think it's something learned from growing up in our current society. Adults are maybe just more subtle or discrete about it.

Almost Everybody Poops: FitzShivering: iheartscotch: FitzShivering: iheartscotch: LordJiro: iheartscotch: 

If she was bi-polar, for example, or had a mental issue; the suspects could argue that any act(s) was/were consensual in nature and she flipped out after her parents found out, and she can't deny that because, she's dead.

Hell, I had my depression used against me before when reporting something (serious police misconduct locally).  Fortunately, it seems most people are increasingly becoming aware that a majority of people in America are on or have taken depression or anxiety medication at some point in their lives, and if you try to throw that baby out with the bathwater, it's unlikely anyone can ever attest to anything.

I have no idea what they would have done if I were bipolar -- probably accused me of being a witch and trying to see if I floated.

I dated someone in college who had bipolar disorder. Boy was that a roller coaster, I wouldn't wish it upon anyone.

/well, maybe a few people.....

As did I.  I always knew from my bipolar parent about mood swings, but I had no understanding of extreme bipolar disorder.  When your SO becomes convinced she has magical powers and can fly out of your window and a few days later is so depressed she physically won't leave her bed, it's a completely different level of problems.

/happy CSB, though -- she has herself under control now and is a pretty top notch professor nowadays, which is damned cool

puffy999: Half of the American population has committed a rape, per the modern definition.



/and an asshole

God damn it.

BarkingUnicorn: Almost Everybody Poops: BarkingUnicorn: Almost Everybody Poops: BarkingUnicorn: Almost Everybody Poops: miss diminutive: "An investigation into an earlier sexual assault was completed, and in consultation with the Crown, there was insufficient evidence to lay charges," MacRae said.

So there's apparently picture evidence of the crime being distributed by the offenders and the Crown doesn't have enough evidence to charge them?

Also, maybe I'm already out of touch with today's youth, but who bullies a girl who's been a victim of rape? Seriously? I know I did some pretty hurtful things in my biatchy teenage days, but something like this would have never crossed my mind. I honestly don't understand.

Anyway, my heart breaks for this girl.

Seriously, this.

It appears to be a lack of empathy and stigma on part of law enforcement.  But this shiat should not stand.

I wish a thousand butt-hole surfers to penetrate the rapists asses while covered in knives and arugula.

WTF did LE do wrong?  Do you seriously expect them to waterboard confessions out of four boys just because a girl accused them?  WTF is wrong with you people?

I would assume the PHOTOS THEY TOOK WHILE RAPING HER would be enough evidence, but that's just me.

Well, apparently something was insufficient about those photos (another article says one was circulated, showing her "having sex with one of the boys").  Boy unidentifiable in pic.  Nobody would talk.  So we're back to waterboarding, right?

So because the boy was unidentifiable she wasn't raped?

I have no idea if she was raped and neither do you.  IDK Canadian law.  I assume the RCMP and prosecutors do.  I don't see any reason to suspect they ignored Canadian law or failed to do their jobs.  So ask again, WTF did LE do wrong?

I can't say what they did wrong, and yes it possible it was consensual sex that was distributed which is why she felt ashamed.

I guess my real outrage is that a girl took her own life because she was harassed constantly.  Regardless of whether or not she was raped, there does seem to be some double-standard that when girls have sex they're "sluts" and when guys have sex their "players".  It's a social stigma that still exists, and it leads to these kind of results, which are tragic.

Again, my initial reaction against LE was obviously emotional, I just don't understand how this crap can still happen.

J. Frank Parnell: FitzShivering: I know in a lot of cases it is not possible to retaliate, but the way we've set up our "no bullying policies" very often leaves people defenseless -- they literally cannot fight back.

There are other ways to get individual bullies to leave you alone. And violence is not really an option for girls. For guys it's probably the most direct route, though.

But when groups get going it's a whole other dynamic. Social stigma, slander, and all that. Everyone feeding on the suffering they're causing someone. I really do think it's something learned from growing up in our current society. Adults are maybe just more subtle or discrete about it.

I don't disagree with you at all.  I feel especially awful for females suffering it.  They're also still most likely to get accused of making it all up.

FitzShivering: iheartscotch: FitzShivering: iheartscotch: LordJiro: iheartscotch: 

If she was bi-polar, for example, or had a mental issue; the suspects could argue that any act(s) was/were consensual in nature and she flipped out after her parents found out, and she can't deny that because, she's dead.

Hell, I had my depression used against me before when reporting something (serious police misconduct locally).  Fortunately, it seems most people are increasingly becoming aware that a majority of people in America are on or have taken depression or anxiety medication at some point in their lives, and if you try to throw that baby out with the bathwater, it's unlikely anyone can ever attest to anything.

I have no idea what they would have done if I were bipolar -- probably accused me of being a witch and trying to see if I floated.

Do you, by chance, weigh the same as a duck?

I agree; increasingly, it seems everybody but me is on drugs. I feel that is unfair.

Maybe this will change the way things are done in the legal system. And maybe I'll get hit by a train on a tuesday, the 29th of February; while unicycling on top of a pogo stick in a rainstorm.

FitzShivering: Almost Everybody Poops: FitzShivering: iheartscotch: FitzShivering: iheartscotch: LordJiro: iheartscotch: 

If she was bi-polar, for example, or had a mental issue; the suspects could argue that any act(s) was/were consensual in nature and she flipped out after her parents found out, and she can't deny that because, she's dead.

Hell, I had my depression used against me before when reporting something (serious police misconduct locally).  Fortunately, it seems most people are increasingly becoming aware that a majority of people in America are on or have taken depression or anxiety medication at some point in their lives, and if you try to throw that baby out with the bathwater, it's unlikely anyone can ever attest to anything.

I have no idea what they would have done if I were bipolar -- probably accused me of being a witch and trying to see if I floated.

I dated someone in college who had bipolar disorder. Boy was that a roller coaster, I wouldn't wish it upon anyone.

/well, maybe a few people.....

As did I.  I always knew from my bipolar parent about mood swings, but I had no understanding of extreme bipolar disorder.  When your SO becomes convinced she has magical powers and can fly out of your window and a few days later is so depressed she physically won't leave her bed, it's a completely different level of problems.

/happy CSB, though -- she has herself under control now and is a pretty top notch professor nowadays, which is damned cool

Good to hear she came out okay.  Not sure when you dated her but for me it was in highschool/college.  I can actually remember similar instances about the "magical powers" stuff, just completely off the wall nonsense that you kinda had to roll with at the time.

/kinda found it sexy at the time.
//now, i be a bit smarter...

Almost Everybody Poops: BarkingUnicorn: Almost Everybody Poops: BarkingUnicorn: Almost Everybody Poops: BarkingUnicorn: Almost Everybody Poops: miss diminutive: "An investigation into an earlier sexual assault was completed, and in consultation with the Crown, there was insufficient evidence to lay charges," MacRae said.

So there's apparently picture evidence of the crime being distributed by the offenders and the Crown doesn't have enough evidence to charge them?

Also, maybe I'm already out of touch with today's youth, but who bullies a girl who's been a victim of rape? Seriously? I know I did some pretty hurtful things in my biatchy teenage days, but something like this would have never crossed my mind. I honestly don't understand.

Anyway, my heart breaks for this girl.

Seriously, this.

It appears to be a lack of empathy and stigma on part of law enforcement.  But this shiat should not stand.

I wish a thousand butt-hole surfers to penetrate the rapists asses while covered in knives and arugula.

WTF did LE do wrong?  Do you seriously expect them to waterboard confessions out of four boys just because a girl accused them?  WTF is wrong with you people?

I would assume the PHOTOS THEY TOOK WHILE RAPING HER would be enough evidence, but that's just me.

Well, apparently something was insufficient about those photos (another article says one was circulated, showing her "having sex with one of the boys").  Boy unidentifiable in pic.  Nobody would talk.  So we're back to waterboarding, right?

So because the boy was unidentifiable she wasn't raped?

I have no idea if she was raped and neither do you.  IDK Canadian law.  I assume the RCMP and prosecutors do.  I don't see any reason to suspect they ignored Canadian law or failed to do their jobs.  So ask again, WTF did LE do wrong?

I can't say what they did wrong, and yes it possible it was consensual sex that was distributed which is why she felt ashamed.

I guess my real outrage is that a girl took her own life because she was harassed ...

To be fair, and specifically not about this exact case because I don't know enough about it to say anything and highly doubt it is applicable here, but if one has consensual sex, takes photos and then tries to ruin other peoples' lives over it, I think a certain amount of harassment is likely justified, at least insofar as we tolerate harassment of those who are guilty of crimes.  You can't just have a one-way protection (anyone can accuse and do what they wish with no consequence).  A certain amount of societal shaming is expected any time someone does something "wrong."

Bontesla: I'm rooting for the Anonymous.

Yeah, because if anyone stands for restrictions on internet freedom, it's that bunch of losers