I read a phrase this week I had never
heard in my life ---“digital rape.” It came
from news accounts of the two high school football players who were convicted yesterday
of raping a 16-year-old girl in Steubenville, Ohio. The case has attracted international
attention due to students texting photos of the naked girl and sharing her
assault through social media channels.
I first thought digital rape meant
that a cell phone had been used forcibly in the girl’s genitalia. But I was mistaken. Prosecutors
charged the football players — Trent Mays, 17, and Ma’lik Richmond, 16 — of
penetrating her with their fingers. According to Ohio law, the definition of rape
includes digital penetration.
The boys
have been sentenced to at least one year in juvenile jail and could be held
until they are 21 years old.
Teenage
witnesses at the party perpetuated the sexual assault with texts, tweets and
video to spread the victim's shame and demise. Sadly, in my opinion, she was raped not only by the boys, but was “digitally” raped by her peers as well.
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