Since 1919

The Prairie News

Since 1919

The Prairie News

Since 1919

The Prairie News

Online sexual harassment on the rise

The Prairie Opinion. Art by Chris Brockman.
The Prairie Opinion. Art by Chris Brockman.

Bullying is a topic that is discussed regularly in America. Anti-bullying campaigns are storming the nation. WTAMU Advertising and Public Relations students even conducted an anti-bullying campaign throughout the month of February. With the new bullying campaigns comes much information regarding the new epidemic of online bullying in relation to bullying via social media. However, there is one form of bullying that has been coming up more and more in recent months: online sexual harassment.

Last October, 15-year-old Audrie Pott committed suicide eight days after allegedly being sexually assaulted at a party where she had been drinking and had possibly passed out. Photos of the attack were shown on Facebook. Before she took her life, Potts had posted things on Facebook that hinted at her plan. “Everyone knows about that night” and “I’m in hell” were only a few of the things Potts had posted on her Facebook in the last moments of her young life.

Earlier this month, 17-year-old Rehtaeh Parsons from Nova Scotia, Can., took her life as well. Parsons’ story is nearly identical to Potts’. Parsons had been allegedly gang-raped by four boys at her high school approximately a year and a half earlier and photos of the attack, which were first shared through text messaging, quickly went viral. The bullying regarding the incident continued throughout the next year and a half. Parsons was taken off life support on April 7, three days after she tried to hang herself, causing injuries.

We cannot be sure if it is the fact that an incident of rape can be more publicized with the freedoms of social media, or just that teen rape is happening more often, but one thing is for sure, this type of online harassment is grotesque and is causing more suicides among teenage girls. As if committing rape isn’t horrible enough, now the rapist has the upper hand by being able to make their victim relive the terrifying event daily. The most sickening thing about it all is the fact that this is actually becoming an epidemic and it continues to happen. The boys that are committing these horrendous acts are not even worried about the consequences, almost as if it’s okay to completely ruin someone’s life and as if it’s a joke. Where is the sense of right and wrong? What is happening in our country? Even many of the worst of the worst prisoners on death row will have it out for another inmate who has committed rape. So what’s going on?

The problem is this; a bully is a bully no matter what, and those who relish in extreme bullying now have a way to take it to a whole other level (i.e. terrorizing the victim via social media). Anyone who can do something like this has a slim chance at becoming a decent human being. Every single one of these suspects in these cases should be tried as adults because the only way they may have any kind of chance at being a decent person is with several years of reflection on the pain they have caused.

Another thing that can be taken away from this is the idea that maybe we should pay more attention and realize what a cry for help looks like. Although, yes, there are a ton of people who are over-dramatic in their social media posts, there have also been many examples of people crying out for help in the days before they decide they can’t take it anymore and, without an answer to their cry, they decide to take their own lives. So next time you see a post that seems a little fishy or out of the ordinary for that particular person, take the time to just check in and see if they need someone to talk to and maybe you will end up saving a life.

 

 

Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

All The PRAIRIE Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *