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Steubenville, ohio
Steubenville High School is the only public high school in it’s district, and it is more commonly know by it’s mascot’s name, Big Red. Steubenville, Ohio is a major football town that praises it’s football players. Steubenville’s high school football team went from 2001 to 2009 without losing one home football game. Now, today, it is known as the school who’s football players raped a minor and used social media to brag about it (wtov9).
Who is the real victim?
By applying a feminist critique to the role of media during and after the 2012 Ohio rape case, it is apparent that sexual violence against women is an ongoing public issue that needs to be addressed. Rape is a common occurrence for teenage girls. The statistics show that one in four college women will be raped during their four years at a University (Sarah Lawrence College). With an increased attention to social media, society can see how women are being sexually violated and harassed in a new way. This happens more than one would think, but this website will focus on the rape that happened in Steubenville, Ohio. This rape case occurred in Steubenville, Ohio this past summer, summer 2012. Steubenville is a big football town, and the people of the town think very highly of their football players. Many even say they give them special privileges.
On the night of the rape, the students of “Big Red” went to three different parties celebrating the end of the summer and for a lot of the students the end of their high school days. One party was allegedly held at one of the volunteer football coaches’ house. This coach was never put on trial and held accountable for giving alcohol to minor, or even for letting a young women get raped on his property. Reno Saccoccia, the head coach of the Steubenville high football team was told of the events, and he was suspected of trying to coverup the rape after the young lady pressed charges against his football players. Ma'Lik Richmond and Trent Mays seen below were suspended from the team when the young lady pressed charges, but the others involved who took pictures and tweeted about the events and did nothing to stop it played all but two games the following year. Macur of The New York Times states "Saccoccia, pronounced SOCK-otch, told the principal and school superintendent that the players who posted online photographs and comments about the girl the night of the parties said they did not think they had done anything wrong. Because of that, he said, he had no basis for benching those players" (Macur). Reno Saccoccia said he did not "do the internet" so he did not know what was posted online the night of the attack.
On the night of the rape, the students of “Big Red” went to three different parties celebrating the end of the summer and for a lot of the students the end of their high school days. One party was allegedly held at one of the volunteer football coaches’ house. This coach was never put on trial and held accountable for giving alcohol to minor, or even for letting a young women get raped on his property. Reno Saccoccia, the head coach of the Steubenville high football team was told of the events, and he was suspected of trying to coverup the rape after the young lady pressed charges against his football players. Ma'Lik Richmond and Trent Mays seen below were suspended from the team when the young lady pressed charges, but the others involved who took pictures and tweeted about the events and did nothing to stop it played all but two games the following year. Macur of The New York Times states "Saccoccia, pronounced SOCK-otch, told the principal and school superintendent that the players who posted online photographs and comments about the girl the night of the parties said they did not think they had done anything wrong. Because of that, he said, he had no basis for benching those players" (Macur). Reno Saccoccia said he did not "do the internet" so he did not know what was posted online the night of the attack.
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During this 2012 summer night the sixteen year old victim, known in trial as Jane Doe, was heavily intoxicated and blacked out on the way to the second party of the evening. She later stated that she had only had two drinks, and that she has never felt how she did that night after only drinking so little. She claims that it was because someone, unknown to her, slipped something into one of her drinks. Jane Doe was stumbling at this point in the night, but could still remember what was going on. She stated that she remembered leaving the first party, and thought it would be okay to go to the second party with two guys who she had slightly known because she trusted them. Jane Doe went to a neighboring high school, but was interested in Trent Mays. Her friend, who brought her to the party, tried to stop her from going with the boys, but she would not listen. She knew the assailants, which made her feel more comfortable getting into a car with them (Macur). During this time two classmates Ma’Lik Richmond 16 who is seen in the above picture on the left, and Trent Mays 16 seen on the right sexually assaulted her. Penetrating her with their fingers, while she was unconscious and unable to consent. All most all, if not all, of the other students at the parties knew what was happening, yet none stopped the assault. Jane Doe was raped multiple times and carried from place to place throughout the night. The events of the night were captured trough social media.