R@pe Conviction of Teens Highlights Concerns about Binge Drinking and True Consent
Two star football players in Steubenville, Ohio were found guilty of s*xually assaulting a 16-year old girl who was drunk on the night of the incident. The boys put their fingers into the woman’s private parts, which is a violation of the law in Ohio.
Judge Thomas Lipps announced the convictions of 17-year old Trent Mays and 16-year-old Ma’lik Richmond, who were tried as juveniles. Both of the boys were tried without a jury and the trial was moved quickly through the weekend.
The boys may be put in jail until they reach the age of 21. The trial gained national attention because of text messages, pictures and videos related to the incident that were widely circulated. The boys claim that the woman gave her consent, but prosecutors were saying that she was too drunk to have truly agreed to the events that happened on the night in question.
The case also brings to light the dangers of extreme alcohol consumption. The boys had been drinking, which likely impaired their judgment. Also, many of the victims of this kind of assault are made vulnerable due to unhealthy drinking binges. This is a pervasive problem in many high school and college campuses across the country.
The question then becomes: If you’re too drunk to know what you’re doing, at what point have you not given true consent?
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2 Responses to R@pe Conviction of Teens Highlights Concerns about Binge Drinking and True Consent
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When are we going to teach our girls about responsible behavoir. Were these guys wrong? Of course they were. What about her? I have 3 daughters and I teach them to think carefully about their actions and what comes with it. Drinking as a teen is a bad idea, why compound the bad idea with drinking too much? Why leave your health and your safety, your body, in somebody else’s hands? That is what you are doing with the binge drinking. Young ladies, when you get drunk and high like this, you are essentially depending on someone else to look out for you, you are counting on the fact, they were raised right, you are assuming they have a conscience. Why take that huge of a chance with your life?? Please let’s get the word out to these young ladies. Be responsible for yourself!
Latrice
March 18, 2013 at 12:21 pm
And young men, why take that chance with your life? If she is drunk or high, WALK AWAY! Better safe than sorry and in jail
Latrice
March 18, 2013 at 12:24 pm