<p>Presumably, the prosecutor used as an excuse the fact that the girls were drinking on their own and that they willingly snuck out of the house in the middle of the night to meet the guys. The fact that the girls were from away and the boys were connected to powerful locals undoubtedly helped him see it that way. The police appear to have done their job well. I don’t see why Anonymous is including them in this. They delivered a gift wrapped case to the prosecutor.</p>
<p>Anonymous includes everyone involved when they do this. Then, you make your own opinions. Kind of like the news used to do. </p>
<p>It will be interesting to see what happens. They seem to be taking this on pretty strongly.</p>
<p>Wow, I had not seen this article. I think I would have lost it, had it been my daughter. I would most likely be sitting in jail right now (and believe me, I am not a violent person). How on earth can this happen??? For Pete’s sake, I know a young man who served time in jail, lost an athletic scholarship, and is now on the sex offender registry because he allowed a freshman to … ahem … service him when he was a senior. She pursued him - her friends all agree, and notes she wrote support that she set out to do what she did - but Daddy got mad, and the young man did break the law. Yet this loser provides alcohol to a young teen, rapes her, films it, confesses to it, and gets off without so much as a slap on the hand?! Wow, I am absolutely floored (and disgusted).</p>
<p>I wish I were surprised.</p>
<p>^^ Really. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>If these cases continue to get big publicity, is there ANY hope that it will eventually sink in?</p>
<p>I am very curious to see what anonymous turns up that is more damaging than the actual story. I suppose the idea is to generate public outcry but it seems to me that the facts as reported already accomplish that goal.</p>
<p>I think virginia Woolf may have been right when she said ‘Anonymous is a woman’.</p>
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<p>Doubtful, because for every defender of the girl, there is a defender of the boy (maybe not a 1 to 1 ratio but you get my point). If anything, it further perpetuates the stereotype that the girls were “asking” for it because they were drinking. (Ugh, even typing that makes my stomach churn)</p>
<p>With that said, I hope beyond hope that I’m dead wrong.</p>
<p>Look at how public outcry and social media, and women taking courageous risks to speak out against rape on campus has influenced colleges in FINALLY beginning to address sexual assault differently. It has reached a tipping point and we now see some changes impacting many colleges. Yes, it’s slow and late but it is happening.</p>
<p>Let’s hope that by “outing” these despicable crimes/communities/politicians etc we see movement here too.</p>
<p>The thing making the biggest difference now is that the victims can’t be silenced by shame. We used to shield them but it also shut them up. Now they speak out and speak out and it is difficult for them, obviously. But it is the thing that is changing things. </p>
<p>And this is why when a group like anonymous gets involved, the powers that be can’t just wait it out. The story doesn’t “go away.”</p>
<p>Victims being told, children being told, " I guess you’ll just have to get over it" doesn’t go away.</p>
<p>From Anonymous:</p>
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<p>As was pointed out on another recent thread here, by definition sex with a woman who is drunk is never consensual.</p>
<p>With great sadness I read the article linked in post #1.</p>
<p>This part shocked me …“Barnett was not charged with statutory rape, as that Missouri law generally applies in cases when a victim is under 14 years old or the perpetrator is over 21. But felony statutes also define sex as non-consensual when the victim is incapacitated by alcohol.” I didn’t realize statutory rape rules varied from state to state.</p>
<p>Of course that does not matter a whole lot in a case where the victim gets dumped in yard in the middle of winter. That in itself seems criminal.</p>
<p>I should be shocked but I am not, and that is sad in itself.</p>
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<p>Yup. The age of consent ranges from (I believe) 15-19. Lots of states have so-called Romeo & Juliet laws when one (or both) partners are under the age of consent but they are within a few years (say a 17 and 19 year old with age of consent at 18).</p>
<p>Here’s a link to the wikipedia article summarizing state laws. Nobody should rely on this as the actual law. I provide it for informational purposes only.
[Ages</a> of consent in North America - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ages_of_consent_in_North_America]Ages”>Ages of consent in North America - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>Looks like the publicity in Maryville is turning up the heat on the prosecutor.</p>
<p>[Justice</a> for Daisy Coleman? Missouri Lt. Governor calls for grand jury in Maryville rape case after Anonymous gets involved.](<a href=“http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2013/10/15/justice_for_daisy_coleman_missouri_lt_governor_calls_for_grand_jury_in_maryville.html]Justice”>Justice for Daisy Coleman? Missouri Lt. Governor calls for grand jury in Maryville rape case after Anonymous gets involved.)</p>
<p>These cases remind me of the way blacks were treated in Southern courts.</p>
<p>the other victim has now spoken up, I am proud of this young woman’s courage and strength</p>
<p>[Paige</a> Parkhurst, Second Victim In Maryville Rape Case, Speaks Out](<a href=“Paige Parkhurst, Second Victim In Maryville Rape Case, Speaks Out | HuffPost Latest News”>Paige Parkhurst, Second Victim In Maryville Rape Case, Speaks Out | HuffPost Latest News)</p>
<p>A second victim who says she faced threats and harassment after being raped by a classmate in Maryville, Mo. has come forward.</p>
<p>The other victim has now come forward and identified herself. I know this is from aljazeera, but it’s the best coverage I found.</p>
<p>[Second</a> alleged Maryville rape victim, Paige Parkhurst, speaks out | Al Jazeera America](<a href=“http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/america-tonight-blog/2013/10/15/second-alleged-maryvillerapevictimpaigeparkhurstspeaksout.html]Second”>Second alleged Maryville rape victim, Paige Parkhurst, speaks out | Al Jazeera America)</p>
<p>It’s in other sources as well. The evidence is mounting that the prosecution engaged in a complete white-washing. I hope it blows up in their hideous faces. </p>
<p>And if one of these kids is on a sports team in college, if I were the coach, he’d be gone yesterday. And if he pledged my frat, it would be “get the bleep out of here.”</p>
<p>Here’s a response made on behalf of the accused.</p>
<p>[Attorney</a> for Teen Accused in Maryville Case Responds with Statement - stjoechannel.com](<a href=“Account Suspended”>Account Suspended)</p>
<p>I feel so bad for these girls - still having flashbacks, nightmares, suicidal thoughts. I hope they get through it all and can find happiness. I think of Elizabeth Smart, how awful her situation was but she has managed to come back, thank goodness.</p>