Coordinated Community Response Column

On March 16, 2013 Trent Mays and Ma’lik Richmond, two high school football players from Steubenville, Ohio, were sentenced for raping a 16-year-old girl at a party. The case made international headlines, but most importantly, it has shed light on a concerning view of sexual assault in America.

The fact that both Mays and Richmond thought it was okay to perform any type of sexual act on a girl who was semiconscious is troubling. What is even more alarming is there were multiple bystanders who failed to do anything to stop them. Instead, bystanders took videos and pictures of the assault and posted them online.

This failure to speak out shows a lack of knowledge about what sexual assault is, as well as how to respond to it. The victim in this crime was intoxicated to the point of semi-consciousness. She could not give consent, yet nobody spoke out. Instead, Mays and Richmond’s actions were considered a funny prank. They did not view it as a violation of this girl’s body, yet that is exactly what it was.

Another concerning fact in this case is people even blamed the victim for what happened to her. According to TIME Magazine, two of her friends testified against her, stating she often got drunk and would lie. Being drunk does not mean a person is asking for sexual attention, and it should never excuse this type of behavior. Yet many of the victim’s peers blamed her and some have even harassed her. This type of mentality is called victim blaming, and it can account for why two out of three sexual assaults go unreported.

A lack of reporting also occurs because victims feel they will not be supported, which occurred in the media to this victim. After the conviction of Mays and Richmond, two CNN reporters empathized with the young men and went on about how their bright futures were ruined. Not a single statement was made on behalf of the victim, whose life will continually be affected.

This case has shown a lack of knowledge and support regarding sexual assault in society. That needs to change. People need to begin to show more support to victims and speak out against sexual assault. Sexual assault should not be considered a joke or a funny prank. Parents, teachers, and other members in communities need to teach young men and women that sexual assault is never okay, no matter how drunk a person is or how one is dressed.

If you have further questions about how to be involved, or how to get help, contact HELP of Door County, Inc. at 920.743.8818 or the Sexual Assault Center at 920.746.8996.

This article is brought to you in part by the Door County Coordinated Community Response (CCR) to Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Teams and the Door County Elder and Adult-at-Risk Interdisciplinary Team.