The Steubenville, Ohio rape trial is over and a verdict might be known by the time this post is published. No matter the result the news reports of some of the testimony really ticked me off. It is real simple guys, if the girl is shitfaced drunk she can’t give consent for sex – period. Taking advantage of a woman who is drunk is rape. It also makes you a coward since you have to have her intoxicated to get your jollies.
Here’s a bit of the report that pissed me off:
She said she believed she was assaulted when she later read text messages among friends and saw a photo of herself and a video made that night. She said she suspected she had been drugged because she couldn’t explain being as intoxicated as defense witnesses have said she was.
Earlier Saturday, defense attorneys went after the character and credibility of the alleged victim, calling witnesses to the stand to accommodate their schedule, although the prosecution had not yet rested. Two former friends of the girl testified that the accuser had a history of drinking heavily and was known to lie about things.
West Virginia high school student Kelsey Weaver said the accuser told her what happened two days after the alleged attack then, sometime afterward, told Weaver she couldn’t remember what happened.
“So two different versions?” asked Mays’ attorney Adam Nemann.
“Yes,” Weaver replied.
Earlier, Weaver testified that the accuser was flirting at the party with Richmond.
Both Weaver and schoolmate Gianna Anile testified they were angry at the accuser because she was drinking heavily at the party and rolling around on the floor. They said they tried unsuccessfully to get her to stop drinking.
Anile said she also tried to get her friend to stay at the party rather than leave with others, including the two defendants.
“When I told her not to leave, I was trying to, like, pull her back into the party. She was trying to shrug me off,” Anile testified. “She kind of hit me.”
First of all what kind of “friends” did the victim have? They knew she was in trouble and didn’t do enough to help her. I don’t care if she hit you, she wasn’t right in the head. As for the accusation of lying, there are pictures and video that she was assaulted while passed out. How could she lie about that?
I get sick and tired of rape defenses that attack the character of the victim. Why does the woman have to be stone cold sober, not dress sexy, not flirt…. and on and on. Why can’t the boys and men just leave a woman alone and not try to take advantage of her, especially when she is intoxicated or passed out.
It is dead simple guys, if she is drunk off her ass she can’t give consent for sex – period. I don’t care if she rips off her clothes, lies down with her legs wide open and begs you to have sex, if she is drunk it is rape.
Imagine if you were extremely blotto and your best buddy used that to have you give him a blow job? You would feel violated and hurt.
This whole event is why teenagers shouldn’t be drinking in the first place and is a terrible lesson to learn for all the youngsters involved.
*Update*
The verdict was announced after I posted. Both boys were found delinquent (equivalent to guilty).
