This week we are talking brains because this topic something I have not been able to get out of my head. This week I helped Dateline on a story about Owen Labrie and it really made me think about some interesting points about internet law and made me reflect on what I am doing on that internet that may seem innocent could actually get me in trouble.
Now for those of you that may not know, Owen Labrie is accused of raping a 15-year-old at his elite school called St. Paul´s. There are a lot of details that go into this story but one of the main points was that the victim insists it was not consensual but admits that she ¨froze up¨ when the time came to say no. This was all started by a tradition at the school called the Senior Salute that basically meant that older guys tried to ¨hook up"with younger students.
On Thursday Labrie was found not guilty of the main charge of rape but was found guilty of soliciting a minor online and endangering a minor--which also requires registering as a sexual offender FOREVER. Now despite whether I think Labrie is guilty or not one of the uncertainties comes with the soliciting a minor online charge. Many people believe this law was misused.
That means that this law is intended for people who are tricking minors online in that they are saying they are someone that they are not. Now it does not seem that that is what Labrie was doing. In fact, the two already knew each other in real life and it seems he did not have any intention of tricking her at all. But this is just some food for thought on this case. Just like many women I heard the word ¨rape¨ in the case and was on the defensive because of course it is wrong. But once I begin to look at the facts and details of the case it really makes me question a lot of things. Feel free to leave a comment on your opinion on this case!
Here is some light reading if you want more on the case: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/08/28/experts-weigh-labrie-verdict/rZ36LlTyJPo6LHKMIptdaM/story.html
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