Rehtaeh Parsons’ suicide has caused a massive outpouring of grief as well as a call for justice on social media including an apparent appeal to the Internet hactivist group known as Anonymous.
Parsons is remembered as a beautiful and happy-go-lucky girl whose life was devastated by a gang rape and eventual bullying from her peers. It ended in tragedy when Parsons hanged herself in a bathroom last Thursday. She struggled for three days in a hospital before her family finally decided to take the 17-year-old Canadian girl off life support.
The 2011 incident scarred Parsons, as a photo from the gang rape was distributed throughout her school and community. What followed was relentless bullying from her peers. Boys harassed her with requests for sex while girls barraged her with texts calling her a “slut” and a “whore.”
Outside of her community, Parsons’ story has attracted international attention and deep sympathy from millions. Thus far, no one has been charged in the 2011 gang rape incident, but the alleged names of the boys involved in the attack have been distributed online.
We’ll include some of the tweets regarding the story below, but we caution the supposed identities of Parsons’ attackers have not yet been confirmed. Be aware the names you see in various links or posts may not actually belong to the attackers.
The online crusade for justice in the Parsons case also includes an apparent appeal to the Internet hactivist group known as Anonymous. Many Twitter users are posting with the hashtag #opjustice4rehtaeh. When Anonymous undertakes an online “justice campaign,” they frequently use hashtags that begin #op[insert cause or subject here].
Anonymous has been made aware of the call, and posted the following to their @YourAnonNews account:
Anons working on the #OpJustice4Rehtaeh will be publishing a press release through Your Anon News shortly.
— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) April 10, 2013
Here are some of the tweets calling for justice in the Rehtaeh Parsons case. We’ll let you know what Anonymous says when they release a statement, or potentially, information regarding her attackers.
Looks like things are about to get real for a few little rapists in Cole Harbour pastebin.com/mwW6HLdv #OpJustice4Rehtaeh
— Stephen Gillis (@Stephen_Gillis) April 10, 2013
The entire #OpJustice4Rehtaeh case and details unfolding today is devastating and dizzying. I feel so sad. For her, for our system & culture
— Alanna Swartz (@alannaswartz) April 10, 2013
BLOG: What all boys should be told about Rehtaeh Parsons by @ terri_to huff.to/14XYORM via @ huffpostcaliv #OpJustice4Rehtaeh
— Wayne Leng (@Renegade98) April 10, 2013
Here’s the link to the Facebook event for the vigil for Rehtaeh Parsons Thursday at 7 in Halifax ow.ly/jWDsa #opjustice4rehtaeh
— Fat Apollo (@realfatapollo) April 10, 2013
@ youranonnews . Either they have taken the phone off the hook or lot of people are calling.. keep it up. #OpJustice4Rehtaeh
— Global Human Rights(@Jeannie_Hartley) April 10, 2013
Rapists should be ostracized and be held accountable, no matter the age. Come on, Nova Scotia. DO YOUR JOB #OpJustice4Rehtaeh
— Anne Martin (@ladybuxom) April 10, 2013