Steubenville-Inspired Program Teaches Teen Jocks Not to Instagram Rape by Katie J.M.Baker

[Are_grits_groceries]

A U.S. Attorney is starting a program in West Virginia that will teach high school athletes to use social media "responsibly" so as to prevent Steubenville 2.0. Why teach kids not to rape when you could teach them not to get caught?

Trent Mays, one of the two ex-high school football players convicted of raping an underage West Virginia girl last summer, was also convicted of using his phone to photograph the girl naked. Repeat after me, kids: if he hadn't documented the deed, he might've gotten off easier!

While introducing his program Thursday, which will be rolled out this month at 11 high schools, U.S. Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld's said that the combination of alcohol, smartphones and social media was "extremely volatile."

The rape case "definitely played a role in causing us to think, 'Who do we need to focus upon?'" Ihlenfeld told the AP. "We thought, 'Let's start calling athletic directors and coaches to see if they're interested.' That investment of time hopefully will pay dividends down the road, not only because you hope the kids are going to stay out of trouble. Social media creates so many distractions off the field for coaches. Maybe we can help them avoid that situation as well."

Repeat after me, kids: social media leads to rape, not entitlement or lack of communication or disregard for consent or preconceived notions about what kind of girls deserve what they get.

Ihlenfeld said the Steubenville case "was eye opening - one night with high school students involved with alcohol, (smartphones) and social media, how that can change the lives of those involved forever." Repeat after me — wait, sorry, I'm too disgusted to continue. School's out.
http://jezebel.com/steubenville-inspired-program-teaches-teen-jocks-not-to-1079760794

And we wonder why some kids are not ok........

[historylovr]

1. Yeah, that's the ticket...

Why focus on teaching kids not to rape when clearly the problem is putting the evidence of it on social media? Rape all you want, kids, just don't film or take pictures or otherwise brag about your vile deeds.

[millennialmax]

2. Teaching them not to get caught, rather than not rape someone?

Lovely.

[Humanist_Activist]

3. Is it so fucking complicated to teach teens to respect the bodily autonomy of other people...

for fuck's sake, you have a U.S. Attorney who is running a program to help teens GET AWAY WITH RAPE!

By the way, here is his public profile page:

http://www.justice.gov/usao/wvn/meetattorney.html

I would encourage people to contact the justice department and say that people such as this misogynist rape apologist do NOT belong there.

[Igel]

4. "... as well."

It's not the program you'd want. That doesn't mean it's not a useful program.

The jocks were convicted of rape. Problem 1. Needs to be dealt with. They have a program for that, oddly enough.

The jocks were conviced of taking a picture of the girl naked and distributing it. Problem 2. There was no program for this.

Doesn't need to be dealt with?

That seems silly. Perhaps jezebel likes that they broke the second law because it made it easier to bust them for breaking the first law. Not a good enough reason.

It's illegal even with the girl's consent if she's underage and stone sober. Houston had a kid tried for Skyping and taking a screenshot of his girlfriend as she stripped with her consent, IIRC. But it was over a communication medium that crossed state lines. Busted. Probably because the school wanted to dispose of him. Had he been there in person and humped her that weekend it would have been legal. Most kids just don't understand how screwing is legal but taking a picture and even sending it to your own email account is against federal law.

Heck, if the girl had photographed herself naked and sent it to the guy it would have been illegal. Most kids just don't get it.

A lot of schools every year have pictures of some of their students posted online in various states of undress. Some are over the line into what's illegal. As long as it's just a run-of-the-mill student and limited--esp. if self-posted--most people don't much care. But as soon as it affects intermural eligibility schools find it a Big Deal. The girl's (or guy's) parent complains and the team's in a world of hurt. Yes, it happens more with jocks than with the Academic Decathlon team or the National Honor Society. But if a kid's yanked from AD or NHS you know, most people just don't really notice.