Comments

  1. Dear Amy

    As part of this BC community, I woke up thinking where do we start to deconstruct this horrific incident?

    And then I see your article, deconstructing culture to help us make some sense of what’s going on—to provide a community full of tears for a family and their daughter with some resources, healing and hope. My heartfelt thanks.

    I’d like to inform yourself, educators, and parents about an additional resource: Lynn Glazier’s project “IT’S A TEEN’S WORLD: wired for sex, lies and power trips,” (www.itsateensworld.com).

    Glazier gives teens voice—and they use it to tell us how living in a sexually charged world affects them and influences their choices. The teens made short films about sexual gossip, the pursuit of popularity, and abuse of trust in dating relationships (about the date rape drug).

    Do you see how these teens talking about how they don’t believe the 16 year old BC young woman was raped http://tiny.cc/n8v9p (Jezebel’s video works, CTV’s doesn’t) relates to how these teens talk about how a girl “asks for it, deserves to be sexually harassed, in “IT’S A TEEN’S WORLD” http://tiny.cc/aqion.

    I do, and I believe (after watching The TV broadcast “Wired for Sex,” a short version of “IT’S A TEEN’S WORLD: wired for sex, lies and power trips”) that sexual harassment is one of the roots of this desensitization we’re seeing some youth depict online.

    Thus, dealing with sexual harassment, in the real world, i.e., in the halls at school, so that teens can make better choices when they’re using social networking tools, seems to be a way to ‘turn this tanker around.’

    There are resources for teens, parents, educators at http://www.itsateensworld.com/what/index.html to help us deconstruct with teens this high-tech sexually charged culture.

    Parents/Principals please note what world-renowned anti-bullying expert and psychologist Dr. Debra Pepler says about It’s a Teen’s World. “I urge you to watch this film. It provides an unprecedented glance into the confusing, pressure-cooker sexual worlds of teens in every class, school and community.”

    Parent’s take IT’S A TEEN’S WORLD ‘sexual pressure quiz,’ with your teen, at http://www.itsateensworld.com/quiz.html

    Warmly,
    Kaycee Jane

    The TV broadcast “Wired for Sex” was a short version of “IT’S A TEEN’S WORLD: wired for sex, lies and power trips”. An enhanced DVD is available for purchase at http://www.itsateensworld.com/index.htmlpurchase

    When life seems overwhelming, try http://www.teencentral.net/ and get anonymous on-line, free help from a professional.

  2. Kaycee, great talking to you on the phone and thanks for all of these links, which definitely strike at the core in terms of the ‘sexual pressure’ convo and merit a ‘media literacy mandate’ for talking points in many a home…

    I’m actually going to attend the 10-12-10 screening of The Line movie (from WhereIsYourLine.org which documents (24 mins) a date rape case with (I’m told) all of the raw/real emotional baggage that kids need to wrap their heads around as part of any ‘healing’ if (gawd forbid) they are on the other end of that convo…

    Moreover, I’m hoping to use it as a bit of a ‘vaccine’ for our teen youth advisers to have them ‘consider’ the multiple layers and complexities of entanglements that can upend lives when cues and conduct veer off track…

    And yes, as you rightly say, in this hyper-sexualized culture where assumptions and verbiage are tossed around casually (kills me to hear that one boy say, ‘well, she was sayin’ stuff’ as if that gives her the right to be brutalized? ugh) the dialog needs to be uncapped early and often to help teens stand strong and advocate for themselves, their rights, their REAL (vs perceived/projected in media) wishes…

    Thanks for taking the time to comment so thoroughly, I value links like this soooo much, as I’m a diehard infovore, as you can probably tell. 😉 Thanks!

  3. Amy, you’re awesome. You are doing such important work.

    Thank-you for posting a supportive comment on our fb page, to support the 16 yr old in Pitt Meadows, victim of rape drug and gang rape at a rave.

    In 5 days, the facebook page received 10 000 supporters, to send positive wishes to the young woman. I didn’t know we’d get that many. I thought maybe 1000.

    Imagine that, harnessing the power of social media to make the world a better place. Let’s do more of it!

    thanks for being a part of this

    Sincerely,
    Carolyn Anderson

  4. I am as shocked as you! I can’t believe I never even heard about the ‘dare to share’ assault and raped teen in Canada! And I’m an investigative reporter!

    It is mind boggling that cases like this don’t make the headlines of mainstream media.

    I will make sure this story gets out, first by writing a post on my investigative http://tomretterbush-investigator.blogspot.com and and my activist http://tomretterbushactivist.blogspot.com blogs.

    I will take it even further, by starting a petition on Care2.com.

    If you want to check on my progress, become involved or just aks me a question, you can reach me at either of those 3 online locations.

  5. This is very moving work you have written for us. Some people need to know that these things can ensue to anyone. You have given me a better position now

  6. I’m very glad that I have found this (your)site earlier today after reading a post over at the PinoyTeens regarding the precaution of being lured into dangerous situations by young children. I thought what you wrote was interesting and to the point. I’ve enjoyed reading your blog and will continue to visit it often. Thanks jj

  7. Kevin’s Pinoy Teens site always has an interesting focus on digital youth and using media positively and with critical thinking..thx for the kind words

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