Essay on Steubenville, Ohio Rape Case and the Media

Introduction

It is interesting how the media portrayed the Steubenville rape case and trial. After watching the CNN coverage of the trial and it was evident how sympathetic the correspondents were toward the two boys who raped the young girl. It is still not apparent why they were defending two people, who had sexually assaulted a girl (CNN, 2013). The idea is not comprehensively verifiable on how the media could sympathize with the rapist. The media influenced the society to believing that a crime committed by a person who seemed important to the society or one with a seemed bright future is not as strongly offensive as one committed by an ordinary person. The CNN focuses on the positive attributes of the two young men who raped the 15-year old girl. They forget that the two offenders might have been left free and indulge in worst crimes henceforth.

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Various instances show the media and influential persons' perspective towards this case. Poppy Harlow, who is the correspondent on the scene, goes on to state "watch what happened as these two young men who had such promising futures, star football players, very good students, literally watched as they believed their life fell apart" (CNN, 2013). This very much enforces the rape culture and focuses on the offender who had a bright future ahead of them. Harlow is giving such positive characteristics to two boys who raped a girl. Throughout the whole segment, the rape victim is mentioned few times. There is no sympathy towards her, and actually, Harlow stresses that it was an "alcohol-fueled party" where "alcohol plays a huge part in this" (CNN, 2013). The story was perceived as being too sympathetic towards the young men and the hardships they will have to face in their future because they are registered as a sex offender. Not once does it mention all the harm that the act did to the young girl who was raped, the life, and hardships she will have to face in her future.

Conclusion

The video clip "The Steubenville Rape Case: The Story You Haven't Heard (2013)," has an interview with one of the rapist. Ma'lik Richard states that the pictures that have been shown where he is carrying the girl by her feet; she was staged but conscious on the "joke" (Lombardi, Soloway & Dooley, 2013). He later states in the interview that he did not assault anyone and that he is not guilty. The interview ends with the reporters talking and stating that the victim's best friends gave reports to the police that the victim has a "history of doing this kind of thing before", and that she might have had plans to meet up with the two boys later on in the evening (Lombardi, Soloway & Dooley, 2013). While this shouldn't make a difference, because the young girl did not go into that night hoping she would get raped, there is a difficulty to persecute when there is a relationship between the rapist and the victim.

References

Lombardi, M., Soloway, L., & Dooley, S. (2013, March 12). The Steubenville rape case: The story you haven't heard. Retrieved from https://abcnews.go.com/2020/steubenville-rape-case-story-heard/story?id=18705357

CNN grieves that guilty verdict ruined 'promising' lives of Steubenville rapists. (2013, March 18). Retrieved from https://www.rawstory.com/2013/03/cnn-grieves-that-guilty-verdict- ruined-promising-lives-of-Steubenville-rapists/

The Steubenville rape case: The story you haven't heard, (2013). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWKy041T2gY