I know what Trayvon Martin had in his hands the night that he died. I know because Facebook told me. I know that Jordan Davis was unarmed the night he was murdered. I know because Twitter told me. I know what the Steubenville victim wore the night she was raped. I know because saw it on Instagram. I know why Amanda Todd killed herself. I know because it was on YouTube.
I’ve seen it, I’ve read it, I’ve watched it, I‘ve heard about it, I am ashamed of what social networking has done to us and that I am one of many who are just one click away from the end of our lives as we know it.
We have to draw a line in social media and media coverage. We have to stop being insensitive to the victims these outlets were placed in front of to support and protect. Social media and media coverage is a gift and a curse because it tells us everything we need to know, analyzes the information in terms we can understand but it exposes the lives of victims and forces them to relive their nightmares.
I do not know when is the proper time to expose the identity of a victim or the evidence that may find them justice but I do know that media outlets should be so kind to at least be vague enough to inform the public without sacrificing the victims rehabilitation.
Audri Pott, Rehtaeh Parsons, and Tyler Clementi all committed suicide because of social media. Audri Pott was sexually assaulted and a photo of her nightmare went viral, Rehtaeh Parsons was raped and her peers showed no mercy on social networks, and Tyler Clementi was recorded having sex with his boyfriend and his roommate thought that was a video worth seeing.
I’m sure the names struck a cord with some for a few weeks, it may have even been the reason for your latest Twitter rant but let me make something clear: These were the lives of someone’s daughter, sister, brother, son, and perhaps even potential motivational speakers against bullying. Audri, Rehtaeh, and Tyler could have survived there horrors but because of social networks, because of our need to have immediate access to even the most personal thoughts, their problems were intensified and salt was thrown on their wounds rather than treated.
Don’t dare blame this on mental capacity and do not dismiss public responsibility. We are all guilty of making light of situations, placing judgement, and passing on unfavorable content.
It’s hard for someone to recuperate from rape, sexual assault, or their sexuality being publicized before they even came to full terms with it themselves. Hell, it’s hard to go through a break up without someone forcing the pictures of your ex’s new fling in your inbox.
Social media took away a victims chance to isolate themselves with family, friends, and counselors who can help rebuild what a tragic event tore down. Their livelihoods is ripped from their fingertips with every notification they receive from Facebook, every mention on Twitter, and every reposted Tweegram. We have to let them grieve.
Social media has become the trail and the jury. It has turned victims into criminals rather then providing them with help to overcome such a difficult time in their life.
You wake up one morning and you find marks on your body you cannot explain, semen on your clothes with no indication that protection was used or the encounter you had with the love your life is broadcasted for the world to see, and when you open up your laptop ….. when you pick up your phone … the world is laughing and the emptiness in your soul tells you to escape it all by ending your life.
Such despair could have been minimized if the world just said “no comment.”
– As always, @itSz_asia_baby
