One Of Rehtaeh Parsons’s ‘Best Friends’ Was Stabbed, Possibly By Some Of Her Alleged Rapists
While Anonymous claims to be sitting on the names and identifies of all four of Rehtaeh Parsons‘s rapists, police are still peeling back the layers on a related incident. In the month prior to the 17-year-old’s suicide attempt (that resulted in her family removing her from life support), her “best friend” was stabbed — and possibly by some or one of the boys who sexually assaulted her.
The Chronicle Herald reports that the attack, that involved a stabbing and “an irritant,” described as “related to Rehtaeh’s case,” sheds some light on how “high tensions were running in the small communities of Cole Harbour and Eastern Passage even before the recent media furor and talk of vigilantism” (i.e. Anonymous showing up on the Internet scene):
RCMP reported on March 10 that two groups of boys had gotten into a ”heated verbal exchange” at the Dartmouth bus terminal near the Sportsplex. When three of the boys got on the bus, about six others followed the bus in a car.
When the bus passengers got out at their stop in Eastern Passage, those in the car attacked them in a laneway, RCMP reported. All three teenage victims were sprayed with an irritant and one was stabbed but not seriously injured.
The group of boys in the car included some whom Rehtaeh had accused of sexually assaulting her, according to people with direct knowledge of the incident.
The kids on the bus (all of whom are minors or recently turned 18) were reportedly Rehtaeh’s friends, one of whom she personally visited in the hospital after the incident. The stabbing victim in particular is described as “one of her best friends”:
”She was very upset by it,” said Jason Barnes, Rehtaeh’s mother’s partner.
”She didn’t say specifically what took place or how it came to be. There was a disagreement between them.
”The individual that was stabbed was one of her best friends and stood by her through this whole thing. She was very upset by what transpired that night.”
Nobody was arrested in relation to this assault, nor was it confirmed whether the two obviously opposing groups of boys had been previously acquainted. The stabbing victim isn’t talking to the press, but four individuals who either witnessed the attack or spoke with those involved say that one of the boys in the car “was bragging about [the stabbing] a lot.” This would also be one of the boys accused of sexually assaulting Rehtaeh. Sources tell the outlet that this kid wasn’t the perpetrator actually holding the knife during the attack, but he was present.
Needless to say, the three boys who were attacked are still scared and “were worried about reprisal,” hence why they do not want their names printed. Many sources that the Chronicle Herald tapped have similar concerns, describing the victims as “more or less scared.” Of retaliation, it looks like.
One of the boys who was present in the viral photo that was taken of Rehtaeh’s rape,”likely played a role in how many students responded.” Meaning that he had enough clout to elicit responses like this from the student body when passing around his “Look At Me Awesomely Raping This Girl’ picture:
”They were concerned, but nobody would say anything. They would just kind of sweep it under the rug,” [says a source].
Upstanding gentlemen, I tell you.
(photo: facebook.com)
