Breaking headlines this week is the case of Rachel Respess and Shelley Dufresne, two teachers who had a threesome with a 16-year-old student. Though cases such as this are nothing new, there is an aspect I'd like to address in this blog.
While, yes, I think we can all agree that the teachers have crossed a serious and disturbing line in having intercourse with a student and should be severely punished, I feel as though it should be recognized that the student was not raped. According to the police via Times-Picayune, he was "bragging to other students that he was having a sexual relationship with teachers."
Whether this is a defensive or coping mechanism is unclear (as I really hope that he isn't seriously happy with what transpired), but as it was expressed in one of the articles I read (http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2014/10/2nd_destrehan_high_school_teac.html), it seems as though the student is disregarding the serious legal offenses, and what these women could face in court.
Though I agree that they absolutely should be punished -- with or without consent, no adult should ever have sex with a minor. But if the case is true that he was bragging about this, what does this say about people's mindsets if they believe that what these women could be charged with deserves praise or a high-five from buddies?
This is not something to glorify; it is sad that these women's lives are ruined -- even though, yes, it was their fault -- and heartbreaking that, according to the police statement, he chalked it up to bragging rights.
No comments:
Post a Comment