*Watch "No Place to Hide: The Rehtaeh Parsons Story" on Amazon Prime Video here*
*Get My Daughter Rehtaeh Parsons by Glen Canning with Susan McClelland on Amazon here*
*Get Remembering Rehtaeh: Memory Stones Traveling the World by Leah Parsons on Amazon here*
*Get Haters: Harassment, Abuse, and Violence Online by Bailey Poland on Amazon here*
As I'm writing this review, the world is still arguing about the Jeffrey Epstein files, or lack thereof (?). Amidst the online screeching and promised revelations, everyone seems to have forgotten the victims that were sexually assaulted and trafficked. Rehtaeh Parsons and her story is an illustration of a miscarriage of law enforcement, criminal justice, and mental wellness, and it's sad but not at all shocking that this girl could not handle this weight.
Parsons lived in Canada, her first name is pretty and the story behind it (it's Heather spelled backward) is interesting. She was going to a large high school and was trying to make new friends when she went to a sleepover. The girls went to another girl's house and Parsons was sexually assaulted by four different boys while drunk. Almost as bad, one of the boys took a photograph during the rape, and began showing it around the school. The photo spread to other schools in other towns, and Parsons began to change because of the unbearable pressure. She was harassed online and in person, gaining the reputation as loose and worse. As one politician points out in the film, this wasn't "bullying," what she went through was criminal. Parsons' father checked her into a hospital to try and get her the mental help that she needed, but that only made things worse, and Rehtaeh began cutting herself and threatening suicide. The police did as little investigation as possible, never confiscating cell phones or interviewing the boys involved. Eventually, Rehtaeh followed through on her threats, and the online presence Anonymous got involved in her case, forcing government entities to grudgingly act.
Filmwise, the documentary is a bit of a mess. The film makers could not get the cooperation of law enforcement, but the emotional interviews with Rehtaeh's parents, a reporter, a classmate, and a member of the Anonymous group fill in any blanks the viewer might have. Between this film and "Dear Zachary," Canadian law enforcement and legal prosecutors don't come off well, although as an American I'm not looking down my nose at them- and I have two family members with law degrees and prosecutorial experience. It's unbelievable what Rehtaeh and her family went through, and it's maddening to think that most of this could have been avoided. Canning, Rehtaeh's dad, had a great analogy about the victim shaming and misogyny directed at his daughter- sexual assault seems to be the only crime where the victim is investigated and questioned more than the perpetrators. If he had been mugged, he would be believed right away, why the double standard for rape victims? Online trolls are some of the worst people to ever walk the earth, and some of their comments on the family's social media will make your skin crawl. The identity of the person making death threats to Canning is both shocking, and expected in the social media world of stunted maturity and assumed anonymity. One unnamed girl had the same sexual violence happen to her, but after seeing what happened to Rehtaeh, refused to come forward. This is common in today's world of statutes of limitations and criminals "identifying" differently, able to skirt around safeguards that keep our children protected.
Facebook is called out for allowing a page mocking Rehtaeh's death, complete with doctored photos and cartoons, to stay up because it didn't violate their "community standards." Over the years, I've reported short videos and posts with nudity, and a couple of AI-produced clips of children being set on fire (thanks for polluting my feed with THAT, Facebook) and they were all allowed to stay up. On the other hand, when I joke with my wife about all of our stuff that we would destroy if we ever won the lottery that we never play, I get flagged and censored for "instigating violence." Not being able to use the terms "rape" or "sexual assault," coding it as "SA;" or covering up "murder" and "suicide" with "un-aliving," is an insult to every victim of these crimes or situations. Arguing with an algorithm is probably the second stupidest thing we must do online. Rehtaeh Parsons was a victim of rape and suicide. Don't soothe your fragile mentalities with nonsensical code words- her offenders weren't using code words in their crimes and cyber-torment.
Despite the running time, this is not another basic cable true crime series episode with bad reenactments and slick lighting, nor is it an episode of "Dateline," doing its own investigation and trailing the audience along. This broken family is still mourning their daughter over a decade later, and we shouldn't forget what happened to Rehtaeh Parsons, or anyone else who was ever violated, sought help from society, and was shunned. That is not justice, that is vile.
Stats:
(2015) 48 min. (8/10)
-Written and Directed by Rama Rau
-With Rehtaeh Parsons, Leah Parsons, Glen Canning, Selena Ross, Bryony Jollimore, Michael Parsons, John Anonymous, Rama Rau
-(Amazon Prime Rated 16+)- Some physical violence, strong sexual violence references, violence involving children references, some gore, profanity, strong sexual references, strong adult situations
-Media Viewed: Amazon Prime Video
