MY TORONTO SCHOOL FEATURED ON THE NEWS

Siopao · November 16th, 2005, 01:19 AM

MY SCHOOL IS NOTORIOUSLY FAMOUS NOW! HAHAHAHA!!

______________________________________________________

HERES THE LINK: http://g.msn.com/MT/1?http://sympati...0assaults&CE=1

T.O. girl waited 18 months to report assaults
CTV.ca News Staff

Experts in teen bullying say they are stunned that a Toronto girl who alleges she was sexually assaulted at her high school for 18 months felt too scared to come forward sooner.

On Monday, Toronto Police charged 12 boys at the girl's school with criminal harassment, and two females with threatening bodily harm.

As well, a 15-year-old boy was charged last week with sexual assault, criminal harassment, and forcible confinement. And a 17-year-old was charged with sexual assault, assault, forcible confinement, and failure to comply with probation.

Some of the teens appeared in court Tuesday and were granted bail under the condition that they not return to the school where the alleged assaults took place, and not to communicate with each other.

All of the charges stem from alleged sexual assaults on a 15-year-old girl at James Cardinal McGuigan Catholic Secondary School in the Jane and Finch area of the city.

The girl, now 16, was allegedly bullied for about 18 months into performing sexual acts on students on school property and in the washroom of a nearby fast food restaurant.

Stu Auty, the president of the Canadian Safe School Network, a charitable organization dedicated to reducing youth violence, says he's saddened that the girl did not come forward sooner.

"The reality is there's a massive code of silence here for this to continue on for a year-and-a-half with nobody apparently knowing," he commented to Canada AM Tuesday.

"Or if those that did know didn't come forward, that in itself is a statement."

"What friends of this girl knew about this and didn't talk to people? Why didn't the girl talk to her own parents? Why didn't the girl talk to some of the teachers? So there was this lack of trust, apparently, that's going on here, that the victim simply could not feel confident enough -- or was intimidated for whatever reason -- but simply couldn't come forward."

The school board says it knew nothing about the assaults until last week.

"There were no cries for help, no screaming, nothing like that," a board spokesperson told CTV News. "It was a student who came forward as a result of a very serious incident that happened."

The arrests finally were made following an incident last Wednesday, after which the girl told a school staff member. The staff member then called police.

Mary Jo Deighan, of the Toronto Catholic District School Board, says the girl didn't come forward sooner because she was worried about retaliation.

Det. Jon Ling from the Toronto Police Youth Services Unit says such incidents of assault and intimidation are not uncommon in schools.

"This is certainly not the only school in Toronto, and not the only school in this division, where bad things occasionally happen," Ling told a Monday news conference.

Some students at the school suggested to reporters that the victim could have made up the story. But the police say they don't believe that is the case.

"We have conducted an investigation, there were a number of issues that we looked at," Insp. Tom McIlhone told a news conference Monday. "We believe that this in fact took place."

CTV Toronto's John Lancaster reports that many of the parents of the accused appeared at the courthouse Tuesday to accuse police of racism, noting that the alleged victim was white and most of those arrested were black.

Det. Peter Duncan from the Toronto Street Crimes Unit says those kinds of allegations are not surprising.

"It's not a new thing for a police officer to hear that," he told Canada AM. "We simply deal with the conduct. We deal with what's put before us and don't deal with skin colour."

Counsellors are at the school today to talk with the students about the incidents.

The school board is considering discipline against the accused, including suspensions or expulsions.

Travis007 · November 16th, 2005, 02:33 AM

Sad news, we were having quite a heated discussion in English class today about this issue. It's horrible what our society has come to and that no one said anything to step up for the girl. I hope that the girl will recover from the emotion and physical scars done to her and that those 16 people get what they deserve.

BTW: Wow! Siopao, you go to McGuigan? I go to Marshall McLuhan CSS down at Eglinton and Avenue Road.

Filip · November 16th, 2005, 02:36 AM

And I'm just down the road at Eglinton and Islington LOL. Meh, Stephen Harper went to my school.. I say that makes it notorious enough.

Sad news about the girl though..

Buster · November 16th, 2005, 10:31 PM

So what do you know about this incident? How are students reacting to this besides the response we've seen on the news? What are your thoughts on it?

DanfromTO · November 16th, 2005, 11:41 PM

Im down the road @ northern

ditto · November 17th, 2005, 01:32 AM

Um yeh...Famous for all the bad reasons. I'm not impressed at all.

If the alleged acts are true, i hope this girl will recover from this.

neggbird · November 17th, 2005, 03:31 AM

what did they make her do?

partybits · November 17th, 2005, 03:34 AM

I'm going to sound like a dick for saying this, but this story just does'nt seem right to me. Maybe because of a similar although much more tame issue that I remember happening when I was in high-school.
A girl who went to the school was more or less known as the 'school slut'. It was a well known fact amongst fellow students. One day out of nowhere she accused a guy of sexual assault. Nothing serious as the these accusations, but nevertheless the guy got suspended for quite some time.
Turns out it was found later that the girl made the whole thing up because of some revenge thing for something the guy did (non-sexual) to another girl.

Now I know the two situations are very different, but based on my experience, I'm going to at least hear both sides of the story before passing judgement. Notice how we no so little about what went on. Why did'nt the teachers even suspect anything? Why did'nt the friends say something? Why did it take 18ms, without anyone noticing or the girl transferring out?
It could and most likely is that the girl is a very unfortunate victim. But maybe, must maybe we should listen to both sides of this story first. You just never know in this world.

Siopao · November 17th, 2005, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travis007

BTW: Wow! Siopao, you go to McGuigan? I go to Marshall McLuhan CSS down at Eglinton and Avenue Road.

yes! I was interviewed by CityPulse

... but I know it's nothing to be proud of

.. and I really know the girl who got raped .. I feel sorry for her and her brother and somebody died today from our school,

what a rough week for us and the school

Buster · November 18th, 2005, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by partybits

I'm going to sound like a dick for saying this, but this story just does'nt seem right to me. Maybe because of a similar although much more tame issue that I remember happening when I was in high-school.
A girl who went to the school was more or less known as the 'school slut'. It was a well known fact amongst fellow students. One day out of nowhere she accused a guy of sexual assault. Nothing serious as the these accusations, but nevertheless the guy got suspended for quite some time.
Turns out it was found later that the girl made the whole thing up because of some revenge thing for something the guy did (non-sexual) to another girl.

Now I know the two situations are very different, but based on my experience, I'm going to at least hear both sides of the story before passing judgement. Notice how we no so little about what went on. Why did'nt the teachers even suspect anything? Why did'nt the friends say something? Why did it take 18ms, without anyone noticing or the girl transferring out?
It could and most likely is that the girl is a very unfortunate victim. But maybe, must maybe we should listen to both sides of this story first. You just never know in this world.

Though it's not fair to pass judgement when we don't know all the facts, I think it's also important to note that the majority of sexual-assaults go unreported. Personally, I don't know any cases where someone cried wolf, but I know plenty of cases where girls fall victim and stay silent. Nothing scientific here, just pure observation.

Let's hope our criminal justice system works in this instance whether the teens are guilty or not.

tod24 · November 18th, 2005, 03:01 AM

vid: http://www.pulse24.com/News/Top_Stor.../Video-5-2.asx
vid: http://www.pulse24.com/News/Top_Stor.../Video-5-2.asx

Put white and black people together in one school or area, and it becomes as bad as america, if not worse. so canadians cant make fun of america for their racial problems. as you see here, tensions in those areas with similar demographics to usa cities (blacks and whites), is very high.

KingWilson · November 19th, 2005, 05:22 PM

i can't believe all those problems that school is going through right now. but it is a bit weird that they reported that 17-year-old's suicide.

partybits · November 21st, 2005, 04:56 AM

Something tells me this is going to hit the fan real hard when all is said and done.
Between charges of racism on one hand, and a sexual victim made to look like the verdict on the other hand, it can get nasty.
It's a no win situation here. If the girl is truly a victim, it would fuel further racial tensions in a city already fatigued with gun violence (which has been related to black youth). It would also embaress many people who may have thought she was lying, and only reinforce why so many sexual assault victims are afraid of being villified if they speak out.
On the other hand, if the girl is lying, this opens it's own pandora's box. The police will be scrutinized harshly for arresting so many black students in a school. It will be a huge setback for groups trying to stop sexual assault as people will percieve this as an example of how women use assault as a form of blackmail.

Does'nt look good at all. I'm gonna sit on the sidelines for this one.

doady · November 21st, 2005, 05:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by partybits

Something tells me this is going to hit the fan real hard when all is said and done.
Between charges of racism on one hand, and a sexual victim made to look like the verdict on the other hand, it can get nasty.
It's a no win situation here. If the girl is truly a victim, it would fuel further racial tensions in a city already fatigued with gun violence (which has been related to black youth).

Umm no, most gun violence do not involve youth at all, let alone black ones. People should stop blaming the youth for everything cuz it is stupid.

partybits · November 21st, 2005, 05:46 AM

Should have been more clear. I was talking about perceptions rather than fact. The perception (being fuelled by media no less) is of a city gone gun happy due to black youth in the inner suburbs. This latest event is only going to add fuel to the fire.

That's why I was trying to imply.

sloid · November 22nd, 2005, 04:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Siopao

yes! I was interviewed by CityPulse

... but I know it's nothing to be proud of

.. and I really know the girl who got raped .. I feel sorry for her and her brother and somebody died today from our school,

what a rough week for us and the school

maybe i saw you. haha, anyway what was the victim like, was she like one of those slutty girls who keeps on flirting with those bad boys? or was she like an innocent girl?

if the girl was lying.. O_o, she better move to a different school. and if she wasn't, I really wanted to throw a rotten tomato to this girl who was interviewed, she really REALLY annoyed me!

November 16th, 2005, 01:19 AM	#1
Siopao Moon, where are you? Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 1,393 Likes (Received): 0	MY TORONTO SCHOOL FEATURED ON THE NEWS MY SCHOOL IS NOTORIOUSLY FAMOUS NOW! HAHAHAHA!! ______________________________________________________ HERES THE LINK: http://g.msn.com/MT/1?http://sympati...0assaults&CE=1 T.O. girl waited 18 months to report assaults CTV.ca News Staff Experts in teen bullying say they are stunned that a Toronto girl who alleges she was sexually assaulted at her high school for 18 months felt too scared to come forward sooner. On Monday, Toronto Police charged 12 boys at the girl's school with criminal harassment, and two females with threatening bodily harm. As well, a 15-year-old boy was charged last week with sexual assault, criminal harassment, and forcible confinement. And a 17-year-old was charged with sexual assault, assault, forcible confinement, and failure to comply with probation. Some of the teens appeared in court Tuesday and were granted bail under the condition that they not return to the school where the alleged assaults took place, and not to communicate with each other. All of the charges stem from alleged sexual assaults on a 15-year-old girl at James Cardinal McGuigan Catholic Secondary School in the Jane and Finch area of the city. The girl, now 16, was allegedly bullied for about 18 months into performing sexual acts on students on school property and in the washroom of a nearby fast food restaurant. Stu Auty, the president of the Canadian Safe School Network, a charitable organization dedicated to reducing youth violence, says he's saddened that the girl did not come forward sooner. "The reality is there's a massive code of silence here for this to continue on for a year-and-a-half with nobody apparently knowing," he commented to Canada AM Tuesday. "Or if those that did know didn't come forward, that in itself is a statement." "What friends of this girl knew about this and didn't talk to people? Why didn't the girl talk to her own parents? Why didn't the girl talk to some of the teachers? So there was this lack of trust, apparently, that's going on here, that the victim simply could not feel confident enough -- or was intimidated for whatever reason -- but simply couldn't come forward." The school board says it knew nothing about the assaults until last week. "There were no cries for help, no screaming, nothing like that," a board spokesperson told CTV News. "It was a student who came forward as a result of a very serious incident that happened." The arrests finally were made following an incident last Wednesday, after which the girl told a school staff member. The staff member then called police. Mary Jo Deighan, of the Toronto Catholic District School Board, says the girl didn't come forward sooner because she was worried about retaliation. Det. Jon Ling from the Toronto Police Youth Services Unit says such incidents of assault and intimidation are not uncommon in schools. "This is certainly not the only school in Toronto, and not the only school in this division, where bad things occasionally happen," Ling told a Monday news conference. Some students at the school suggested to reporters that the victim could have made up the story. But the police say they don't believe that is the case. "We have conducted an investigation, there were a number of issues that we looked at," Insp. Tom McIlhone told a news conference Monday. "We believe that this in fact took place." CTV Toronto's John Lancaster reports that many of the parents of the accused appeared at the courthouse Tuesday to accuse police of racism, noting that the alleged victim was white and most of those arrested were black. Det. Peter Duncan from the Toronto Street Crimes Unit says those kinds of allegations are not surprising. "It's not a new thing for a police officer to hear that," he told Canada AM. "We simply deal with the conduct. We deal with what's put before us and don't deal with skin colour." Counsellors are at the school today to talk with the students about the incidents. The school board is considering discipline against the accused, including suspensions or expulsions.

November 16th, 2005, 02:33 AM	#2
Travis007 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,843 Likes (Received): 3	Sad news, we were having quite a heated discussion in English class today about this issue. It's horrible what our society has come to and that no one said anything to step up for the girl. I hope that the girl will recover from the emotion and physical scars done to her and that those 16 people get what they deserve. BTW: Wow! Siopao, you go to McGuigan? I go to Marshall McLuhan CSS down at Eglinton and Avenue Road. __________________ View my photos on: Flickr & Follow me on: Twitter

November 16th, 2005, 10:31 PM	#4
Buster Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Shantytown Posts: 828 Likes (Received): 0	So what do you know about this incident? How are students reacting to this besides the response we've seen on the news? What are your thoughts on it? __________________ Dem a loot, dem a shoot, dem a wail. . .

November 17th, 2005, 03:31 AM	#7
neggbird reformed lurker Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 182 Likes (Received): 0	what did they make her do? __________________ Buuuurd

November 19th, 2005, 05:22 PM	#12
KingWilson Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: the centre of the universe Posts: 103 Likes (Received): 0	i can't believe all those problems that school is going through right now. but it is a bit weird that they reported that 17-year-old's suicide. __________________ Architecture is the will of an epoch translated into space -mies van der rohe

November 16th, 2005, 02:36 AM	#3
Filip Torontonian 4ever Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Toronto Posts: 9,191 Likes (Received): 19	And I'm just down the road at Eglinton and Islington LOL. Meh, Stephen Harper went to my school.. I say that makes it notorious enough. Sad news about the girl though..

November 16th, 2005, 11:41 PM	#5
DanfromTO Rocking in the free world Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Toronto/Halifax Posts: 372 Likes (Received): 0	Im down the road @ northern

November 17th, 2005, 01:32 AM	#6
ditto Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Toronto Posts: 132 Likes (Received): 0	Um yeh...Famous for all the bad reasons. I'm not impressed at all. If the alleged acts are true, i hope this girl will recover from this.

November 17th, 2005, 03:34 AM	#8
partybits partybits Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,442 Likes (Received): 0	I'm going to sound like a dick for saying this, but this story just does'nt seem right to me. Maybe because of a similar although much more tame issue that I remember happening when I was in high-school. A girl who went to the school was more or less known as the 'school slut'. It was a well known fact amongst fellow students. One day out of nowhere she accused a guy of sexual assault. Nothing serious as the these accusations, but nevertheless the guy got suspended for quite some time. Turns out it was found later that the girl made the whole thing up because of some revenge thing for something the guy did (non-sexual) to another girl. Now I know the two situations are very different, but based on my experience, I'm going to at least hear both sides of the story before passing judgement. Notice how we no so little about what went on. Why did'nt the teachers even suspect anything? Why did'nt the friends say something? Why did it take 18ms, without anyone noticing or the girl transferring out? It could and most likely is that the girl is a very unfortunate victim. But maybe, must maybe we should listen to both sides of this story first. You just never know in this world.

November 18th, 2005, 03:01 AM	#11
tod24 BANNED Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 157 Likes (Received): 0	vid: http://www.pulse24.com/News/Top_Stor.../Video-5-2.asx vid: http://www.pulse24.com/News/Top_Stor.../Video-5-2.asx Put white and black people together in one school or area, and it becomes as bad as america, if not worse. so canadians cant make fun of america for their racial problems. as you see here, tensions in those areas with similar demographics to usa cities (blacks and whites), is very high.

November 21st, 2005, 04:56 AM	#13
partybits partybits Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,442 Likes (Received): 0	Something tells me this is going to hit the fan real hard when all is said and done. Between charges of racism on one hand, and a sexual victim made to look like the verdict on the other hand, it can get nasty. It's a no win situation here. If the girl is truly a victim, it would fuel further racial tensions in a city already fatigued with gun violence (which has been related to black youth). It would also embaress many people who may have thought she was lying, and only reinforce why so many sexual assault victims are afraid of being villified if they speak out. On the other hand, if the girl is lying, this opens it's own pandora's box. The police will be scrutinized harshly for arresting so many black students in a school. It will be a huge setback for groups trying to stop sexual assault as people will percieve this as an example of how women use assault as a form of blackmail. Does'nt look good at all. I'm gonna sit on the sidelines for this one.

November 21st, 2005, 05:46 AM	#15
partybits partybits Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,442 Likes (Received): 0	Should have been more clear. I was talking about perceptions rather than fact. The perception (being fuelled by media no less) is of a city gone gun happy due to black youth in the inner suburbs. This latest event is only going to add fuel to the fire. That's why I was trying to imply.

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