Silence Isn't Always Golden: Savannah Dietrich's Story

Victims of abuse and rape have always been cursed with fear of speaking about their experience. Recently, there have been numerous campaigns to try and give these girls, women, and men the strength to speak out and bring justice foe themselves. Unfortunately enough for one Kentucky teenager, she had the strength to speak out but was denied further rights to tell her story.
Savannah Dietrich was raped by two boys. Not only did they rape her, but they took photos of her and began to show their friends. Savannah alerted the police of the incident and the two boys were arrested. That was where the punishment stopped. They were charged with felony sexual abuse and misdemeanor voyeurism. Savannah was reported to have called this a simple "slap on the wrist". The judge didn't stop at just the boys, though. She told Savannah that she was not to speak of the incident, or call the boys out or she would face a fine and up to 100 days in jail. And this is where the tale becomes a bit brighter. Savannah wasted no time in going to Twitter and Facebook. She called out her rapists, stating that that she was "not protecting anyone that made [her] life a living Hell.” This was tweeted with the names of the two boys to her dew hundred followers. Thank goodness the internet spreads news faster than a small town spreads gossip. Her story was rocketed to independent writers, online journals, and Twitter/Facebook users who all quickly rallied together and formed a petition to keep Savannah out of prison. And...it worked. Savannah tool to the internet and made her story public, and is now working to help other teens and women who did not get justice, or have been silenced for speaking out.

Savannah did something that took great courage. She was wronged by the very system meant to help her. She was silenced, but fought back. Sometimes we are held back by the very people we hope can save us, but we have the power to stay in control. Savannah stayed in control and gained her freedom by exposing those who wronged her. Maybe I'm biased, being a girl who turns 17 rather soon, but I'd love to believe that any human being would reach out to this girl and provide her love and support.

Oh, and for those who want to know:
-The judge's name is Diana McDonald
-Rapist are Will Frey and Austin Zehnder

If the courts want to keep a 17 year old girl silent for a crime done to her, are we no better than the cultures years ago that cast out rape victims or made them marry their rapist? We are in a new age, and we deserve new rights. I say we should make these boys see what they've done for as long as possible, and give our support to a young woman who did exactly what she was told not to do. I support Savannah Dietrich, and wish her health and peace.