Sex on Trial

In August 2012, a 16-year-old girl made an allegation to police that she'd been raped by fellow high school students at a party in the town of Steubenville, Ohio. However, her recollection was affected by alcohol. She'd seen photos, messages and videos that had been circulating on social media of her in compromising situations and of the boys boasting about what they'd done. Two of the boys were arrested, but they denied anything non-consensual had taken place. Months later, images and posts from the party went viral. The events at Steubenville became a huge national story, raising questions about consent, rape, and the behaviour and attitudes of teenage boys. As the trial began, the prosecution had to deal with this issue: how can you prove the crime if the victim can't remember??