Like many of you, I’d imagine, I grew up listening to Raffi Cavoukian, the Egyptian-born Canadian children’s musician singing songs like “Baby Beluga” and “Down By The Bay” — I even have dim memories of going to see him in concert. He’s recently embarked on his first tour in ten years, and now, as both a Canadian and an advocate for children, he’s speaking out about the suicide of Rehtaeh Parsons, who hanged herself at 17 after she experienced bullying and social isolation after she was allegedly sexually assaulted and a picture of the assault distributed online — and about rape culture more broadly.
In a series of tweets today, Raffi wrote:
https://twitter.com/Raffi_RC/status/322420197921275904
EDITORIAL: Anti-bullying efforts fall short | Chronicle Herald http://t.co/k9jVJpuoR0 via @ChronicleHerald yes. quite an understatement.
— Raffi Cavoukian (@Raffi_RC) April 11, 2013
Father of Rehtaeh Parsons speaks out in emotional blog post http://t.co/h3w0TI4NoV | NS Justice Minister Ross Landry should resign.
— Raffi Cavoukian (@Raffi_RC) April 11, 2013
"rape culture"? what has society become—who tolerates such violence & hideous insult to human dignity? men—SPEAK OUT! it's way past time.
— Raffi Cavoukian (@Raffi_RC) April 11, 2013