https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p A memoir by Chessy Prout with Jenn Abelson en-us 2023-02-01 20:14:10 UTC 2023-03-30 04:51:22 UTC hello@padlet.com dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2465266411 Prout, Chessy and Jenn Abelson. I Have The Right To. MARGARET K. McELDERRY BOOKS. , 2018]]> 2023-02-01 21:38:11 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2465266411 dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2523254273 On March 11, 2011, Chessy experienced the biggest earthquake of her life in her sixth-grade math class. Everyone was safe but the earthquake impacted Tokyo terribly. The subway and train systems shut down, hotels were mobbed with businessmen and stranded tourists, and there were a ton of tsunamis and fires. Chessy's dad thought it would be a good idea for the family to fly to Florida for a few weeks while he stays and takes care of his business in Tokyo. Chessy had lived in Tokyo her whole life, but the family's temporary evacuation had turned into an indefinite stay in Florida.

Quote #1: "Just before the bell rang, I was knocked to my knees. Windows rattled back and forth and books tumbled off the shelves. This was no pretend earthquake anymore: it was the biggest one I'd ever felt." (pg. 12)

Source #1: An article about the Tokyo earthquake in 2011 that Chessy experienced:
https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Natural-disasters/Tokyo-risks-over-6-000-untreated-deaths-in-major-earthquake]]> 2023-03-20 09:40:56 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2523254273 dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2523292177 April 1st, 2011, was Chessy's first day at her new private school in Naples, Florida. The new school is very different from Japan and Chessy feels as though she doesn't fit in. Her first week is rough, she starts her period, spills soup on her cute new pants at lunch, starts therapy, and her sister Lucy leaves her to go to a new school. Chessy and Lucy have always been besties but slowly since Lucy left she started to drift away they would fight, but over time they would make up.

Quote #2: "Everyone had been together since kindergarten at the Community School of Naples (CSN), and they'd all heard about the Japanese kids who'd escaped the earthquake." (pg. 23)]]> 2023-03-20 10:11:44 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2523292177 dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2523358058 On March 9th, 2013, Chessy was accepted into her dream school SPS that her dad had also gone to. She was so excited to go to the same school as Lucy and grow their relationship. Once the semester started and Chessy was living on campus, she and her couple of freshmen friends went to a school dance. They had been warned that boys there will try to touch them but they just have to ignore it. Chessy also made the varsity volleyball team with Lucy.

Quote #3: "I enrolled myself in the school. The next four years of my life started now." (pg. 50)

Source #2: SPS website: https://www.sps.edu/]]> 2023-03-20 11:09:18 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2523358058 dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2523406177 It was mid-November and Chessy had been feeling a lot of stress with exams, volleyball, medications, trauma, and social pressure. She was having trouble sleeping and was missing her family in Hong Kong. One night when all her friends went out, she stayed in her room on her bed and cried. She had so much pain and wanted to move the hurt somewhere else. So without thinking, she took a sip of nail polish remover and then got sent to the medical center on campus.

Quote #4: "People thought I was this popular, confident girl, but at times I felt so isolated from everybody at St. Paul's. No one knew what I'd been through." (pg. 62)

Source #3: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/emotional-problems/Pages/when-children-and-teens-self-harm.aspx]]> 2023-03-20 11:48:38 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2523406177 dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2523568323 Chessy was getting a lot of senior salute requests around springtime, close to graduation when all the seniors try to score the young girls at the school. Senior salute is when a senior requests to score someone in a form below them; usually it only occurs once. It's generally just seniors taking advantage and controlling girls.

Quote #5: "And I knew Tucker and the other senior boys had all the power at the school and they could spread rumors and destroy my reputation in an instant." (pg. 80)

Source #4: Website explaining Owen Labrie's situation. https://empowerinnocent.wixsite.com/website/post/the-scandal-of-owen-labrie-and-the-metoo-movement]]> 2023-03-20 13:31:30 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2523568323 dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2523591816 Chessy felt pressured to accept this boy named Owen, who's a senior, invitation for a senior salute. Owen leads Chessy to a secret locked room in one of the towers. She thought he was just taking her to the roof to admire the view of the campus but he then began to take control of her body. Even though she repeatedly told him no. What Owen Labrie did to Chessy Prout was not okay and has traumatized Chessy for the rest of her life.

Quote #6: "I couldn't believe this was happening to me. This person, who was not listening to me, was violating me in the most intimate place, and I was lifeless." (pg. 95)

Source #5: Chessy Prout's allegations. (News Article) https://www.cnn.com/2015/08/18/us/new-hampshire-prep-scandal/index.html


]]> 2023-03-20 13:44:17 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2523591816 dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2534034445 Chessy finally had the courage to talk to the police about what had happened to her.  A woman named Detective Julie Curtin talked to Chessy about the details of that night. Chessy finally recognized and registered that she had been raped. After the conversation with detectives from the police Chessy needed to get her body examined for evidence. It was really scary to have blood, urine, cells, tampons, and even her privates checked. 

Quote #7: "Detective Curtin perched on the edge of her seat and folded her hands in her lap. She looked me in the eyes and held my gaze. 'The number one rule is that everything we talk about is the truth.'" (pg. 127)


]]> 2023-03-27 23:55:14 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2534034445 dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2534047362 Chessy went on a youth missionary trip to an orphanage in the Bahamas. It was called the Old Bight Mission Home and Orphanage, on Cat Island. Chessy loved the kids there and grew a really sweet relationship with one seven-year-old boy, Mark. Chessy loved the escape from the trauma that she had waiting for her back home. 

Quote #8: "Cat Island provided a temporary escape, a refuge from the trauma that waited for me back home." (pg. 135)]]> 2023-03-28 00:08:19 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2534047362 dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2534055412 Chessy decided that she wanted to be strong and return to school. When she first got there her old friends would ignore her. It really hurt her feelings and she almost wanted to give up and go back home. One day, Ivy, her old best friend, met with her to have a talk to explain herself. She started to cry hysterically and explain how it's been really hard for her and she didn't know how to react to Chessy returning. Chessy reacted kindly but inside she knew that Ivy was a truly selfish person for acting this way.

Quote #9: "Ivy: Hey I know this is gonna sound really scary but can we please talk tonight because I know it's been weird and I've been weird and it may have come across badly and I know you're going through hell right now and I should be there for you and I'm sorry." (text from Ivy, pg. 154)]]> 2023-03-28 00:15:21 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2534055412 dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2534856255 Chessy was so traumatized by what had happened. It affected her life in so many different ways. She felt like her life had been destroyed by one boy. So every night she would have terrible flashbacks of what he did. No matter how many positive thoughts she thought about before her head hit the pillow, the nightmares come back.

Quote #10: "But as soon as my head hit the pillow, the castle walls came tumbling down, revealing the mechanical room, my underwear, his face. Sometimes I kicked and screamed. Other times I froze. Most nights I woke up in a sweat." (pg. 156)]]> 2023-03-28 11:13:30 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2534856255 dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2534882089 One day in the chapel, during the announcements, two insensitive boys made a mean joke about Chessy. It hurt her feelings so bad that she had to run out of the building. She had a terrible panic attack. That's when she decided that she was done. She couldn't stay there any more. It wasn't safe for her to push through every day. So she told the advisors, said her goodbyes, and left.]]> 2023-03-28 11:36:06 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2534882089 dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2534908554 Chessy was back in Naples, Florida living with her family. It was going great until they heard about a letter being sent around St. Paul's by Owen. It was asking about 100,000 dollars to go towards a top-level lawyer. Students and especially the staff were actually donating. Chessy's family was furious. ]]> 2023-03-28 11:59:08 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2534908554 dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2534973342 There were eight days of court. On the first day, Chessy's lawyer, Catherine, questioned her about the night of the assault. In challenging detail. On the second and third days, Owen's lawyer, Carney, questioned Chessy. Carney was a big bully and made Chessy feel small and stupid. Chessy's time on the witness stand ended, so then it was Owen's turn. ]]> 2023-03-28 12:46:41 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2534973342 dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2534999327 Many of Owen's friends had textual evidence of conversations between them before and after that night. There were a lot of juicy details and it made Chessy pissed. She was pissed at how these boys had been talking and planning for months on how they would "score" or "slay" her. The judge seemed biased toward Carney for some reason. Owen's lies were rolling off his tongue and it literally made Chessy vomit. When she returned to the courtroom, she made eye contact with Owen but he wouldn't even look at her. ]]> 2023-03-28 13:03:42 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2534999327 dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2537036014 Owen's lawyer, Carney, would twist Chessy's words. He would say things like how she was trying to get attention and took the easy way out. One of the men helping Chessy was sitting next to her during the case and saying how unprofessional Carney was being. He decided to confront him in the parking lot after the trial was over. They had a huge, heated argument but Chessy was glad he was standing up for her. ]]> 2023-03-29 16:52:36 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2537036014 dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2537050161 The trial was over and it was now time to wait. Everyone is trying to be patient. Then finally, after eight hours over two days, the jury had a verdict. Owen Labrie was guilty! The jury believed Chessy but didn't convict Owen of raping her. It was a split verdict.]]> 2023-03-29 17:03:23 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2537050161 dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2537060837 Days after the verdict, anonymous hate sites were popping up all over the Internet. Online trolls were calling Chessy "an attention whore at St. Paul's School who tried to slime an innocent bro with a fake-rape charge." Detectives tried everything they could to take the websites down, but as soon as one site was removed, another popped up, taunting Chessy. One day, when Chessy's dad was at the airport he met a woman that could help. She fought hard for Chessy and the majority of the sites eventually vanished.]]> 2023-03-29 17:10:36 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2537060837 dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2537079601 The sentencing was a decision to say officially what the punishment would be. Thankfully, the judge knew that Owen was a lying rapist. But unfortunately, he could not punish Owen for the more serious crimes. He sentenced Owen to a year in jail and several years of probation. Owen would have to register as a sex offender, but he'd get to remain free on bail while his lawyers appealed the verdict.]]> 2023-03-29 17:23:51 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2537079601 dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2537786790 Chessy's Uncle Ron had died. Uncle Ron was Chessy's dad's brother. Five days later her grandma died. It was so very sad. Chessy's mom was devastated. At the funeral, Chessy sang one of her grandma's favorite songs.]]> 2023-03-30 04:48:04 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2537786790 dolanbry000_1_1 https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2537790320 Chessy is a survivor. At 19, she is using her voice and her experiences to advocate for others who have suffered sexual assault and abuse. She has written a memoir. She has spoken to communities and students about sexual consent and healthy relationships. Chessy is also a student at Barnard College and continues to use her voice to advocate and let other survivors know they are not alone. ]]> 2023-03-30 04:51:13 UTC https://padlet.com/dolanbry000_1_1/ty4z1lvxg78zr97p/wish/2537790320