US jury says footage of a woman in nightclub can be used in sexist video

This is an extraordinary story. A jury in St Louis has decided that a woman did not need to give consent for a movie company to use footage of her in a video that it shot in a nightclub. 

In 2008, the woman (called Jane Doe) found out through a friend of a friend that footage of her taken in a place called the Rum Jungle when she was 20 had found its way into a video entitled Girls Gone Wild Sorority Orgy. (It doesn't take too much imagination to guess what sort of video this was). 

Ms Doe was dancing with a group of friends when a videographer started filming her. While other women voluntarily flashed their breasts for the camera, she can be heard on film saying "no" repeatedly. That's when another person or persons yanked Ms Doe's tank top down, exposing her against her will.

When Ms Doe, now married with two little girls, learned of the video, she felt violated. She understandably felt that her reputation had been damaged and proceeded to sue the makers of the video for $5 million. 

The jury only took 90 minutes to find in favor of the company. In a brilliant display of victim-blaming, the jury foreman Patrick O'Brien said afterwards: "Through her actions, she gave implied consent. She was really playing to the camera. She knew what she was doing."

I'm speechless. If you can bear it, read the full story on change.org.