Ava and Ryan’s Story:

A Distribution of Image Without Consent Scenario

Scenario

Ava is a 15-year-old student. She had been talking online with a classmate, Ryan, who is also 15. They had been messaging for several weeks and Ava trusted Ryan. One night, Ryan asked Ava to send him a personal photo. After thinking about it, Ava decided to send him a private image, believing it would stay between the two of them.

The next day, Ryan showed the photo to two of his friends in a group chat. Soon, more classmates began whispering and making comments about Ava. By the end of the week, Ava realized several people at school had seen the photo. She felt humiliated, betrayed, and afraid of who else might see it.

When the school staff learned what had happened, they contacted Ava’s parents and reported the situation to the police. After reviewing the messages and speaking with students, Ryan was charged with distribution of an intimate image without consent, a criminal offence under Canadian law.

The Crown will argue that Ryan knowingly shared a private image that was never meant for anyone else, causing real harm to Ava’s reputation, privacy, and emotional wellbeing. The Defence will argue that Ryan did not understand the seriousness of his actions, that he made a poor decision under pressure from friends, and that he did not realize how far the image would spread.

The case is now being brought before the court.

Presentation

Preparation Packages

Roles in the Courtroom

Ryan – The student accused of sharing the image.

Ryan’s Defence Lawyer(s) – The defence lawyer’s job is to tell Ryan’s side of the story in the courtroom. Multiple people can be in this role.

Crown Lawyer(s) – The Crown lawyer works for the community and the government. Their job is to try to prove that the accused person did break the law. Multiple people can be in this role.

Ava the Victim (Crown Witness) – The person whose image was shared .

Jordan, a Classmate (Crown Witness) – Jordan saw the image that was shared.

Tyler Ryan’s Friend (Defence Witness) – Who has been friends with Ryan for a long time.

M. Patel Teacher (Defence Witness) – Ryan’s homeroom teacher.

Court Clerk - The court clerk is the judge’s helper. They say “All rise” when the judge comes in and swear in all the wtinesses.

Jury - The jury is a group of regular people from the community. They sit together in court and listen carefully to the trial. Multiple roles.

Courtroom Artist(s) - A courtroom artist is someone who draws pictures of what happens in court because cameras are not allowed in Canadian courtrooms. The artist helps people see what it looked like by sketching the judge, lawyers, witnesses, and the accused.

The Public - The public means regular people who come to watch a trial. They might be family, friends, reporters, or anyone interested. The public does not talk or take part in the trial. Their job is to listen quietly and respectfully. Having the public watch helps make sure the trial is open and fair. Anyone without an assigned role.

The Evidence

Below is all the Evidence or the “Disclosure” in your Mock Trial Scenario.

I know what I did was wrong, and I wish I could take it back. Ava and I had been talking for a while, and she trusted me enough to send me a private photo. At first, I kept it to myself, but the next day, when I was hanging out with two of my friends, they asked me if Ava had ever sent me anything. I felt pressured and wanted to look cool, so I showed them the photo in a group chat.
I didn’t think about how serious it was at the time. I thought it would just stay between us, but one of my friends must have shared it with others, because soon it felt like everyone at school had seen it. I never meant for it to spread that far or to hurt Ava the way it did. I know I broke her trust and caused a lot of harm.
Ryan and I were messaging for a few weeks. I thought he liked me and that I could trust him. When he asked me to send a private photo, I didn’t want to at first, but eventually I agreed. I believed he would keep it between us.
The next day, I heard some people whispering about me. Later, a friend told me that Ryan had shown the photo in a group chat. More and more people at school started making comments, and I felt humiliated. By the end of the week, I didn’t even want to come to school anymore. I felt betrayed, embarrassed, and scared about who else might see it. This was supposed to be private, and Ryan had no right to share it.
I was in the group chat when Ryan sent the photo of Ava. At first, I thought it was just between a couple of us, but then someone else forwarded it, and it spread quickly. Within a few days, lots of people at school had seen it.
I remember seeing Ava looking upset in class and people laughing or making comments about her. It was obvious she was embarrassed and hurt. In my opinion, Ryan knew the photo was private, but he sent it anyway.
I’m one of Ryan’s friends. I was in the group chat when Ryan shared Ava’s photo. He didn’t send it to everyone in the school, it was just a small group at first. People kept asking Ryan to prove that Ava had sent him something, and I think he felt pressured.
It wasn’t right, but Ryan wasn’t trying to hurt Ava. He made a bad choice because he wanted to fit in. The photo only spread because someone else forwarded it beyond our group. I think Ryan regrets it and didn’t mean for it to go this far.
I have taught Ryan for the past two years. In my experience, Ryan is a good student who usually shows respect to others. He has not been in serious trouble at school before.
From what I understand of this incident, Ryan shared something that he should not have, but I believe it was an impulsive decision rather than a malicious one. He may not have fully understood the seriousness of sharing an intimate image. I believe Ryan is capable of learning from this mistake and making better choices in the future.