The victim of Jed Gordon has waived her right to anonymity.
Jed Gordon, brother of Parkway Drive drummer Ben Gordon, was convicted and sentenced in Byron Bay Local Court last week on an underage sex offence charge.
In March, Gordon — who also previously worked on the Australian band’s online merchandise team — pleaded guilty to having sexual intercourse with a person between 14 and 16 years old.
Gordon was reported to have texted the girl in 2002 when he was 21 years old, and she was 15. The sexual contact continued through 2003. In 2021, the woman reportedly attempted to contact Gordon before contacting police in 2023.
In court documents obtained by Rolling Stone AU/NZ, Gordon was convicted and sentenced to a three-year Community Correction Order, starting on May 28th through to May 27th, 2029. He will be subject to supervision by a Community Corrections Officer at Lismore Community Corrections District Office and has been ordered to undertake 300 hours of community service work.
Now, the woman, Rachel Kila, has revealed her identity in a vulnerable new ABC interview.
She told the publication that Gordon invited her for a drive in 2002, whereupon they had sex in the back of his car, the start of months-long sexual abuse that had a decades-long impact on Kila’s life.
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“The facts are that he was an adult, and I was still a child,” Kila told the ABC.
Kila is one of 35 people who have spoken to the ABC about their experiences growing up in Byron Bay in the early 2000s, around the time the town’s hardcore music scene took off.
Fifteen women have alleged that they were raped or sexually assaulted by older boys or adult men during this period, while seven said they were in “relationships” with older boys or adult men in their early teens.
“The place was gorgeous, paradise, and yet this is what it was like underneath,” one woman, Jessica Hayhoe, said.
Kila reflected: “When I look at a 15-year-old, I think you can’t be choosing to engage in a relationship with an adult.”
“Justice for me is actually hearing other people say that they were able to come forward and get some closure,” she continued.
A victim impact statement from Kila was presented to the court, which explained she had spent much of her life living with shame as consequence of Gordon’s actions.
“The sexual and emotional abuse that he subjected me to has hindered my ability to navigate romantic, platonic, family and professional relationships,” it stated. “Because of this I have experienced re-victimisation in emotionally abusive relationships, domestic violence or sexual harassment, assault and rape multiple times.
“I have been unable to care and provide for my children in the capacity that they deserve, as well as being unable to care for myself.”
After the ABC obtained rap songs produced by Parkway Drive bassist Jia O’Connor before his time in the band, in which men make derogatory comments about teen girls and rape, O’Connor shared a statement saying he was deeply ashamed of “some of the songs.”
“In fact, many songs were never meant to be published, but some of the worst songs were leaked and ended up hurting people,” O’Connor stated.
“While it was a toxic culture for boys, it was so much worse for girls, and I am deeply sorry for contributing to that.”
Parkway Drive shared their own statement with the ABC, alluding to Byron Bay’s issues with widespread unemployment and substance abuse at the time.
“Behaviours like power imbalances, consent issues, bullying were everywhere: in homes and in the streets, and girls and women did bear the brunt of it,” the band said.
“It’s heartbreaking and unacceptable.”
After previously releasing two written statements, Parkway Drive frontman Winston McCall took to Instagram in late March to address the matter in a video.
“We condemn this without hesitation,” McCall said.
