The victim of Jed Gordon, brother of Parkway Drive drummer Ben Gordon, has spoken publicly for the first time about the abuse that got Gordon sentenced in a Byron Bay court in Australia last week.
Jed Gordon, who in the past was also involved in the online sale of Parkway Drive’s official merch, pleaded guilty in March to sexual intercourse with a minor aged between 14 and 16.
According to Australian media reports, Gordon got in touch with a 15-year-old girl in 2002, when he was 21. The contact then carried on into 2003. In 2021 the victim tried to reach out to Gordon, and two years later she reported the case to the police.
Court documents obtained by Rolling Stone AU/NZ state that Gordon was sentenced to a three-year supervised community correction order, running from May 2026 to May 2029. On top of supervision by the relevant authorities, he also has to complete 300 hours of community service.
The woman, who has now publicly revealed her identity as Rachel Kila, told ABC in an interview that the abuse left scars she still feels today.
“The fact is that he was an adult and I was still a child,” she told ABC.
Kila is one of 35 people who spoke to ABC about growing up in Byron Bay in the early 2000s, when the local hardcore scene was going through a huge boom. Several women described an environment where sexual abuse, inappropriate relationships between adult men and underage girls, and abuse of power were allegedly common.
In the victim impact statement presented in court, Kila wrote that because of Gordon’s actions she lived with feelings of shame and trauma for many years.
“The sexual and emotional abuse I went through has seriously affected my ability to build and maintain romantic, family, friendship and professional relationships,” she wrote.
The case has also kicked off a wider debate about the culture that dominated the local music community back then.
After ABC got hold of old rap recordings by Parkway Drive’s current bassist, Jie O’Connor, containing offensive references to underage girls and sexual violence, the musician apologized publicly.
“I’m deeply ashamed of some of those songs,” O’Connor wrote. “Even though some of the tracks were made in a different time and under different circumstances, that doesn’t change the fact that they hurt people. I sincerely apologize for my part in that kind of culture.”
The members of Parkway Drive also condemned such behavior in a statement to ABC.
“Patterns of behavior tied to abuse of power, consent issues and bullying were everywhere. Girls and women often bore the worst of it. It’s heartbreaking and unacceptable,” the band wrote.
Back in March, frontman Winston McCall stressed in a video statement that the band condemns such acts “without any hesitation.”
Source: Rolling Stone AU/NZ
Victim of Jed Gordon Speaks Out; Parkway Drive Bassist Apologises for Past Music
The victim of Jed Gordon, brother of Parkway Drive drummer Ben Gordon, has publicly spoken about the abuse that led to Gordon’s conviction in an Australian court last week.
Gordon, who previously worked with Parkway Drive’s online merchandise team, pleaded guilty in March to having sexual intercourse with a person between the ages of 14 and 16.
According to Australian media reports, Gordon was 21 years old when he began communicating with a 15-year-old girl in 2002. The contact continued into 2003. The victim reportedly attempted to contact Gordon in 2021 before reporting the matter to police in 2023.
Court documents obtained by Rolling Stone AU/NZ show that Gordon was sentenced to a three-year Community Correction Order running from May 2026 until May 2029. He will also be required to complete 300 hours of community service and remain under supervision.
The woman, now publicly identified as Rachel Kila, spoke to ABC about the lasting impact the abuse has had on her life.
“The facts are that he was an adult, and I was still a child,” Kila said.
Kila is one of 35 individuals who spoke to ABC about growing up in Byron Bay during the early 2000s, when the town’s hardcore music scene was rapidly expanding. Several women described an environment in which sexual abuse, inappropriate relationships between adults and minors, and abuses of power were prevalent.
In her victim impact statement presented to the court, Kila explained that she had spent much of her life dealing with shame and trauma resulting from 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,” the statement read.
The case has also sparked broader discussions about the culture that existed within parts of the local music community at the time.
After ABC obtained old rap recordings by current Parkway Drive bassist Jia O’Connor containing derogatory references to teenage girls and sexual violence, the musician issued a public apology.
“I am deeply ashamed of some of those songs,” O’Connor said. “While some of that material was created in a different time and environment, that does not excuse the harm it caused. I am deeply sorry for contributing to that culture.”
Parkway Drive also released a statement condemning such behaviour.
“Behaviours like power imbalances, consent issues and bullying were everywhere. Girls and women often bore the brunt of it. It’s heartbreaking and unacceptable,” the band said.
Frontman Winston McCall previously addressed the issue in a video statement, saying the band “condemns this without hesitation.”
Source: Rolling Stone AU/NZ
