Girls attack young boy, strip him naked in the street

[Unforgiven]

If I was in authority I would make sure charges were pressed against them... equally... Just as if they were 8th Grade boys.

Charged with what? Sexual assault?

 

[karrie]

I've been thinking about this one for the last few days. I don't see it as sexual assault regardless of if the sex of the participants. Assault probably but there does not appear to be any intent for sex.

Really, I can see that they weren't trying to have sex with him. But, they first attempted to injure his genitals (the video shows them repeatedly yanking his shorts up trying to hurt them), and then they were hell bent on exposing his genitals. Sexual assault isn't always about trying to have sex with a person, sometimes it's simply about trying to cause injury to them in a way that targets them as a sexual being. Beating up and exposing their genitalia is just that.

 

[Unforgiven]

Actually, I think the Ashley Smith case is clear example of the inability of Corrections Canada to identify, treat and basically deal with mentally ill individuals in their care. It may be an example of heavy handedness but I'm not sure anything quite that extreme applies in this situation.

This situation at minimum was extreme bullying (and we all know how those cases often turn out in the end) and maximum it's sexual assault. Irrespective and regardless of gender, it is the behaviour that is unacceptable and, as such, there needs to be a response to it that demonstrates just how unacceptable it is. Now I don't now, nor will I ever, advocate the "lock 'em up, throw the book at them" mentality but, I do believe consistency in applying laws and in sentencing, whether adult or young offenders, is an important part of how we send the message of the unacceptablity of the behaviour.

Just my two cents.

Good observations. Seems to me that Smith was passed from institution to institution to avoid dealing with her once
the punishment was found to be inadequate. That is the problem with dominance based punishment. You run out of options when someone just doesn't submit.

In Ashley's case, it would seem that some disinterested superior thought to call her bluff only to find Ashley wasn't bluffing.

This is why I support rehabilitation over punishment. If there is a problem then work the problem out and the symptoms will subside. Punishment only teaches fear.

This may well be the case with these girls. I don't know if something that started as bullying and went way to far is what this is or if it's just some girls who feel that they are bad ass and won't take crap off anyone and will stop at nothing to even some score they keep a running total of in their heads.

This is why I would suggest addressing it in a rehabilitation method and see how they react to it. If it's all a big joke, then there isn't going to be much of anything to bring them round so incarcerate them, let them act up with other girls who choose not to take any crap and they can build a career in the prison system and away from the rest of us.

 

[SLM]

Good observations. Seems to me that Smith was passed from institution to institution to avoid dealing with her once
the punishment was found to be inadequate. That is the problem with dominance based punishment. You run out of options when someone just doesn't submit.

In Ashley's case, it would seem that some disinterested superior thought to call her bluff only to find Ashley wasn't bluffing.

This is why I support rehabilitation over punishment. If there is a problem then work the problem out and the symptoms will subside. Punishment only teaches fear.

This may well be the case with these girls. I don't know if something that started as bullying and went way to far is what this is or if it's just some girls who feel that they are bad ass and won't take crap off anyone and will stop at nothing to even some score they keep a running total of in their heads.

This is why I would suggest addressing it in a rehabilitation method and see how they react to it. If it's all a big joke, then there isn't going to be much of anything to bring them round so incarcerate them, let them act up with other girls who choose not to take any crap and they can build a career in the prison system and away from the rest of us.

I get what you're saying regarding punishment and I also happen to support the idea of rehabilitation wherever and whenever it is possible. I also happen to think that, if anyone has a good chance of being rehabilitated, it is more than likely going to be someone who is younger.

Having said that though, I think it's also important that we demonstrate that actions have consequences. And perhaps consequence is a better word to use than punishment. Bullying and assault upon another person are serious issues, as such the consequences should be at least fairly serious as well. Otherwise the message we risk sending is that what happened is inconsequential, that what happened to that boy doesn't matter. And I know that is not the message I would like to see sent. Further, they should not get a pass because they are girls and the victim a boy.

So yes, punishment in and of itself may teach fear, but consequences are a very important part of life. You can be fair but also firm.

Also, and I may be wrong about this, I don't think any kind of rehabilitative program (counselling, anti-bullying awareness and the like) can be imposed unless charges are laid. The laying of charges and solitary confinement in a detention centre do not necessarily follow one another all the time.

What happened to Ashley Smith was a travesty. I think what it highlights the most is the lack of proper training and probably ignorance of correction officers in dealing with mental illness amongst the inmate population. They saw, and treated, her anger and rebelliousness as just that, not realizing that it was really a sign of an unstable mind. The way I see it, her choking behaviour was her way of trying to ease the pain, as silly as that may sound. Not dissimilar to cutting, girls have a tendancy to internalize and self-harm when they are in distress.

 

[TenPenny]

I've been thinking about this one for the last few days. I don't see it as sexual assault regardless of if the sex of the participants. Assault probably but there does not appear to be any intent for sex.

Technically true, but generally ripping someone's clothes off would be considered a form of sexual assault.

Did you know that it's illegal, in Canada, to have anal sex if you are under 18?

 

[taxslave]

Technically true, but generally ripping someone's clothes off would be considered a form of sexual assault.

Did you know that it's illegal, in Canada, to have anal sex if you are under 18?

Does that include gays?
And who is checking? Someone from the PMO?

 

[jk121708]

I've been thinking about this one for the last few days. I don't see it as sexual assault regardless of if the sex of the participants. Assault probably but there does not appear to be any intent for sex.

Forcibly stripping someone against their will is considered sexual assault in most places. It also appears that one of the girls makes a grab for genitals at one point. Also is safe to assume that the girls wanted to see the boy naked, which would be a sexual motive.

The girls should be prosecuted for:

A. Sexual assault on a child.

B. The production of child pornography with the intent to distribute.