Two (2) 13 yr old boys in Oregon on the last day of school walked down the hall on their way out of school and slapped some girls on the butt as they passed by. Are things getting blown out of proportion, or should they be charged with sexual assault, and have to register as sex offenders?
2007-07-25 02:18:13 · 19 answers · asked by kmjreade 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
They should get detention and have to apoligize. Their kids, thats it. Their lives shouldnt be ruined because of this.
2007-07-25 02:20:53 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
This is an interesting question, because we are in a place in society right now where two things seem to be happening:
1. Awareness is rising about sexual assault, child molestation, and the devastating effects of these crimes, and the guilty are finally (in some cases decades after the damage was done) starting to be recognized by society and held responsible.
2. Sex offense has become sort of a "topic du jour" in the media. With "To Catch a Predator," we've now crossed the line that divides holding genuine predators accountable, and entertaining ourselves by watching pathetic losers be humiliated on national TV. The next line to cross will be the one that separates this from a "witch-hunt" atmosphere (like we've seen before), where people who have done absolutely nothing are ruined because of a false national hysteria.
So to answer the question, I'd say that we need to be very, very careful with when and why we put the label "sex offender" on someone. I think the sex offender registry does probably need to be looked at to see whether our criteria for including people are helping to accomplish the goal of the registry (allowing people to know who (and where) are the potentially dangerous criminals among us) or are simply creating confusion.
So....should a 13-year-old (or two) who slapped some girls on the behind be labeled and registered as sex offenders, and subjected to the same scorn and discrimination as a convicted rapist? Probably not.
HOWEVER.................Is slapping a girl on the behind a form of assault? Yes. Is it a form of sexual assault? Yes. Are the dysfunctional attitudes and habits of hard-core sex offenders developed slowly over time, as their actions are tolerated and gradually increase in severity? Yes.
Soo....In my opinion, even though these boys are not "rapists" or "predators," they should be taught a hard lesson NOW on what is and is not acceptable behavior. Touching another person sexually without their consent is a serious offense, and I do believe if the victim wants to press charges, then charges should be pressed. Let them get a taste of what it's like to be on the wrong side of the law and to stand in a courtroom and have people looking at them with hate and fear. This might be just what they need to get them to clean up their act.
But I think putting them on a sex offender registry, especially if this was their first and only offense, would be overkill.
2007-07-25 02:50:57 · answer #2 · answered by Anne M 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
..mm..adolesence is 'victemized' here, it seems...the law is the offender.
Not only will the boys be traumatised, the girls will as well.
Unfortunately, the damage is dune ..not only will those involved be socially insulted through legal reprocussions, so will there scolastic community .
Fortunately, there will be no permanent record on the boys ..or the girls, because of there ages.
Unfortunately, this sort of thing will continue to occure, consequently, because there will be no legal referances to use as presedent.
Fortunately, sex offences are now federal and government offences.
Unfortunately, our taxes fund the prisons, penitenturys, jails, incarseration, and containment costs.
Fortunately, prosequiters attain status through incarserating offenders.
Unfortunately, they 'prosicute' according to the letter of the law.
Fortunately, we do not exicute, castrate, lobotomize, or tourcher those accused or convicted or suspected.
Unfortunately, stigmatization is unavoidable , socially.
Fortunately, male sexuality is viewed as offensive.
Unfortunately, sexuality exists in ether gender.
So now what...?... do we put girl kids in one school, and boy kids in another one..?
Do we teach our kids our own unique extreamist ideology of sexuality with our education system..?
Do we build an incarseration / monitoring engin into our society for adolesence..?
If our legal system comits a crime, who prosecuites it?..who arrest it?..how is it imprisoned..? how is restitution made to it's victem..?
Who 'convicts' it of the crime..?
2007-07-25 04:30:02 · answer #3 · answered by olddogwatchin 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're kidding. Are they being charged? This is as bad as that 2nd grader getting suspended for kissing a classmate.
I think things have gotten WAY out of proportion. Everyone wants a reason to b*tch so they go after kids who are doing what every normal kid does and in doing so they're taught that it's shameful or dirty or disrespectful or assault. Ugh....
2007-07-25 02:22:51 · answer #4 · answered by Beth 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Getting WAY blown out of proportion in my opinion.That is about as stupid as my 5 year old grandson getting suspended for 3 days for kissing a girl on the hand.Because it made her cry,she now had BOY germs.Pathetic.
2007-07-25 02:29:39 · answer #5 · answered by Dog Tricks 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They shouldn't be charged period!
They were being teenage boys, I think that society as a whole has gone off the deep end. If they were grabbing and groping the girls that would be another story, still without a sexual charge. More something the PARENTS AND SCHOOL should be handling!!
2007-07-25 02:22:09 · answer #6 · answered by Irish_5150 2 · 5⤊ 0⤋
No that is not even worth making them register as sex offenders. Give them some community service and let it be done. Kids always joke around, they need to learn a lesson, but being charged as a sex offender is too much and not necessary.
2007-07-25 02:22:26 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
NO there 13, are u out of your mind, and + they would get charged as juveniles so they would never have to register as a sex offender ever...
2007-07-25 02:22:55 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Charged with sexual assault, yes if the victim wants to press charges...Register as sex offender??? That's preposterous by all means of law and humanity
2007-07-25 02:20:56 · answer #9 · answered by triq033 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
No. They should have to apologize to the girls, on the school auditorium stage at general assembly. And detention for 2 weeks.
2007-07-25 02:24:28 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
that is insanity. you see more a$$ than that on prime time tv! if thats the case then i think janet jackson should have to register as a sex offender too!
its all crap! and the libs!
2007-07-25 02:23:29 · answer #11 · answered by Buk (Fey) 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋