When is a sexual attack not a sexual attack?

[dsc]

When you are a straight male who assults little boys evidently.

http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2006/04/03/news/local/20060403_local_news_7.txt

http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news/articles/0404bennett0404-CP.html

The second link is the cite for the following:

Two men, including the 18-year-old son of Arizona's Senate president, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of aggravated assault for shoving broomsticks and flashlights up the rectums of 18 young boys last year.

In June, Bennett and Wheeler were camp counselors at the Arizona Association of Junior High Student Council at Chapel Rock Camp in Prescott. From the outset, they told the 11- to 14-year-old campers they supervised that they would be "broomed" if they violated rules. Boys were told that if they complained, they would be severely punished and if they resisted they would be held down.

Brooms, flashlights and a cane were shoved into the rectums of the boys while they were wearing clothes or swimsuits for various infractions.



Yavapai County prosecutor James Landis said his office never considered the "broomings" as sexual in nature. Rather, he described what happened as a form of punishment or discipline.

He has said his office could not prove Bennett and Wheeler had any sexual intent.

He said the case likely would have been treated differently if the victims were girls or if there was evidence that the defendants were homosexual.

end of all quotes

I was hazed in a similar manner as a freshman and a band camp and to this day I feel ashamed for having let it happen. I can only imagine what these poor kids are going through. These young men should be facing jail time not going on a mission. Under this assine theory if I had retaliated in kind I would have sexually assulted my attackers but they weren't sexually assulting me. This is beyond outrageous.

I somehow think that if I started to massage the brests of young girls in this jurisdictions it would be considered sexual no matter how convincingly I said I was gay.

[Ecumenist]

1. when it doesn't happen.....

:think: That's the only time that A sexual assault isn't one....

[OldLeftieLawyer]

2. All that latent homosexuality

If only those boys with broom handles could be allowed to come to grips with their own sexuality - they're gay, I'd bet anything on it - maybe this nonsense will stop.

It's not sexual. It's assault. It's battery. It's anger. It's like saying rape is sexual - it's not. It's about control and anger.

That you chose to go through that kind of thing - I feel so sorry for you - is testament to the lengths youngsters go to in order to "belong." What a drag that a country built on the concept of individual freedom has devolved into a place where young men volunteer to let other young men shove things up their ass so that they can be a "member."

It's certainly an outrage, but, more, it's a sad commentary on how badly some parents are dealing with their children. Mostly their sons, I think, since girls don't seem to be sodomizing each other with broomhandles.

[dsc]

5. I was kind of held down

what I didn't do was tell. I was both ashamed and figured I would be directly asked if I were gay. I didn't want to perjure myself nor admit I was gay. I now know I was probably wrong about my sexuality coming up but I was convinced then I was right.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

7. You were young

It has to be horrendous for you to look back at it, but, you know, you're here now and you see clearly, and I say, I'm glad you're here.

[dsc]

10. I know from the mempham thing how much worse it could have been

but it still sucked. It infuriates me these young men are getting off scott free. Lord knows any non connected person would have fried.

[dsc]

11. thanks

I can't believe I forgot to thank you in my first answer.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

12. You didn't forget

Your very presence here is thanks enough.

You made it, and you now know stuff.

You'll teach.

You're welcome.

Truly.

[dsc]

13. You are very kind

I greatly enjoy your presence here as well.

[Taxloss]

3. You forgot male-on-male prison rape.

That's a laughing matter, apparently.

I remember when Martha Stewart went to jail there were all those jokes about her being raped and brutalised.

Oh, no, hang on, that only applies to men going to prison. Then it's funny.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

9. Don't forget

that the things that go on between men on long ocean voyages are never ever discussed, but, boy, there's all kinds of consensual homosexual action going on during those "scientific" cruises.

[dsc]

14. that is so true

I have never understood why that is supposed to be so funny. No way a comedian would make a joke about a woman being raped and not get in deep trouble.

[Berry Cool]

4. You said it.

I am speechless.

Not sexual in nature? What difference does it make whether or not they were sexual in nature? Someone's body was being violated.

Surely these people don't think that rape has to be sexual? Rape is a crime of violence, not a crime of sex.

I don't see why it's not "rape" to hold someone down and force a foreign object up their rectum unless a) they're female or b) they're gay.

Aside from the insane logic that the rectum is only considered a non-sexual part of the body if one is male and heterosexual, the whole idea expressed here that an assault has to be "sexual" to be considered something other than "discipline" is questionable to my mind.

This is rape. Pure and simple. Whatever the gender or orientation of the victims.

[MsUnderstood]

6. this happens because people don't understand sexual attacks

Sexual attacks aren't about sex they are about power. They are about using one's power to demean another person and the tool is the sexual act.

Rape has never been about a raper satisfying his/her sexual needs--it is about the rapist showing the victim that he/she is more powerful.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

8. Thank YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's always disheartening to me when people believe that rape is about sex.

i wonder when education is finally going to take hold.

It is always - regardless of the gender(s) involved - about control, rage, and power.

Always.

[ShalachEtAmi]

15. Well if these guys do any Gaol time...

They probably will receive what they `gave`.

Not that that would be right either....

[GymDude]

16. sexual or not...

This is still clearly felony assault. Anal rape is EXTREMELY painful and traumatic.

He won't be able to go on his Mormon mission?!?! Boo hoo...

At least they face up to 2 years...let's hope they get the max...

[dsc]

17. it sounds like there will be little to no jail time

though we never know.

[dsc]

18. Update

Bennett the Senator's son got 30 days and Wheeler got 45 days. The second guy got more since he had choked kids too.