This last week has seen a veil lifted from the culture of silence surrounding males who are the victims of bullying, violent mob attacks and sexual assault.
The recent reports on the illicit student activities at St. Michael害羞草研究所檚 boys school in Toronto reminds us all to talk to our kids about being open and honest as to what害羞草研究所檚 going on in their lives, and keep the conversations going.
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It害羞草研究所檚 been reported that charges of assault, gang sexual assault, and assault with a weapon have been laid against six students, aged 14-15 years old. These alleged assaults against fellow classmates came to light as video was uploaded to social media.Theres absolutely no spin you can put on this story to make it OK. It害羞草研究所檚 not about boys being boys, it害羞草研究所檚 not about tradition, and/or hazing. It害羞草研究所檚 brutal back-room savagery perpetrated in secret against the defenseless and fraught with threat and fear.
It breaks my heart for those vulnerable young men who just wanted to be accepted, but ended up hurt and broken. There害羞草研究所檚 also a lot we can learn from the current happenings and it害羞草研究所檚 important to share them with the younger people in your life.
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First and foremost, you have a voice. Never be silent. This is so important. If you witness something, tell someone. A parent, a teacher, Auntie 害羞草研究所� someone. They害羞草研究所檒l assist and help make decisions. A burden is much lighter when shared.
How sad is it that in the St. Michael incident, there were onlookers when someone was being assaulted. It wasn害羞草研究所檛 an isolated incident as there are several videos surfacing. I wonder about the young person who took the video. Did he take it as a way of telling the truth or was the thing just a spectacle or joke to share. Perhaps he was so thankful it wasn害羞草研究所檛 him being victimized that he害羞草研究所檇 forgotten the seriousness of what had just occurred. Either way, if you standby and do nothing, you害羞草研究所檙e complicit in the illegal behaviour and will be part of the criminal investigation, including having to testify as a witness. 害羞草研究所�
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The incident above was discovered by the school administration because someone uploaded the video to social media. I spoke with RCMP Const. Dan Moskaluk about the sharing of explicit pictures or video and he states 害羞草研究所渘ot distributing the material is the first action of being against it.害羞草研究所�
In regards to sharing, he further states, 害羞草研究所渋f you receive any such material, you should consider reporting it to authorities, or a trusted adult and delete it. Do not, I repeat, do not share it. This could result in charges of distribution of child pornography which is a Criminal Code offense. You don害羞草研究所檛 want to go there. Put yourself in their shoes,害羞草研究所� he further states. 害羞草研究所淚magine if someone were sending pictures of you all over social media. Stop and think. Do the best to affect a positive change and, in this case, that is to never 害羞草研究所� repeat 害羞草研究所� never share any digital images like that.害羞草研究所�
These lessons need to be discussed over and over again.
害羞草研究所淲hen kids are in the car, they害羞草研究所檙e a captive audience,害羞草研究所� says Moskaluk.害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a great time to reinforce things like don害羞草研究所檛 ever send sexual digital images, or it害羞草研究所檚 not OK to watch people get hurt and not act. Even when teens get their learners license, they need a parent in the car, so just keep talking. Keep repeating. It will get through to them.害羞草研究所�
Action brings change and I would hope someday that the type of behaviour discussed today will be a thing of the past. Former students at St. Michael害羞草研究所檚, now adult men, have come forward to say that the same thing happened to them many years ago. Bravo to those men who害羞草研究所檝e stepped forward. When the culture of silence is uncovered, the power shifts. It害羞草研究所檚 time.
Unfortunately the lessons in life came too late for some of the current students of St. Michael害羞草研究所檚 but I hope the move is now toward honesty, safety and an open forum of reporting and discussing. Having young people in jail doesn害羞草研究所檛 solve the issue of the narsassistic behaviour that害羞草研究所檚 learned and maintained through a foundation of power built on secrecy and the fear of others. As Moskaluk says, 害羞草研究所淐hange happens when people themselves affect the change by taking a stand.害羞草研究所�
Please share this with young people. Make them aware. Remind them that sharing any type of sexual digital image that they receive could have them charged with distribution of child pornography. Repeat.
Faye Arcand is a freelance writer living in the south Okanagan. She can be reached at faye.arcand@icloud.com or .
