Man who hit reporter’s backside on live TV is arrested on sexual battery charge

garland · December 2019

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2019/12/14/man-who-hit-reporters-backside-live-tv-is-arrested-sexual-battery-charge/?fbclid=IwAR1SzNmBs6LitYTJgf-69Myoh9eT4ddZ-h9n3xN6TELbZvvbfkKVu-c7MVM

I am so glad to see this kind of behavior being taken seriously and not just called harmless, or boys being boys (especially when the boy is a fortysomething cub scout leader and Sunday School teacher.)

Real progress, this is.

Youdon'tsay · December 2019

I agree. The video of her reaction showed that she clearly felt violated. The fact that this man felt comfortable doing that on live TV tells me that he has room for growth.

kpopmomrunner · December 2019

I gather he wasn't apologetic with his actions too? Doesn't he know of personal space? SMH

milee30 · December 2019

From watching the video it was pretty clear whatever happened was deliberate. He was laser focused on her, approaching from behind.

OhiBro · December 2019

The video of her reaction showed that she clearly felt violated.

Yes. Sad that it takes a video of such raw emotion for some people to realize how violating such an action can be, but hopefully this moves the needle a little more in the right direction.

VeryHappy · December 2019

I applaud this young woman for doing the right thing. The tide is turning. These things are being recognized for what they are -- assault. It's no longer "boys will be boys."

rosemaryandthyme · December 2019

I agree. I was so disappointed with Inside Edition for bringing him on the program to tell "his side of the story." There's no need to reward him with positive attention or a national platform with which to explain away his actions.

JustaMom · December 2019

He's a creep and I hope he gets everything coming to him!

Lesson for everyone...keep your hands to yourself.

Creekland · December 2019

Things like this and various security guards tossing kids around make me wonder if these folks have totally given up media or what. Even IF they were brought up to believe these things were ok, haven't they learned from all of the previous ones that they are not?

None of us are born knowing everything and have gaps in our education, but we really are supposed to add to our knowledge and modify our ways as we progress through life. Learning through other people's mistakes is part of that process. How have these folks missed that?

Hopefully others watching this will actually learn from it. They may have been brought up to think it's just fine - it happened in their family/friend group and no one cared or spoke up or whatever. But it's NOT ok, esp with strangers!

VeryHappy · December 2019

Do you all remember this story about the girl who punched a boy who kept snapping her bra? I love it!

https://stuffhappens.us/boy-at-school-snapped-her-14307/

NJres · December 2019

I don't condone this guy's behavior in any way. I think it was inappropriate, wrong, unacceptable. However I don't think it was criminal (unless he hit her a lot harder or there was much more going on than it appears in the video), and I don't consider what he did a "sexual assault". I think there are far more serious assaults and sexual assaults occurring in our world that are much more worthy of attention from our legal system.

Nrdsb4 · December 2019

It doesn't matter if any random person "thinks it's not criminal." It matters how state law defines it.

I'm not a lawyer in any state so don't know the particulars of this location.

ucbalumnus · December 2019

https://www.wsav.com/news/local-news/wsavs-alex-bozarjian-addresses-bridge-run-incident/ and https://www.wsav.com/crime-safety/breaking-man-accused-of-slapping-wsav-reporter-on-backside-arrested/ are articles from the closest source (the TV station the reporter was reporting for) and is not behind a pay/subscription wall.

NJres wrote: »

I don't condone this guy's behavior in any way. I think it was inappropriate, wrong, unacceptable. However I don't think it was criminal (unless he hit her a lot harder or there was much more going on than it appears in the video), and I don't consider what he did a "sexual assault". I think there are far more serious assaults and sexual assaults occurring in our world that are much more worthy of attention from our legal system.

It does not matter whether you think it is against the law. It matters whether the state of Georgia (police, prosecutors, judges, jurors) thinks it is against the law.

https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/2018/title-16/chapter-6/section-16-6-22.1/

GA Code § 16-6-22.1 (2018) wrote:

(a) For the purposes of this Code section, the term "intimate parts" means the primary genital area, anus, groin, inner thighs, or buttocks of a male or female and the breasts of a female.

(b) A person commits the offense of sexual battery when he or she intentionally makes physical contact with the intimate parts of the body of another person without the consent of that person.

(c), (d), (e) classify the offense as a "misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature" or felony depending on the circumstances, and specify penalties.

OhiBro · December 2019

Definitely a sexual assault in my court. The perpetrator’s mentality is exactly the type of culture that leads to men forcing alcohol on women to lower their inhibitions and rape them.

Nrdsb4 · December 2019

Also, the guy was charged with misdemeanor sexual battery, not sexual assault.

A person in Georgia commits the crime of sexual battery by making physical contact with the intimate part (genitals, buttocks, or a woman’s breasts) of another person’s body without the consent of the other person.

https://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/resources/criminal-defense/sex-crimes/georgia-sexual-battery-laws.htm

rosemaryandthyme · December 2019

Exactly, @OhiBro . Avoiding legal consequences for this assault allows other perpetrators to believe their assaults should be excused as well.

A friend of mine had her breasts grabbed in high school, and she whacked him in the head with her purse. She got detention for "overreacting." We MUST change the mentality that men have the right to non-consensually access women's bodies. The strength of force used in touching a sexual area is entirely irrelevant.

HImom · December 2019

Being hit on your rear end is NOT being hit on your backside! I too would be shocked if that happened to me.

I agree that he should NOT have been offered TV time to plead his case. The TV camera showed what he did, as did the many eyewitnesses!

I’m glad the reporter is proceeding against him. This kind of conduct is totally unacceptable!

garland · December 2019

^"Backside" was from the headline, @HImom . But I do think that backside is commonly euphemism for rear end, bottom etc. in common usage. It's not the same as saying "back" which would be erroneous here.

JustaMom · December 2019

@NJres and anyone else who thinks it's not such a big deal - look up Frotteurism and Toucherism -

doschicos · December 2019

VeryHappy wrote: »

Do you all remember this story about the girl who punched a boy who kept snapping her bra? I love it!

https://stuffhappens.us/boy-at-school-snapped-her-14307/

Boy, does this bring flashbacks. This was so common when I was in middle and high school but viewed as "boys will be boys" behavior. Ugh.

Jon234 · December 2019

Keep your hands to yourself. It’s not rocket science.

Man who hit reporter’s backside on live TV is arrested on sexual battery charge

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