starrylizard: Headshot of Ruby from Demons smiling (NT - pretty cylon BSG)
starrylizard ([personal profile] starrylizard) wrote2011-04-07 07:33 pm
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I have no words to express my disgust.

Sex scandal: defence lobby returns fire at minister over handling of cadet case

Have people been following this? It has me disgusted beyond belief. A woman had consensual sex. She did not give consent for the man involved to broadcast the sexual encounter via skype to 6 other men in a nearby room, who then spread screen caps of the footage to the rest of the academy. In my own mind it's akin to rape, possibly even worse than rape. She did not invite those other men into the bedroom, nor did she give permission for footage or photos. She no doubt now feels disgusted and violated. And she wasn't even given a chance to say "no".

The bit that makes this really disgusting, is that the defence force then treats her like the villain. They put her through an unrelated disciplinary hearing yesterday. Meanwhile it seems that the men involved are completely untouchable. Defence is not charging them or even kicking them out of the academy that is meant to be training them as future leaders (You want one of these guys to be in charge of your life?) and so far the advice given by police is that no crime was committed.

Ugh. I don't have the words for this. I can't believe it is still happening at ADFA (where new guidelines and massive changes to stop the culture that existed there went through many years ago) or even in my country.

[identity profile] krazykitkat.livejournal.com 2011-04-07 10:13 am (UTC)(link)
From SMH:

The alleged filming and broadcast may not constitute a crime but the young woman is likely to be able to sue the fellow cadet, lawyers have said.

It was a criminal offence in NSW to film a person in a private act without their consent but there was no similar prohibition in ACT legislation, the technology lawyer Peter Leonard, a partner of law firm Gilbert and Tobin, said.

The law in many cases had not kept pace with technological development, he said. Such matters should be covered under criminal law but there also should be provisions under privacy laws to enable affected people to seek remedies.


ACT needs to update their laws as well.

[identity profile] starrylizard.livejournal.com 2011-04-07 10:23 am (UTC)(link)
Oh I know, I've read that. I couldn't find the articles that were much more factual that I was reading the other day. I'm not suggesting that the police are to blame here and I'm aware the law on technological crimes is outdated, particularly in the ACT.

What I'm saying is that it appears to have been so far very badly mishandled (particularly by a military that is constantly making sweeping statements at how hard they are being on this reprehensible male culture that dominates the armed services!) and it is all quite disgusting to an observer.

I hope they update the laws soon.
Edited 2011-04-07 10:24 (UTC)

[identity profile] krazykitkat.livejournal.com 2011-04-07 12:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Sorry, I didn't mean to say it hadn't been mishandled or anything. Totally agree with everything you said. I was just meaning it as an extra piece of info.

[identity profile] starrylizard.livejournal.com 2011-04-07 12:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, I thought that was what you meant. It's fine. Sorry to sound defensive.