In Canada we have laws prohibiting the publication of the names of both offenders and victims under the age of eighteen. We won't publish the name of an adult offender if it will in any way identify the under-aged victim. Nor do we publish the names of sexual assault victims regardless of age. As Canadians we believe that minors and sexual assault victims should not be victimized twice.
In today's SP (Jan. 18/11) in the D Section is a titillating expose about the Italian Prime Minister and his romping with a then 17 year old nightclub dancer and the bunga bunga, the term used to describe sex parties, she had with the PM. Included in the article is a invitation to go online to see more pictures of the voluptuous paramour.
I don't have a problem with exposing the PM in question for his inappropriate behaviour and I know this is a re-print from the international press that follows a whole different set of rules, but does this mean that our Canadian laws only apply to Canadian victims or crimes committed in Canada?
Or are we just so titillated by the antics of this philandering politician that we are prepared to victimize his under-aged sexual assault victim again?
Is World Wide Whoppee given exemption from our laws?
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The media only withholds the names of Canadian victims because they are required by law. I doubt those same laws apply to restricting publication of international victims (I can think of numerous minors who have been named in the War on Terrorism).
ReplyDeleteAnd do you really expect any media outlet, especially one like the Star Phoenix who pimps itself out to anyone, to hold back on selling a few papers at the cost of their morals?
Any publication ban seems to only apply if you survive the crime if you die during a crime they publish your name, wierd right?
ReplyDeleteIf you die, you can't be victimized again. That is the reasoning behind the law. Certainly the community has an interest in knowing which members have died.
ReplyDeleteIt may also have an interest in knowing which members of the community under the age of 18 are likely to commit further acts of violence.
It would be a prudent protection of other members of society to be able to know which 14 year old has a penchant for using a machete.
I have no problem with underage victims being protected from scrutiny. It's underage perpetrators who need to have their names and pictures featured in the Star-Phoenix.