genec

BOGOTA, Colombia, Feb 24 - A Colombian man has been sentenced to four years' house arrest for slapping a woman's bottom as he rode by her on his bicycle, sparking debate on whether the punishment fit the crime.

Showing re-enactments of the incident, television news shows were filled on Friday with legal experts offering opinions about the judgement handed down earlier in the week by Bogota's district court.

Some said that to confine bicycle messenger Victor Garcia to his home for four years for smacking Diana Marcela Diaz's buttocks was excessive. Others said it would deter other men.

One program showed three models having their denim clad bottoms smacked so hard by a phantom hand it could be clearly heard by television viewers.

The women said that while the punishment seemed extreme, they hoped the case would mean they would be safer while on foot.

"It happened to me once," one of the models said. "I was walking very relaxed and a guy rode by on his bicycle and, 'ta!' He smacked me. I took off my shoe to hit him with it but he was already too far away."

news story link

sbhikes

Men are pigs sometimes.

ceridwen

Happened to me on campus once. I was not pleased (nor am I pleased at the men who yell obscene things at me when I go on walks), but I don't think he deserved 4 years house arrest. At most a fine would be appropriate, particularly if it was a repeat offense.

sbhikes

Why not give him 4 years of house arrest? Most women in the world have to experience a lifetime of house arrest of some sort or other. If not actual house arrest, then we have to curtail where and when we travel for no other reason than what men might do to us. 4 years is nothing compared to what the women of the world must endure over all.

slagjumper

That should be assult. If the woman had been a biker, the perp would have been punished by a stinging in his offending hand. I suspect that this is more about slapping a wealthy woman then slapping any woman. I wonder how they busted the idiot.

This is more of a punishment then many people get for killing a biker with thier suv.

digger

BINGO!

MarkS

Priorities?

DataJunkie

Sometimes? Many of us are pigs most of the time. However, a majority of us can restrain ourselves and pat bottoms of those that allow it (ex: wife).

sbhikes

That kind of piggishness is allowed

Also, men can be very generous and very handy. You should see the awesome retaining wall my parner built in the back yard.

I guess until you guys have experienced years of unwanted groping and other similar behaviors you won't feel much like cheering when you read articles like that. Even if it is excessive punishment, sometimes you can't help but feel a bit of justice was served.

digger

Ug, me man, good at opening jars too **thumps chest**

Really no need for that kind of behaviour, it is assault and should be dealt with. Excessive punishment? In my opinion....a little harsh yes but other crimes that are even more serious should be dealt with even more harshness.

Funny thing though, I've always said to my wife (after giving her a pat on the tush) that I don't understand why when I do it to someone else....whooo boy! they get upset! But she doesn't seem to mind. Funny eh?

galen_52657

Better punishment would to have tied the guy bareassed to a street lamp and have women ride by and whack his bum good for a few days...

ceridwen

Now THAT is a punishment I'd be in favor of.

Seriously though, I just don't see house arrest as an effective punishment for this. If anything it will give him lots of time to breed resentment from the comfort of his house. Stick him in jail for a couple nights if you want to teach him a lesson. I doubt he's going to learn one on house arrest.

The way to fix this is to teach our boys that it is not acceptable while they are growing up. I've had 13 year olds harrass my roomate and I while we were out, it's ridiculous.

ItsJustMe

We're pigs all the time, most of us just don't show it. You don't want to be able to read minds when I'm around

As I get older I find I'm able to be what I think is a somewhat sane and respectful person even on the inside more and more, but at the rate I'm going I don't think I'll ever get down below "pig" rating until I'm 60 at least.

Listen to the This American Life episode entitled "Testosterone" sometime. It's available online. I'm serious, it was quite interesting.

That said, I do keep to myself and try to respect, and you couldn't pay me to do what that guy did. OK, you could pay me to do it to yourself... damn there I go again

ItsJustMe

No, even as a male, I'm glad this idiot is getting some real punishment. I think it's pretty excessive really, especially since it sounds like this guy will be unable to make a living for 4 years. Not sure if he'll be on the dole during that time or what. I wouldn't want to pay for this guy to sit around and get fat.

When they let him out he'll probably be too fat to ride.

cooker

The story doesn't say, but sometimes house arrest doesn't apply to working hours, only to off-work hours.

digger

Typically that's how it works, you're allowed to:
go to work
go to the doctor, dentist, counselling, etc
go to church
go to school/university/college, etc

usually they are electronically monitored via phone using random computer generated phone calls, voice response, photo id and a breath sample (to ensure not drinking).

That's just what I heard.....heh

slagjumper

Hey I thought that we wanted to discourage men from slapping the "Lady Lumps". I guess it is just taming the animal within, but the urge to do this is probably in all woman-loving men and controlled by the vast majority. Besides, someday women will be able to have babies by themselves and buy a robot to build retaining walls and take out the trash. Then what will women need with men—just to use us as objects to get your groves on.

Given how sexist Columbia is, I bet that it was a man, who considered this a property crime, who really brought the case.

CTAC

In my hometown a guy tried to do the same thing from a car window. Broke his hand. The girl had large bruises, but she seemed to be satisfied with his broken hand and did not go to the police.

slagjumper

My wife stopped slapping mine, because it just hurt her hand . Good reason to shove small, discrete metal plates in your back pockets, ladies.

Roody

Four years of not riding his bike--that's cruel and unusual!

Cycliste

No, according to Digger, he'll be allowed to:
go to work
go to the doctor, dentist, counselling, etc
go to church
go to school/university/college, etc

on his bike,.. with his hands strapped on the bars

banerjek

While it's always fun to see *ssholes get burned, I'm not wild about precedents like these. While slapping anyone anywhere is a form of assault, it's just not in the same category as knifing them or beating them within an inch of their lives. Whenever disproportionate resources are poured into something, someone else loses out.

The other thing I'm not crazy about is the rather pervasive notion in our society that people who we don't like for some reason deserve extreme punishments. I believe this type of thinking is what makes otherwise normal people think they're within their rights to run cyclists off the road or believe someone who chose a particular form of transport one day deserves to be mangled in an accident.

Speaking of which, our local bike club actually retained a lawyer to sue this particularly hostile guy who's repeatedly threatened cyclists with his vehicle. He's been reported, but the cops don't seem to talk to him. However, we're hopeful he'll listen to a lawyer.

slagjumper

According to this website you only get three years for ****. Seems like if you over punish for butt slapping you almost create an incentive for the more severe crime.

ItsJustMe

OK, if he can go out and work and stuff, then I have no problems with the punishment. I doubt the pig will learn anything no matter what the punishment, but at least he won't be out harassing people for 4 years.

Crazy Cyclist

If a woman slapped a guys ass, nothing would happen to her. I know if a woman slapped my ass, I would ride away with a smile. People take things too seriously IMO!!!