Durban - Hilton College schoolboys who enacted a simulated “gang sex” scene, which has gone viral on social media, should not be harshly punished but should be educated about the trauma of sexual violence, say psychologists.
A picture of the scene, was shared on Instagram on Thursday, and was a trending topic in the country on Twitter.
It shows four schoolboys standing over another boy, who is dressed in a St Anne’s College uniform and stockings, and is bent over at the waist.
The boys are laughing and some appear to be looking into the camera.
A Durban teacher from a private school, who asked not to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the media, said the picture should be viewed in the context of “matric prank week” in which rules were relaxed for matric pupils as it was their last week at school before exams.
“Boys overstep the mark so easily and the line between appropriate and unacceptable becomes blurred quickly. They are not malicious, but rather they don’t think,” said the teacher.
Educational psychologists and a child abuse activist said while the issue should be taken seriously, punitive action was not the answer.
Durban educational psychologist Dr Anand Ramphal said if the action taken was to “punish or police”, the lesson would only be temporary. He said some might see the picture as part of growing up, but attention needed to be paid to the effects of pornography.
“Studies suggest exposure to pornography can prompt kids to act out sexually against younger, smaller, and more vulnerable children. As more and more children are exposed not only to soft-core pornography, but also to explicit deviant sexual material, they are learning an extremely dangerous message that sex without responsibility is acceptable.”
Joan van Niekerk, president of the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, said actions which glamorised sexual assault should be condemned.
“The matter should be dealt with, but not in a punitive way or with overreaction … the boys need to be educated about why sexual violence should not be trivialised.”
Educational psychologist Professor Kobus Maree also said the boys should be educated about sexual violence. “Sexual violence is abominable and acting out any type of scene is unacceptable.”
Ramphal said parents should keep the channels of communication open.
“Get your child to understand why pornography is harmful and know what to do when he or she encounters obscene content. If you shape a child’s beliefs about pornography, he is less likely to participate in crude sexual acts designed to demean others.”
The Mercury