Happy slapping

Happy slapping is a fad in which someone attacks an unsuspecting victim while an accomplice records the assault (commonly with a camera phone or a smartphone). Most happy-slappers are teenagers or young adults. Several incidents have been extremely violent, and people have been killed. The name can refer to many types of violent assaults, not just slapping, but some rape and sexual assaults have been inaccurately classified as "happy slapping" by the media. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6970516.stm Sex attack phone girls detained] ]

Filming attacks seems to be common in modern bullying, and not unique to happy slapping. The core defining feature of happy slapping is an effort by the attacker to make the assault seem like a comical surprise at the victim's expense. When the "happy slapping" craze first started it was seen amongst youngsters as harmless fun. Despite the increased level of violence, this perception sometimes persists. Often those found performing such activities will say they were just "happy slapping", asserting their belief that no significant harm was caused to the victim (often contradicting the obvious) with the only result being humorous entertainment.

Use with video technology

Although the concept of filming a crime is an old one, the ease and general availability of video cameras in mobile phones means that such attacks need not be planned carefully beforehand and are more easily watched and circulated for comedy purposes afterwards. Some political and media commentators have accused "Jackass", "Dirty Sanchez" and "Bumfights" of inspiring slappings. Happy slapping can be more violent than a mere slap (causing criticism of its name) and may include a strike or even actual bodily harm. Sometimes the assault is performed with other crimes, such as mugging and can lead to manslaughter.

History

Happy Slapping is known to have started in South London, in particular the London Borough of Lewisham, [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4539913.stm |title=Does 'happy slapping' exist? |last=Akwagyiram |first=Alexis |work=BBC News |date=2005-05-12 |accessdate=2007-05-23 ] [cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1620568,00.html |title='Happy-slap' link to TV shows |last=Johnston |first=Chris |work=The Times |date=2005-05-20 |accessdate=2007-05-23 ] in a format known as "Slap TV", where a happy-slapping video would be recorded, and then watched over by dozens of people like a TV show. The first newspaper article to ever use the phrase 'happy slapping' was "Bullies film fights by phone", published in The Times Educational Supplement on January 21, 2005, in which reporter Michael Shaw described teachers' accounts of the craze in London schools. Within the United Kingdom, where the term is used most frequently,Fact|date=June 2007 it is associated with the ned/chav sub-culture.

[http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/170890.html The Phrase Finder ] describes the phenomenon thus:Cquote|"Meaning:

"Unprovoked attacks on individuals made in order to record the event, and especially the victim's shock and surprise, on video phones.

"Origin:

"Happy slapping ... began as a youth craze in the UK in late 2004. Children or passers by are slapped or otherwise mugged by one or more of a gang while others record the event on video and then distribute it by phone or Internet.

"Initially the attacks were, as the phrase would have us believe, fairly minor pranks ... As the craze spread the attacks became more vicious – often serious assaults known in legal circles as grievous bodily harm." [" [http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/170890.html The Phrase Finder] ", retrieved 2008-07-14.]

Legal Consequences in France

In February 2007, an amendment to a law on the prevention of delinquency aimed at criminalizing happy slapping was added by the Parliament of France to a law "on the prevention of the delinquence" based on a proposal from then Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy. [fr icon [http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/12/dossiers/prevention_delinquance.asp Legislative file] on the site of the French National Assembly] In the final text, [fr icon [http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/WAspad/UnTexteDeJorf?numjo=INTX0600091L Law #2007-297] ] the anti-happy-slapping clause appears as the last part of Article 44, which also deals with ambushing law enforcement forces. To summarize:

* The law equates filming or photographing certain classes of violent crimes, including severe beatings and rape, with being an accomplice of such crimes.
* The law creates a new felony for broadcasting the images of such crimes, punishable by up to 5 years in prison and/or a €75,000 fine.

However, the law is not applicable to those who took the above actions in order to obtain evidence in court, or as professional journalism. Professional journalism is delimited in France by the "press card", which is awarded by a commission representing journalist unions and press organizations. [" [http://www.ccijp.net/ Commission de la carte d'identité des journalistes professionnels] "] As defined by law, [Work Code, [http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/WAspad/UnArticleDeCode?code=CTRAVAIL.rcv&art=L761-2 article L761-2] , [http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/WAspad/UnArticleDeCode?code=CTRAVAIL.rcv&art=L761-15 article L761-15] , [http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/WAspad/UnArticleDeCode?code=CTRAVAIL.rcv&art=L761-16 article L761-16] ] a professional journalist is one whose main activity is professional, paid, journalism.

The bill was signed into law on March 5, 2007, despite some organizations, including Reporters Without Borders [ [http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=21237 Communiqué] ] and the French chapter of Wikimedia, [fr icon [http://www.wikimedia.fr/index.php/Communiqu%C3%A9s_de_presse/Projet_de_loi_prevention_delinquance Communiqué] ] arguing that this clause created a legal discrimination in criminal law between professional journalists and ordinary citizens practicing journalism. Specifically, it was argued that citizens filming incidents of police brutality and publishing such information online could be intimidated by law enforcement into remaining silent, or possibly prosecuted for their actions. This criticism was relayed by the international media. [ [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article1490130.ece Times Online] , March 9, 2007; [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07070/767887-96.stm Associated Press] , March 11, 2007; [http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/410gvlul.asp Weekly Standard] , March 14, 2007]

Nicolas Sarkozy, French President, declared to Reporters Without Borders that "the spirit of the law is not to infringe of freedom of information", "However, if the least doubt subsisted, then I'm in favour of a clarification of the law". [ [http://www.rsf.org/imprimer.php3?id_article=21704 Communiqué] from Reporters without Borders, April 13, 2007; [http://www.rsf.org/IMG/pdf/Reponse_Sarkozy.pdf answer by Nicolas Sarkozy] ]

Legal Consequences in the UK

In March 2008, a teenage girl who filmed the fatal beating of a man on her mobile phone was sentenced to two years' detention in the first prosecution of its kind in the United Kingdom. She had pleaded guilty at Leeds Crown Court in February 2008 to aiding and abetting the manslaughter of Gavin Waterhouse, 27 from Keighley, West Yorkshire.

Mark Masters, 19, from Keighley, and Sean Thompson, 17, from Bradford were sentenced to seven and six years respectively after admitting to Mr Waterhouse's manslaughter. He died from a ruptured spleen after being beaten by the two youths in September 2007.

Just before the attack, the girl was handed a mobile phone by one of the attackers and told to "video this", prosecutors said. She then approached Mr Waterhouse, asked for money, and recorded the subsequent attack. She was sentenced to serve a two-year detention training order.

Police said they were satisfied with the court's decision. The Crown Prosecutor said "this is the first time a suspect in England and Wales has been successfully prosecuted for aiding and abetting murder or manslaughter, for the filming of an inaptly called, 'happy slapping' incident". [ [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23400798-38200,00.html http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23400798-38200,00.html] ]

Media-reported incidents

By necessity, the incidents are listed by the time of media attention rather than the time of the attacks themselves.

* England, May 9, 2005 A Plant Hill Arts College student who was left unconscious in a vicious "happy slapping" attack. A 16-year-old girl was beaten up in Blackley. Footage of the attack was circulated on students' phones. [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4563419.stm |title=Mother rages at 'slap attackers' |work=BBC News |date=2005-05-19 |accessdate=2007-05-23 ]

* England, June 9, 2005: On 25 May 2005, in the Wortley area of Leeds, 17-year-old student Kerry Deville was approached by two men, one of whom shot her in the leg with an air rifle, while the second subsequently recorded her injuries on a cell phone. [cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article531471.ece |title=Girl shot in 'happy slap' attack |work=The Times |date=2005-06-09 |accessdate=2007-05-23 ]

* England, June 18, 2005: Police arrested three 14-year-old boys for the suspected rape of an 11-year-old girl who attended their school in Stoke Newington, London. Authorities were alerted when school staff saw footage from the students' phones. [cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article534788.ece |title=Girl's rape 'filmed by teenagers on mobile' |work=The Times |date=2005-06-18 |accessdate=2007-05-23 ]

* England, December, 2005: The murder of David Morley. A 15-year-old-girl, Chelsea O'Mahoney (an alias) [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4637382.stm |title=Youths jailed for barman killing |work=BBC News |date=2007-01-23 |accessdate=2007-05-23 ] and her co-defendants Reece Sargeant, 21, Darren Case, 18, and David Blenman, 17, were all found guilty of the manslaughter but not murder of David Morley near Waterloo Station, in London. Barry Lee, 20, and another 17-year-old were cleared of all charges. According to press reports, "The 15-year-old girl had told Morley that she was making a documentary about 'happy slapping' before her gang of friends kicked him to death." [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4410462.stm |title=Feral pack who thrived on violence |work=BBC News |last=Summers |first=Chris |date=2005-12-14 |accessdate=2007-05-23 ] [cite news| url=http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-13497289,00.html |title=Jail For Happy Slap Killers |work=Sky News |date=2006-01-23 |accessdate=2007-05-23 ]

*Denmark, May 10, 2006: Yet another case was reported in the newspapers. Two men aged 17 and 19 attacked a woman in Copenhagen, one kicking the victim while the other filmed the incident using a mobile phone. Two plain clothes police officers saw the whole incident, and the assailants were immediately arrested and the mobile phone confiscated. [" [http://jp.dk/arkiv/?id=158347&eceExpr=m%E6nd%20sparkede%20tilf%E6ldig&eceArchive=o Mænd sparkede tilfældig, mens politiet så det] ", "Jyllands-Posten", May 11, 2006]

*Sweden, September 1, 2006: After a 16-year-old boy happy-slapped and hospitalized a 15-year-old Balkan boy in the city of Örebro, the 15-year-old's 17-year-old sister stabbed and killed the former with a hunting knife and claimed self-defense. The killing was filmed and distributed online. [cite news |url=http://www.turunsanomat.fi/ulkomaat/?ts=1,3:1003:0:0,4:3:0:1:2006-09-05,104:3:402952,1:0:0:0:0:0: |title=Isosisko pisti kuoliaaksi pikkuveljensä hakkaajan Örebrossa |language=Finnish |work=Turun Sanomat |date=2006-09-05 |accessdate=2007-05-23 ]

*Australia, October 23, 2006: Police in Victoria launch an investigation into the content of a DVD, at the center of the 2006 Melbourne teenage DVD controversy which contained amongst other things, footage of several teenagers sexually assaulting a girl, and setting her hair on fire. Copies of the movie were allegedly sold at the Werribee Secondary College for AUD10. [cite news |work=The Age |url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/10/27/1161749297302.html |title=DVD school in despair |date=2006-10-27 |accessdate=2007-05-23 ] [cite news |work=The Age |url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/03/08/1173166839072.html |title=Teens face DVD porn charges |date=2007-03-08 |accessdate=2007-05-23 ]

*England, January 26, 2007: Andrew Elvin, 17, was jailed for a minimum of 12 years for the murder of Luke Salisbury, who died 3 days after being attacked by Elvin on March 2, 2006. Caine Hallett, 18, was sentenced to five years for manslaughter for the same incident, while a Danielle Reeves, 18, faces a retrial in May 2007 for manslaughter. [cite news |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/southern_counties/6303599.stm |title=Life for 'happy slap' murder boy |date=2007-01-26 |accessdate=2007-05-23 ]

*England, February 14, 2007: Eight youths set upon a 31 year-old man in Brighton, who turned out to be an amateur boxer. Two of the youths were hospitalized by the intended victim and 4 arrested for causing an affray. [cite news |work=The Argus |url=http://www.theargus.co.uk/search/display.var.1191429.0.six_teens_bailed_in_happy_slap_inquiry.php |title=Six teens bailed in 'happy slap' inquiry |date=2007-02-14 |accessdate=2007-05-23 ]

*England, July 2007: Anthony Anderson, 27, of Hartlepool, urinated on a dying woman while a friend made a video of the incident. He is reported to have yelled "This is YouTube material!" [ USA Today: [http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2007/09/man-urinates-on.html Man urinates on dying woman, declaring it "YouTube material"] ]

*England, November 2007: Emily Nakanda, 15, a contestant in the TV show "The X Factor", withdrew from the competition after a happy slapping video in which Nakanda allegedly attacks a teenage girl was discovered on the internet. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7075263.stm|title=X Factor Emily pulls out of show |publisher=BBC News|date=2 November 2007|accessdate=2007-11-02]

*England, February 2008: A 15-year-old girl has admitted filming the death of Gavin Waterhouse, 29, on her mobile phone in a so-called "happy slapping" attack, which ruptured his spleen, [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7244782.stm?lsm|title='Happy slap' attack girl guilty |publisher=BBC News|date=14 February 2008|accessdate=2008-02-14] and has been convicted of aiding and abetting manslaughter. [cite web |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_yorkshire/7244782.stm |title= 'Happy slap' death girl convicted |work= BBC News |date= February 14, 2008 |accessdate= 2008-02-14 ] She was sentenced to two years detention, the judge stated that the courts had to make an example of such youths. [cite web |url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/mar/18/happyslap.killing |title= Girl jailed for filming 'happy-slap' killing |work= The Guardian |date= March 18, 2008 |accessdate= 2008-03-18 ] .

*England, May 2008: A teenage girl fell to her death from an attic window while trying to escape a "happy slapping" girl gang. [cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23729199-2,00.html|title=Teen girl dies fleeing 'happy slap' gang|date=2008-05-20|work=news.com.au|accessdate=2008-05-20]

ee also

*Asbo
*Moral panic
*Ultraviolence

References

External links

* [http://www.spiked-online.com/Articles/0000000CAB59.htm How I unwittingly helped to start the Happy Slaps panic]
* [http://www.spiked-online.com/Articles/0000000CAAD3.htm Happy Slaps: Fact and Fiction]