A Victim is a Victim

I don't know much about Auston Matthews.  Actually, I know more about his father, Brian Matthews.  The reason is that he is close friends with Connor McDavid's father, Brian.  The two Brians.  They have developed an informal support network for parents who deal with young adults who suddenly find themselves with a great deal of material wealth. 

Auston is currently charged with a misdemeanor in Arizona that occurred last May.  I am not excusing his behavior because it does show poor judgement, however, it seems to the definition of youthful indiscretion. 

The fact that the woman was a military veteran suffering from PTSD should be irrelevant.  It still would have been wrong had she been a single mother or a man.  Victims are victims.  She was terrified and she shouldn't have to explain why she was terrified.  She was also sleeping while she was supposed to be working.  Again, what Auston Matthews did was wrong, however, it is possible that he knew this security guard had a habit of sleeping on the job and perhaps, in an intoxicated state, he wanted to prank her.  Again, what he allegedly did was wrong.  That is up to the Courts to decide.  It is just disappointing that the woman mentioned that she was a vet with PTSD.  It seems like victims need a justification for why they are victimized.  It shouldn't be that way. 

Last evening, I was participating in an organized sporting league.  Ok, it was a bowling league.  Still sports.  We play on a mixed team with another couple.  They are so much fun and we have a lot of laughs.  Last night, not so much.  The other male on our team was struggling.  He wasn't getting X after X.  I chalked it up to having a bad day.  Then, we were sitting on the bench by ourselves and he told me about the guy who was subbing on the other team.  If he knew he was playing against this guy, he would have not come.  He said that the two had history.  He said that the other man touched him when he had asked him not to, repeatedly.  My friend was shaken.  He wanted to go on and I stopped him.  I said he didn't have to justify being a victim to me.  The Canadian Criminal Code is quite clear.  An unwanted touch is considered to be an assault.  If my friend was a child, and reported this to the coach, the other boy would not be allowed to continue in the sport.  I put my hand on my friend's shoulder.  He didn't flinch or pull away.  The body can understand what is a compassionate touch and what is a threatening touch.

A victim is a victim and it doesn't matter how well they carry it.  They also don't owe us any explanation of how they chose to move forward. 

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