What is Happy Slapping?

Happy slapping is a fairly new addition to crime. It started out as a fad but has evolved into a criminal act. Happy slapping occurs whenever there is an assault of any kind, whether it is physical or sexual. What makes happy slapping 'unique' is that there is a camera phone involved in the process, since a third party accomplice is often on hand to record what happens.

The term happy slapping is a British term that means that their rough play was all in good spirits. What has happened is that genuinely serious assaults have taken place but people have dismissed these as simply fooling around. Happy slapping is a fairly common occurrence in the United Kingdom, but not as prevalent in the United States. It can happen anywhere and it can often be seen in schoolyards where bullying happens.

The video or photography component of happy slapping is included since the perpetrator of the crime will boast about the crime he has accomplished. Oftentimes, these videos or photos may even be uploaded on the Internet for public viewing. This is also an act that is meant to take delight in the humiliation inflicted on another person. Another conjecture about the need to record the crime is that this allows the guilty party to enjoy his or her fifteen minutes of fame. In a celebrity and media obsessed society, the fleeting feeling of being famous is coveted by all, even as a mere Internet celebrity.

What’s Being Done about Happy Slapping

The first piece of legislation that has attempted to address this problem came from France. Since happy slapping is a crime that is often committed by the youth or juvenile delinquents, two clauses were included in a law for them. This stipulated that recording crime and uploading them on the Internet are two acts prohibited by the law.

Broadcasting the images is even considered as a felony. As punishment, the guilty party could be sentenced to a huge fine and up to five years in prison. However, there has been some controversy sparked by this bill since it does not properly delineate between those who are committing a crime and those who are recording a crime for work-related purposes such as journalism.

How can happy slapping be stopped? Obviously, there is a need for improved vigilance from the police and stricter enforcement of the law. While many areas have closed circuit TVs which may act as deterrents for happy slapping, the majority of the crimes occur in areas where no one may be watching. Furthermore, many of these crimes go unreported, but this does not help in persecution of the guilty party and prevention of the crime from happening again to someone else.

Finally, happy slapping also requires some perspective. No matter how fun-loving people’s intentions may be, happy slapping can never be excused as a leisure activity or diversion. It is by no means acceptable under any circumstances to inflict harm on people and therefore, a collective backlash against happy slapping will be helpful in stopping it from further proliferating.

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