Accused of sexually assaulting schoolgirl acquitted as judge rules punching for 10 seconds ‘doesn’t constitute a crime’
There has been an uproar in Italy and among social media users after an Italian court ruled to acquit a school principal of sexually harassing a female student, ruling that he fondled her for less than 10 seconds, which did not constitute an act of assault.
Last April, 66-year-old Antonio Avola, a janitor at a high school in Rome, sexually assaulted a 17-year-old student in the school’s stairwell, pulling down her pants and fondling her bottom, while also putting his hand through her underwear.
In court held a few days ago, the 66-year-old claimed he was just making a joke. In the end, the accused of sexual assault was acquitted as the judge ruled – contrary to the prosecutor’s sentencing proposal – that the fistfight “does not constitute a crime” because it lasted no more than 10 seconds.
An uproar on social media with the hashtag #10secondi
The unprecedented court decision caused strong reactions on social media, mainly from young users on TikTok, who with the hashtag #10secondi (10 seconds) posted videos in which someone grabs their breasts or pinches themselves, to show that in practice 10 seconds that’s a long time to be considered sexual assault.
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Source :Skai
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