As a mother of a teenage girl, and a teenage boy, I cannot help but be very worried about the message being sent out to society in the case of three boys who gang-raped a girl.

Two teenage boys were put on probation for three years , while another was put on probation for two years. What sort of message is the court trying to give to society? The worst thing about it is that prosecution and defence agreed that this was an act of foolishness and bravado by three young teenagers.

This is so, so wrong. You cannot help but draw parallels to other cases. African men who have been found guilty of less, though still sex crimes, have been given much harsher punishments. A man who grew a marijuana plant for his own consumption was sent to prison for ten years. Does it make sense? Of course not.  The crime was what is was – rape. It is inexcusable. Even if a teenager (or woman) flirts with someone, is inebriated, or dressed revealingly, there is just no excuse for forced sex. The courts should know better.

Janice Attard

Zebbug