Facebook: Catalyst for Intolerance in Australia

[Guest W***ledi*Time]

Reported in Adelaide, Australia's The Advertiser, 28 Apr 2010:

 

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/facebook-sites-urges-hooker-attacks/story-e6frea83-1225859081622

Sex workers in the western suburbs were targeted over the weekend in an "evil and sick" game promoted by a Facebook site.

 

The "Anzac Long Weekend Hooker Catch and Release Game" encouraged its 241 group members to taunt and harass street workers and record their antics on the Facebook site.

 

The "game" was created and promoted by the founder of another sex worker hate site, "Hooker Spotting on Hanson Road", which has almost 1000 members.

 

The street sex workers were abused and harassed and had eggs, rocks and beer bottles thrown at them. One member of the game even claimed he squirted chilli sauce in the face of a worker.

 

"I couldn't help myself the game was quite appealing, Did 1 game of catch and release at 11.30pm fri but added a part i like to call spray the bitch with chilli sauce lol. Petrol = $20 Bottle of squeezable chilli sauce = $3.45. The look ya get when ya spray em in the face wid chilli sauce = Priceles," the man's Facebook comment said.

 

The sex workers, however, are taking their revenge on the game creator and participants.

 

The Facebook site has been shut down and details of vehicles involved are being reported to police.

 

"What those morons don't realise is that just because sex workers are committing an offence, they don't have free range to attack us," street sex worker Sophie told

The Advertiser

yesterday.

 

"They think they can mess with us and we cannot retaliate, but we can and we will.

 

"If we are attacked or have things thrown at us, we will take the registration number of the vehicles and report it to the police ... and they do act."

 

Sophie said there was an increase in abuse and projectiles being thrown at street workers over the weekend.

 

She said she was badly bruised when she was hit in the chest by a marble thrown from a car. Another sex worker was cut and bruised by a full bottle of beer hurled at her and they were both pelted with eggs.

 

"We knew the attacks were on the cards over the weekend because a few of us saw it on Facebook," Sophie said. "There were more idiots out than normal. We're easy targets. These idiots don't see us as someone's sister, daughter or mother, they just see us as whores.

 

"But it doesn't matter whether you're a prostitute or a politician, you don't deserve to be assaulted and you will be punished just the same if you are caught assaulting either one."

 

Sex Industry Network South Australia manager Ari Reid said someone could be seriously injured in the attacks and it could happen to an innocent member of the public in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

"There have been reports already made to police about rock-throwing and other things happening in those areas," Ms Reid said.

"There's a real risk of someone getting seriously hurt. They are throwing rocks at people who live in those areas, and they are not necessarily sex workers."

 

"It is an evil and sick thing to do."

 

Chief Inspector David O'Donovan, officer in charge of SAPOL's Western Adelaide Local Service Area, said there were no reports of prostitutes being targeted as a result of a game listed on Facebook.

 

But he said: "While we do not condone and will police any activity associated with prostitution, the type of behaviour encouraged by this site is simply not acceptable, especially those aspects of it which amount to offences being committed, especially assault. I am pleased that the site has since been closed."

 

 

[Soleil Sublime 38108]

This is a perfect example of why I have no use for Facebook and why I canceled my profile.

[omehgosh 736]

I guess I've finally reached that point in my life where I "just don't get it". I mean I saw it with my parents... they didn't get the video games, the break dancing, the heavy metal, the long hair...

 

I just don't "get" Facebook. Is it just because I've finally reached that point in my life where I can't keep up with the trends, or is it that Facebook is really, quite ridiculous.

 

I certainly don't understand why everyone needs to share with everyone else whenever they're eating their lunch, or using the washroom via Facebook or Twitter.

 

I DO understand how hate groups like this propagate and spread through mediums like this.

 

I DO NOT understand why we allow something like Facebook to be used so easily for such obviosly evil, hateful things. Shouldn't there be some sort of governance over this stuff? Freedom of speech is one thing... freedom to hurt others is something else - isn't it?

 

I understand that Facebook is not really willing to pull back on the reigns, but at what point can a country's government step in and say "cut it out"? I know, I know, that fine line... China, Iran, etc... but come on, really - we enforce other laws to protect people and don't consider our states too controlling. I'm not suggesting we out and out censor stuff, but can't we force Facebook to spend some of their resources approving these groups before they're made?

 

I don't know, I guess I'm finally "old" like my parents were - I just don't get it.