Don't forget assault victims

Surely the entire community is concerned about what appears to have been a sexual assault on several teenage boys aboard the Glacier High School freshman football bus following a recent game in Missoula.

First and foremost in everyone’s minds should be to make sure that the victims are not further victimized. That is a multi-faceted task.

For one thing, it means working to guarantee that the attackers are brought to justice and that the punishment fits the crime. There have been some public allegations that the school district might try to sweep the incident under the rug. We have seen no evidence of that, and in fact the district should be commended for recognizing the serious nature of the allegations immediately and taking steps to ensure a thorough investigation. If this has not always been the case in the past, we think the district has learned from any past mistakes.

It should also be obvious to everyone that the public does not in general need to know all the prurient details of the alleged assaults. The school district wants to respect the privacy of the victims, and so does the Inter Lake. Neither can just go public with all the information about a crime of this nature without risking serious harm that compounds the initial attack. There are discreet ways to write about sexual assaults, and we have certainly tried to do that in our reporting while still making sure that the whole story gets told.

On the other hand, School District 5 needs to make sure that victims of assault in this or any other case have the full support of the district. Parents allow their children to attend school on the assumption that they will be safe, and that responsibility is just heightened after an incident like this.

At a minimum, the district should keep parents of the victims informed about the investigation, reassure the students that they will be protected while at school or attending school-related functions, and assign someone on staff to be an advocate for the victims and their families to make sure they never feel like they are out of the loop. We understand that lawyers may have advised school officials not to do any of this; nonetheless, it is the right thing to do.

Of course, we realize that the district, along with the police, needs to protect the rights of the alleged abusers as well. That is a necessary part of the rule of law, and is also a vital component in ensuring that justice is done. To ensure that no one escapes appropriate punishment, the rules have to be followed. But let’s not forget the victims either.

Finally, let’s make sure that the teenagers who were abused by their fellow classmates get the proper medical treatment and therapy to help them recover as best they can. So far the school district has not revealed any plans for how this will be accomplished, but it is an absolute necessity.

Moreover, it seems apparent that the district needs to address the issue of bullying, intimidation and sexual assault directly and quickly with the students at both Glacier High School and Flathead High School. There is certainly no need to wait for the regularly scheduled board meeting on Oct. 11 to take action. Special meetings can be called when special circumstances require it. Under these circumstances, it seems obvious that quick action is a necessity.

Certainly, it is frightening that an environment exists where students thought they could “get away with” this kind of assault, and it needs to be clear to everyone going forward that there is zero tolerance in the Flathead for barbaric behavior.