How Not to Meet Women: Tip #587

I'm not sure how much play this story received outside of our region, but there is a moron who is now residing in the Spokane city jail after repeatedly assaulting women in a city park. In a televised confession, Jonathan Smith admitted that he was the "Spokane Spanker." His explanation was, "I saw women’s butts that I liked, and I slapped them for the thrill."

I find this story disturbing on four different levels. These assaults send a message to women that it's not safe for them to be alone in a public park. This is the antithesis of empowerment. Such incidents tend to make women feel fearful and dependent.

Smith said he was trying to be "daring and mischievous, but not malicious." A boyish prank perhaps. There's nothing endearing about sexual assault. We cannot dismiss such actions as a simple misunderstanding. I believe he was either blind to the harm his actions caused or just didn't care. Either way, the result is the same - his victims are shaken and he is incarcerated.

This episode offends me as a lifelong spanko. Spanking, for Randy and me, is a precious expression of our love that is every bit as intimate as coitus. Outside that context and without consent, a sexualized spanking is a profound violation. Our community of responsible, consenting, adult spanking enthusiasts is damaged when the larger public associates us with this sort of story.

The fourth and most unsettling aspect is the dehumanization of women. He referred to his victims in terms of "butts." In his eyes, these were not sentient people with feelings and rights, but rather a collection of body parts jogging down the trail solely for his entertainment. His "thrill" comes at the cost of devaluing someone else.

This story is not about spanking. I adore a good spanking, but there's nothing good here.

Guys, if you're still reading, the key is consent. Had this clown made the effort to talk with women (rather than strike them), he might have discovered interesting people with unique perspectives. And who knows? Under the right circumstances, one of them might be attracted to the idea of a real spanking.

TLDR; Don't be stupid