Even stranger than South Korea’s criminal justice system, which fined a pair of parents’ when their teenaged son raped a child, is the BBC News’ description of the rape:
The 18-year-old, who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, raped a local seven-year-old girl in 2006.
What does ADHD have to do with it?
It’s hard to tell if the article is implying he’s a rapist because he has ADHD or if they’re just adding it in as a detail. But either way, it reads as though it’s an excuse for his sexual assaulting ways.
Even if the rapist had a more severe mental illness like schizophrenia, it’s an inappropriate descriptor within an article about raping a 7-year-old. Mental illness, obviously, is no excuse for rape. Nor is not being “raised right,” as the South Korean criminal justice system implies.
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Please excuse me, as i do not mean to imply that the crime of rape is excusable nor do i mean to in any way diminish the feelings or rights of anyone who has been a victim of such a crime, as i have been myself.
However, to be unbiast on any issue requires one to be informed from all angles of the issue at hand. That having been said, knowledge of both ADHD and the brain development of teenagers play KEY roles in this young mans behavior and reasong both psycological and cognitive.
Both of these factors coupled with the neuro - linguistics of his culture WERE probably a recipe for disaster. Perhaps YOU may begin by educating yourself about those you judge so critically.
By dismissing this boys disabilities THAT is exactly what you are doing, and at the most HUMAN level. HIS BRAIN will not even be finished growing until he is WELL into his twenties.
That means he LACKS the ability to REASON like an adult.
Maybe you can see things a bit differently?
Are you willing to see a Different point of View?
Take a look at this site on THE DEVELOPING TEENAGE BRAIN
http;//www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/
Sorry, but as a psychologist, I simply must disagree with your assertion that a teenage boy with ADHD lacks the ability to know right from wrong and/or control his behavior. ADHD is not an excuse for unacceptable behavior.