The two Castlegar, B.C. residents who published a Facebook guide to abusing teenage girls should be charged under child pornography laws, says a Vancouver-based advocacy group.
Mounties have said getting charges approved would be difficult because the article, while in poor taste, does not instruct readers to commit a crime. It also features a carefully-worded disclaimer stating that it is "for entertainment purposes only."
But Justice for Girls calls the guide, which is thousands of words long, a "rape manual" with detailed, step-by-step instructions for coercing sex from young girls while avoiding the ire of their parents.
UBC law professor Janine Benedet says charges could be possible under the child pornography section of the Criminal Code, which states that material that "advocates or counsels sexual activity with a person under the age of 18 years" constitutes an offence.
She also says the article's disclaimer doesn't hold water.
"Simply calling it a parody or saying it's a joke with a disclaimer shouldn't be enough to immunize that kind of material from criminal prosecution," Benedet said.
"It's important that we look beyond that and not simply accept that at face value."
The explicit guide sent shockwaves through the Castlegar community after being posted online earlier this year, drawing the attention of police, parents and city councillors.
Authors Jason Osachoff and Curtis Delikatny removed the guide from Facebook, but copies have found their way onto other websites since.
Titled "Deflowered in Seconds," the document advises readers to seduce girls between the ages of 13 and 16 (dubbed "LGs") by faking sincerity and offering "an inviting smile as you gaze into her eyes."
"LGs aren't real people, just girls who have mother/father issues. Manipulate it and own the night, this process is so easy. We have objectophilia, Pun intended."
Justice for Girls says the guide incites criminal acts, including sexual assault and possession of child pornography.
One section says girls should be plied with alcohol, and another encourages readers to "get some sort of blackmail on the girls. Naked pictures/video footage of them doing things is a good and easy start."
CTV News was unable to contact Osachoff and Delikatny at home or over the phone Friday.
Benedet acknowledged that lawyers could argue different interpretations of the material, but believes authorities should at least attempt to charge the authors.
"It seems pretty direct to me," she said. "It seems to me it might well be worth testing whether in fact this meets the criminal code's definition."
The group is also considering filing a complaint under the Human Rights Act.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Lisa Rossington
