What is Happy slapping?
{{Orphan|date=December 2010}} '''Happy slapping''' is a trend in which innocent people are hurt, for no apparent reason. Most of the time, happy slapping is done in groups. One person in the group will hit an innocent person, while another films the onset. In English-speaking countries, the crime is usually deemed [[assault]]. In some cases, the [[victim]]s are beaten to [[unconsciousness]], or even killed. Mostly, the name is used for small acts of [[violence]] such as hitting or jumping on the victim, but the media has also used it for more serious crimes such as [[murder]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/10331547.stm|title='Happy slapping' gang members admit killing Ekram Haque|work=BBC News|date=16 June 2010}}</ref> [[rape]], and [[sexual assault]].<ref name=sexattack>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6970516.stm Sex attack phone girls detained]</ref> Happy slapping began in [[South London]], particularly the [[London Borough of Lewisham]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4539913.stm |title=Does 'happy slapping' exist? |last=Akwagyiram |first=Alexis |work=[[BBC News]] |date=2005-05-12 |accessdate=2007-05-23 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1620568,00.html |title='Happy-slap' link to TV shows |last=Johnston |first=Chris |work=[[The Times]] |date=2005-05-20 |accessdate=2007-05-23 |location=London |archive-date=2008-01-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080112201124/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1620568,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The first use was as ''Slap Happy TV'', where many people would watch and judge the exploit of a happy slapper. ==References== {{reflist}} {{stub}} [[Category:Types of crime]] [[Category:Violence]]