Published on 12, July, 2020
As a person with Autism Spectrum Disorder, I am afraid that I could commit petty sexual crime without mens rea, because I don't understand some body languages very well, specifically body languages that are supposed to be simple to understand, and I don't understand mixed messages very well, even though it's obvious.
I get scared that I can't agree or disagree if I am being inappropriate, even when my friends say that I am a good friend to them.
I know that studies say that people with Autism Spectrum Disorder are more likely to be victims than being perpetrators, but the problem is crime is a very broad term, and you need social skills to follow specific laws. Lacking social skills can highten the risk for petty criminal behavior, specifically related to invading boundaries.
I sometimes become violent and very stressed when I am in a completely different environment, and at the moment, I don't feel safe, but to others, I am seen as a criminal. It's embarrassing!
NAS73676 said:I know that studies say that people with Autism Spectrum Disorder are more likely to be victims than being perpetrators, but the problem is crime is a very broad term, and you need social skills to follow specific laws.
Laws are rules, so rather than needing social skills to follow specific laws, one needs to learn the rules of social etiquette to develop social skills.
So, rather than criminal law, social etiquette is a much more informative and productive field of research and practice for understanding and developing social skills.
That makes more sense. I am sorry that I asked a legal question related to my lack of social skills, I didn't know that it's completely different.