FRANCE. Seven engineering students have become the first to be prosecuted under a law introduced in the summer against school violence and bullying. They were found guilty of bizutage - forcing freshers to carry out humiliating or violent initiation rites.
The students, in their early 20s and all from Brest National Engineering School, were given suspended prison terms of 15 or eight days and each fined 1,000 francs (pound;100) for forcing victims to bare their bottoms in public, do push-ups while chanting rhymes, dub sound effects over a pornographic film and drink excessive quantities of wine. Three student officers responsible for keeping order received the most severe penalties.
