Should I apologize to this guy that my 2 friends harassed in HS?

[Anonymous]

All of us are 26 year-olds by now but this has been bothering for some time. I know who he is and have seen him a couple blocks near my workplace.

We only had him during our sophomore year of HS. My two friends (I'll refer them to Alicia and Jenny) and I would do our surprise greeting from behind. I would only blow his hair or lightly tap his arm sometimes and other times I would watch the things Alicia and Jenny would do, stand there and do nothing. Jenny and Alicia used to touch him a lot or rub themselves against him. They would make him carry their stuffs to classes too. He wouldn't speak much to us. A couple times when he would see us at the library (from far), he would be leaving as if not wanting to bump into us.

The places Jenny and Alicia touched him were his shoulders, his bottom, thighs and even his groin area. I always felt that was going too far but didn't know what to say nor how to react under such situation so I said nothing and instead smiled or laughed along with them. What they did was obviously harassment. We have greeted each other recently a couple times but nothing else. Should I apologize or mention anything about it? Is there a chance he might still feel a discomfort or something because of what my friends did?

[lightbulb27]

I think so. seize the day and don't have regrets.

That was sexual assault with a deadly weapon... just kidding. Also manipulation and emotional abuse. That abuse... e. g. Biblical sin... could come out on other people if he acts out the negative energies on others.

If 3 guys did that to a woman you know they'd be punished...

Girls privilege... doesn't make it right.

[Asker]

I know. The situation itself caught me by surprise. Within me I was thinking ''what one earth is going on, what did I just saw, what's happening'' and I just didn't know how to react to that. Part of me was thinking it's wrong but another part of me was thinking they're my best friends and I can't go against them.

[lightbulb27]

you weren't strong enough at the time, but you felt the energy of it... that it's wrong. If you are brave and capable enough to make amends, it should help both people to move on in life. Sometimes, we do'n't have the ability to speak to the person as they are gone... and that is a tragedy.
Always take the time to make human connections and it works out the best, that's why I try to do. It's the thing life is made of.
Always do so with safety #1 priority.

[Billlewis]

Apologize? For what he almost certainly remembers with wistful fondness, and would probably do practically anything to experience again?

[Billlewis]

Boys are affected by this kind of playful display of feminine saber rattling much differently than girls. When I was in 4th grade two girls in a couple of my classes would pinch or smack my bottom every day for the entire school year, and I looked forward to their torment every morning with eager anticipation. If, for some umkown reason they ever expressed any remorse, regret or lament at their obvious goal of embarrassing me on a daily basis, I'd tell them not to apologize, but instead accept my effusive gratitude for their mischievous attention.

[Alice18]

I think it's will be good. I had similar with one girl, she asked me apologize

[jahaims]

They sexually assaulted him and you stayed friends with them. How would you feel if 3 guys from high school abused you and 2 of them continually sexually assaulted you?

[Asker]

The 3 of us drifted apart by now and hardly ever speak to each other but yes you have a point. I've placed myself in his shoes several times lately. It's an unfair situation. If it were happening to me, it would be awful. At the time it happened, the situation itself took me by surprise and I wasn't strong enough to go against them and getting seen as the outcast or boring person.