Kavanaugh Allegations: ‘What Boy Hasn’t Done This In High School?’ Most Haven’t, Experts Say.

Ashley May of USA Today wrote:

The sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh don’t reflect typical high school boy behavior, hormones or “horseplay,” as some have claimed.

Among those blaming gender, age and hormones is former Florida Republican congressional candidate Gina Sosa, who said last week in a CNN interview: "We’re talking about a 17-year-old boy in high school with testosterone running high. Tell me what boy hasn’t done this in high school, please. I would like to know." Sosa recently placed last in the Florida GOP primary for the 27th congressional district.

Sosa is referencing Christine Blasey Ford's letter accusing Kavanaugh of pinning her to a bed, groping her and attempting to pull off her clothes while both were high school students.

Brian Johnson, a child psychologist and professor at University of Northern Colorado, told USA TODAY that the behavior Ford describes is not at all typical.

"If the allegations are true — and specific parts such as him holding her down, covering her mouth, turning up music — those are not normal under any circumstance," Johnson said.

Kavanaugh spoke to Fox News on Monday, flatly denying the allegations.

"I’ve never sexually assaulted anyone, in high school or otherwise," he said.

Carrie Severino, who once clerked for Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas (accused of sexual harassment by Anita Hill), said in a CNN interview that Ford’s account of what happened between her and Kavanaugh, who was reportedly intoxicated at the time, might even be considered “horseplay.” Severino is a policy director at the conservative Judicial Crisis Network, which actively promotes Kavanaugh through advertisements.

So, was it horseplay? Horseplay is voluntary, Johnson said, and often is among a group of peers — boys with boys. Ford expressed that she fought back. Johnson said that if that's the case, "that crosses a line from horseplay to assault," Johnson said.

"This is not normal male behavior," Johnson said. "It's not normal drunken male behavior."

Psychologist Michael Thompson, also the author of Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys, said Sosa's comment is a "boys will be boys" argument, which unjustly gives boys a "moral waiver."

Comments that excuse these actions, can actually normalize and support this behavior in the future, Rosalind Wiseman, author of Masterminds & Wingmen (a book about how to nurture adolescent boys) and mom of two teenage boys, said.

"We need to take responsibility for excusing boys behavior thinking that it’s funny," Wiseman said.

Excusing this behavior increases the likelihood it happens again, she warned.

The latest on allegations and developments:

• Lawyer Michael Avenatti said a third woman is coming forward with accusations against Kavanaugh.
  
  
• Sunday, a second woman made claims of abuse. Deborah Ramirez said Kavanaugh exposed himself to her when they were freshmen at Yale University. Kavanaugh has denied any wrongdoing. The White House on Tuesday said it is open to hearing from her.
  
  
• Kavanaugh, alongside his wife, denied all allegations in an interview on Fox News. Read the full transcript here.
  
  
• Kavanaugh said he will not withdraw his Supreme Court nomination.
  
  
• Testimony is set for Thursday from Ford, Kavanaugh