He used scare quotes around accidentally, though. I doubt it was an accident that many times.
I know what you’re getting at, yet I think your view is the one that is Orwellian Newspeak. You seem to be claiming that, because people don’t understand what a word actually means, the incorrect meaning they are using is actually the correct one. The definition of assault in the way I described it has quite a long and established history, so the Newspeak as I see it would be recent misunderstanding or deliberate misuse as you are advocating.
Yes, I used the quotation marks quite deliberately. In a crowded hallway a certain amount of physical contact is inevitable. When a girl receives a lingering elbow nudge in the chest from the same 3 or 4 boys over and over again, though, the likelihood of it being accidental deteriorates. The fact that she could never prove anything, and her unwillingness to make a scene only made the problem worse, because the offenders never faced any consequences.
So when I say I’m trying to teach my daughter to confront this behavior, I certainly don’t want her to overreact or accuse someone lightly. Accidents will happen, and to a certain extent people should be given the benefit of the doubt. I fully expect my daughter to be aware of the consequences of making a scene, and to use her judgment accordingly. In my way of thinking, though, the sort of guy who intentionally nudges a girl in the chest does not expect to be called out for it. So my advice to her is to give the guy exactly what he doesn’t want – a lot of attention. Kizarvexilla is a quiet girl who would rather walk on broken glass than offend somebody. My intent is that she remain that way, but still stand up for herself when someone tries to take advantage of her.