Male Middle School Student Sexually Harassed by Classmate Dies of Acute Pancreatitis... Blue House Petition Surpasses 200,000
Frequent Same-Sex Sexual Harassment Also in Workplace
Experts "Various Measures Needed, Including Response Manuals"
A petition has been posted regarding an incident in which a first-year middle school male student, A, was sexually assaulted by classmates at a dormitory of an alternative school in Yeonggwang, Jeollanam-do. Photo by Cheongwadae National Petition Board capture.
[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] A middle school student who suffered extreme stress after being sexually harassed by classmates died of acute pancreatitis, sparking public outrage. The perpetrators were same-sex classmates who reportedly sexually harassed the victim multiple times by touching his body in the school dormitory.
While same-sex sexual harassment incidents have been occurring frequently recently, responses to victims have been inadequate. This is because physical contact between the same sex is often dismissed as a form of play rather than a crime, making it difficult to raise concerns. Experts suggest that various measures, including creating response manuals for same-sex sexual harassment cases, should be considered.
◆ Middle school first-year male student dies after sexual harassment by classmates... 200,000 agree to Blue House petition
On the 16th, a petition titled "I went to heaven after suffering pain due to sexual violence at school and inadequate response by the school and higher authorities" was posted on the Blue House National Petition Board. This petition concerns an incident where a first-year middle school male student, A, at an alternative school dormitory in Yeonggwang, Jeonnam, was sexually assaulted by classmates.
The petitioner, who identified themselves as A's parent, claimed that the school failed to take proper emergency measures against the perpetrators, leading to the student's death.
According to the petitioner, A was subjected to group sexual violence by classmates from the 7th to the 19th of last month. A's parents reported the victimization to the school and education office, but no proper action was taken against the perpetrators, and eventually, A, who was suffering from stress, passed away.
The petitioner appealed, "Every night at bedtime, the perpetrator came to Kim's room and rubbed his body," adding, "They threatened him not to tell parents or teachers."
They also added, "When my son tried to sleep, (the perpetrators) pulled back the blanket and masturbated," and "(The perpetrators) teased and hit him, saying 'I just feel like hitting you.'" As of 1 p.m. on the 29th, the petition had received over 220,000 agreements, meeting the Blue House response criteria.
◆ Same-sex sexual harassment cases are not rare... The standard of judgment is 'how the victim felt'
Recently, same-sex sexual harassment incidents have continued, but responses remain insufficient. Compared to sexual harassment between opposite sexes, same-sex sexual harassment is often dismissed as light physical contact or a joke, leading to many cases being taken lightly. As a result, it is difficult to raise issues regarding same-sex sexual violence.
In same-sex sexual harassment cases, the important factor is "how the victim felt." Whether forced molestation is established can be determined based on this criterion. In other words, even if the intent was a joke, if the other party felt sexual humiliation, it can be punished as sexual violence.
In May, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced former short track national team member Lim Hyojun (24) to a fine for pulling down the pants of a same-sex junior during training. Lim claimed there was no intent to molest and that it was a joke, but the court ruled, "It could have been understood that exposure of a body part could cause sexual humiliation."
◆ More male victims in same-sex sexual harassment
Same-sex sexual harassment also occurs frequently in workplaces. In 2018, a male superior took photos of a male subordinate's body in a shared shower room during a business trip and posted them on a work messenger, a case reported to the Ministry of Employment and Labor's anonymous workplace sexual harassment reporting center.
In 2015, a court ordered a female workplace superior to pay 5 million won in damages for sexually harassing a new female employee. The female superior reportedly said, "What did you do with a man last night? What's this on your neck?" while looking at the atopic mark on the employee's neck.
Workplace same-sex sexual harassment is more common among men than women. According to a 2018 survey by the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training of 3,000 male and female workers on workplace sexual harassment, 29% of workers (25% men, 34.4% women) experienced sexual harassment at work at least once a week.
Notably, among male victims, 86.4% of perpetrators were male and 13.6% female, revealing that men suffer serious sexual harassment from same-sex perpetrators. Common types included sexual jokes targeting the victim, showing obscene materials, and coercion or inducement of sexual relations. In contrast, among female victims, perpetrators were 78% male and 22% female.
◆ Expert: "Education and response manuals are necessary"
Experts suggest that to prevent same-sex sexual harassment incidents, frontline education and response manuals are necessary.
Attorney Lee Eun said, "There are more consultations related to same-sex sexual harassment cases than expected. Especially in boarding schools, where rooms are often shared by two students rather than one, the probability of such crimes increases when boys full of curiosity and sexual desire share a room with relatively weaker individuals."
She added, "However, from the victim's perspective, they may be more reluctant to report crimes committed by the same sex than by the opposite sex. Victims may feel socially vulnerable and doubt whether reporting the incident will lead to a resolution."
Attorney Lee emphasized, "To prevent recurrence of same-sex sexual harassment incidents, various measures need to be considered, including frontline education and devising response manuals."
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