Sexual Assault and Abuse Victim Pleaded for Help but Could Not Prevent Extreme Choice
Civil Group: "Inadequate Legal System Caused Social Homicide"
Expert: "Need to Reassess Social Safety Net"
A citizen is placing a bouquet to commemorate the middle school girls found dead in an apartment in Cheongju, Chungbuk on the 12th./Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] A shocking incident occurred in Cheongju, Chungbuk, where two female middle school students who suffered abuse and sexual assault took their own lives. It is known that before their deaths, these students reported the abuse and received psychological treatment at a professional counseling center. Despite the help from related organizations, the tragedy could not be prevented, raising strong criticism of the inadequate social safety net.
Experts emphasized the need to reassess whether the social safety net for victims functioned properly.
According to the police, at 5:11 p.m. on the 12th, a passerby found two second-year middle school students, A and B, collapsed in a flower bed at an apartment complex in Ochang-eup, Cheongju. The 119 rescue team, responding to the report, performed CPR and transported them to a nearby hospital, but both ultimately died.
The two were friends attending different middle schools in Cheongju. Considering a note presumed to be a suicide letter found at the scene, the police believe they made an extreme choice. It is known that A suffered sexual assault, while B expressed psychological distress due to abuse by her stepfather.
Investigations revealed that in February, after A’s parents confirmed the sexual assault, they filed a complaint, prompting an investigation. The suspect accused of sexually assaulting A was identified as C, B’s stepfather. C is suspected of sexually assaulting A, who had come to visit the house, and is also suspected of abusing his stepdaughter B.
A and B had been receiving psychological treatment at the same professional counseling center since January, and A had a meeting with a school Wee Class counselor around March. The Wee Class is an in-school counseling center that supports students in crisis facing difficulties such as school violence and bullying through education, healing, and adaptation assistance.
Three organizations, including the Chungbuk Education Solidarity and the Chungbuk School Me Too Support Group, held a press conference on the 17th urging a thorough investigation into the case of the middle school girl who jumped in Cheongju. Photo by Yonhap News
However, despite the investigation by authorities into the abuse and the victims receiving psychological counseling at related support centers, the failure to prevent their extreme choices has led to criticism of the social safety net’s inadequacy.
There are also concerns that the police’s rejection of arrest and detention warrants for C in March last year, due to reasons such as insufficient evidence, may have further discouraged the students psychologically.
The police attempted to apply for a detention warrant again on the 11th, one day before the students’ deaths, but failed to detain C as additional investigation was required. Regarding this, the police stated to the media that while they cannot disclose detailed investigation information, they are conducting the investigation according to proper procedures.
Civil organizations have called for a thorough investigation into the incident. On the 17th, three groups including the Chungbuk Education Solidarity and Chungbuk School Me Too Support Group held a press conference in front of the Cheongju District Prosecutor’s Office, stating, "The police’s three applications for detention warrants indicate sufficient evidence of the crime," and urged, "The prosecution must detain the perpetrator and thoroughly investigate the criminal acts."
They continued, "This incident is a social murder caused by the current legal system," and raised their voices for the need to establish a cooperative response system among the police, education office, and child protection agencies to prevent child abuse and sexual violence and protect victims.
Experts have suggested the need to reassess whether the social safety net for victims functioned properly.
Attorney Lee Eun-ui (Lee Eun-ui Law Office) said, "Regardless of the truth of the victimization, attention must be paid to the fact that the safety nets in investigative agencies and schools did not function properly even though two young students reported their suffering," adding, "It is necessary to review whether initial victim statements were properly secured during investigation or counseling processes, whether victims were properly separated from perpetrators, and to improve practical support systems for psychological counseling, diagnosis, and measures for minor victims in unstable psychological states."
She added, "In cases of sexual assault, victims often make extreme choices due to direct or indirect burdens during the process of uncovering the truth," and said, "Although it is difficult to definitively determine the truth of the case, this should be an opportunity to examine whether society is responding appropriately when victims report abuse."
※ If you or someone around you is struggling with difficult feelings such as depression, you can receive 24-hour expert counseling through suicide prevention hotlines ☎1577-0199, Hope Call ☎129, Lifeline ☎1588-9191, and Youth Call ☎1388.
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