Allegations of Sexual Assault Among Special School Classmates Confirmed After Second Review

Gwangju Office of Education School Violence Committee Takes 'Forced Transfer' Measures Against Perpetrating Students

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Cho Hyung-joo] Regarding the recent allegations of sexual violence between classmates at a special school in the Gwangju area, the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education concluded after a second review that sexual assault had occurred.

According to the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education on the 27th, the 2nd School Violence Countermeasure Deliberation Committee held on the 15th recognized the fact of sexual violence in the case.

The School Violence Committee reportedly judged it as school violence that caused physical and mental harm to the victim student based on the school violence investigation report submitted by the school and related student protection statements.

This student sexual violence incident became known when A, a female student, was found by her parents to have a pregnancy test on June.

Upon learning that A had received the pregnancy test from a male student in the same grade, A’s parents immediately raised the issue with the school and held a School Violence Committee meeting, but no significant action was taken due to "insufficient evidence."

Consequently, A’s parents filed a complaint with the police on August 10, and the Metropolitan Office of Education held a second School Violence Committee meeting to make this decision.

The School Violence Committee ordered forced transfer for B and C, the male students identified as perpetrators. Additionally, according to the Act on the Prevention of and Countermeasures against School Violence, it decided to prohibit contact with the victim and ban threats and retaliatory acts until the graduation date of February 28, 2023, and added five sessions of psychological therapy as further measures.