Victim Reports Incident Only After a Month and a Half
Threats Made to Victim as Perpetrator's Investigation Begins
The Cheonan Office of Education has launched an investigation after receiving a report alleging that three male students at an elementary school in Cheonan, Chungnam, collectively assaulted a female student.
"She didn't like my girlfriend"... Three male students collectively assaulted a girl in front of 18 onlookers
A male student at an elementary school in Cheonan is seen assaulting a female peer by grabbing her hair. [Image source=YTN news footage capture]
On the 13th, a post titled "Cheonan Elementary School Group Assault" was uploaded on an online community. The author, identified as Mr. A, a father in his 40s with an elementary school-aged daughter, claimed, "My daughter was collectively assaulted by three male peers, and 18 students watched the incident."
Mr. A stated that on September 27, inside the school, a male student assaulted his daughter because his girlfriend disliked her.
The video footage of the assault released by YTN shows one male student grabbing the female student's hair. Then, another male student kicked her in the stomach.
The footage also shows the perpetrators grabbing the hair of Mr. A’s daughter and another female victim, forcing their heads to collide.
It was reported that three male students participated in the assault, while 18 students watched the scene.
"So humiliating, she even considered extreme measures"... Education authorities to hold school violence countermeasure committee next week
Mr. A revealed, "There was even a male student who mocked my daughter by imitating her being hit," and added, "They forced the two victims to pretend to fight in front of them, then assaulted them because they were displeased with the act."
He continued, "After the assault, my daughter suffered alone in fear for a month and a half," and said, "She said it was so humiliating that she even considered taking extreme measures."
In fact, Mr. A’s daughter only informed her homeroom teacher about the assault on the 9th of last month. After the school began investigating the perpetrators, some of the offenders reportedly approached Mr. A’s daughter and threatened her, saying things like, "No matter which middle school you go to, we will make sure you cannot have a normal school life."
Mr. A added that he reported the incident to the school and filed a criminal complaint against the perpetrators.
The police stated that since all the offenders are juvenile offenders under the Juvenile Act, they plan to transfer the case to the juvenile division once the investigation is complete.
The Cheonan Office of Education confirmed that the female student was not seriously injured but is experiencing psychological distress.
The Office of Education plans to hold a school violence countermeasure committee meeting next week to address this matter.
Meanwhile, in Cheonan last October, five middle school students collectively assaulted elementary and middle school students at a construction site in front of about 30 peers. The five middle school students were arrested on charges of joint injury and were brought to trial.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
