Sexual Assaulted by a Classmate, but School Says "Why Did You Follow to the Rooftop?" Secondary Victimization

Mother of Perpetrator Student, Nearby Education Support Office Supervisor
Unable to Secure Evidence Despite Reports of Illegal Filming Distribution

On the 14th, SBS reported that a teacher did not report to the school despite a female middle school student informing them that she had been sexually assaulted by a classmate.

In April of last year, A, who was a third-year middle school student at the time, was sexually harassed by her classmate B. Although he was her first boyfriend, there was non-consensual physical contact. A said, "He tried to engage in skinship that was inappropriate for middle school students, and I refused each time," adding, "(B) said, 'If you don't like this, think of something else to do.'"

Then, in November of last year, B attempted to sexually assault A. He forced her down onto the rooftop floor and tried to put his hand inside her clothes. Startled, A slapped B’s cheek and quickly fled the scene.

A first reported the incident to a school teacher, but no action was taken until the graduation ceremony held in January. Article 20 of the Act on the Prevention and Countermeasures against School Violence stipulates that anyone who witnesses or becomes aware of school violence must immediately report it to the school or related institutions. However, the teacher in question did not report to the school or the education office and only informed B’s parents.

Additionally, in February, classmates reported that B had distributed illegally filmed photos and videos of another female student in group chat rooms, but since B refused to disclose his phone, no evidence was secured.

Eventually, only after A’s parents strongly protested was the School Violence Committee convened for the first time after graduation. Even then, the victim’s side claimed that secondary victimization remarks such as "Do students these days not consent to physical contact?" "Why did you follow him to the rooftop?" and "Why didn’t you report it earlier?" continued during the meeting. It is known that B attended the meeting with his mother, who is a supervisor at a nearby education support office, and claimed, "There was no wrongdoing as it was skinship between lovers."