Mom wants justice after attack on lesbian daughter

27 June 2014 - 13:48 By SIPHO MASOMBUKA
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A “hate crime” attack at school has left a Pretoria lesbian pupil suicidal and has denied her over a month of learning, resulting in her missing the second term exams.

Police are said to have dismissed the case of assault and intimidation against the group of boys accused of assaulting the 17-year-old Grade 10 pupil and pulling her pants down at the Pretoria Central High School last month.

The victim's mother said: “I received a call from the investigating officer (on Monday) telling me that the case had been dismissed without any reason”.

An independent investigation instituted by the Gauteng department of education has established that only one of the group of boys accused of attacking the Atteridgeville pupil  attended the school. The boy's parents voluntarily removed him from the school after he was fingered in the attack.

The mother said her daughter “expressed a strong desire to commit suicide” after the incident.

“I appreciate psychological assistance provided by government but I am still worried about my daughter's state of mind,” she said.

Provincial department of education spokesperson Phumla Sekhonyane said they were concerned about the pupil missing out on schooling but said the pupil had requested time to recover from the traumatic experience.

'The department continues to give counselling to the (pupil) whilst she is at home and assisting her to adjust emotionally. We have agreed with the school and the social workers that it would not be in the best interest of the (pupil) to write exams in her state,” she said.

According to Sekhonyane, the school has granted a special concession to the pupil not to write exams.

She said the pupil passed her first term very well and these marks would be used as an aggregate for the second term. She added that they have arranged for an alternative placement for the pupil when the schools reopens on July 21.

Gauteng department of social development Sello Mokoena said the pupil was “emotional and traumatised” by what had happened to her.

Police spokesperson Constable Tumisang Moloto failed to respond to repeated requests for comment.

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