14-year-old rape victim expelled for tarnishing school's image

09 October 2012 - 12:16 By Sapa-AFP
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now

An Indonesian school has expelled a 14-year-old girl, claiming she "tarnished" the institution's image after she was raped by a trafficking syndicate, a child rights activist says.

Arist Merdeka Sirait, chairman of the National Commission for Child Protection, said a private school just outside Jakarta expelled the teenager during a ceremony attended by pupils on Monday.

A teacher told the girl she had "tarnished the school's image", said Sirait. "The school has worsened her trauma by humiliating her in front of hundreds of schoolmates," he told AFP.

The commission has sent a letter of protest to the school's management and will also write to the education ministry, asking them to review its licence, said Sirait.

"The girl was the victim of child trafficking. The school should have helped her to cope with her trauma," he said.

Sirait said the teenage girl was contacted through Facebook by a member of a trafficking syndicate that imprisoned her for a week last month.

"The school failed to ensure child rights for access to education," he said.

The school could not be reached for comment.

subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now