Mother of 4-yr-old who was sexually assaulted on how schools are refusing to admit her daughter
Two days after I first raised the alarm against a Delhi school's lax ways that led to a horrific incident on its premises, the honourable lawyer called me to warn me of the consequences. "Think about your child, madam," he told me, as I kept asking him how it could happen in the school, and he went on to appreciate my concern as if it was some minor bruise or a cut on the external surface! A week on, I found that he was right.
Today, fearing my daughter's safety and security, I have pulled her out of the said school, but I have no place to send her so that she starts her life afresh. When I decided to take up the cudgels, I wasn't prepared for this kind of reaction from other schools, who are refusing my child admission at point-blank range, knowing well her helplessness in the whole fiasco, and her eagerness to get back to school.
The child is the one who is bound to suffer the most on all levels — physical, emotional, social, and even academic. Thanks to callousness at all levels. Yours, mine, theirs — all over.
But when a mother sends her daughter to school, she thinks, or so she hopes, that it is the safest place. After all, it is the child's second home. The child is safe because she is in the custody of people who are adept at their jobs. The child will come home unharmed because there is no scope for any untoward incident in the school premises. The teachers are around always, not one but two in case of the primary school, ayahs hovering all over, camera surveillance, strict security checks on the entry and exit gates, everything is in order.
So how can anything as scary as sexual assault happen in the classroom or washroom?
The sense of disbelief is unnerving all those who have read and heard about the recent Dwarka school case because the culprit is another classmate, almost of the same age as the victim. How can a four-year-old do something as atrocious as putting his dirty fingers and a pencil inside a girl's private parts — that too after unbuttoning her pants while sitting on the last bench of the classroom?
The media used the word "RAPE" to describe the incident; a word that is technically correct but widely misinterpreted by the aam junta, because it is not possible for a four-year-old to have sexual intentions. It led to the poor boy's victimisation and also led people to question the veracity of the claim, quite unintentionally. The victim did try to push him away but says that "as no one was around, she could not do too much".
In her statement, she has mentioned that she was the last one to walk out of the classroom as it took longer for her to hook her pants. She came home, kept mentioning to her mother that her tummy is hurting while holding her private parts, all through that day and the next day too. But for a mother to even think that it could be because of sexual assault is unimaginable in the first place. After all, the last place visited by the child was school.
When the child couldn't bear the pain further as it was troubling her every time she walked to pee and poop, she confided in her mother how another boy had touched her inappropriately, asking her to apply ointment to relieve her of the pain. It was well past midnight, and the mother texted her class teacher to ask her if she was around that day in the class.
The morning after and all the mornings since then have been as horrendous as the incident itself. The police went on to register a case against the boy, while the school is charged with negligence in reporting the incident. But shouldn't we, as citizens (mothers and fathers), ask how it could happen in the classroom and washroom?
What were the teachers doing? Was there enough workforce on the job that day? Did the school have its checks and balances in place? Is it adhering to CBSE guidelines issued in the wake of the Ryan International School murder? Isn't that the more significant question here?
The child didn't report the incident to the teacher. It hints at trust deficit, and that's worrisome. It could be primarily because the teacher was not warm and comforting for the child to say anything to her and expect any corrective action. The teacher needs to be questioned if she ever tried to be friends with the children in her classroom to be trusted by them to confide in her about something as serious as this.
Has the school educated her and other staff members to recognise their protective obligation towards students and to ensure the safety and well-being of children in schools? What does her psychometric evaluation say about her? Can the school present it? Why was only one teacher present to take care of a class of 35? Why was another teacher not deployed on duty that day? And why was the ayah holding the fort in her absence?
When the mother reported the incident to the school co-ordinator and the principal, what was their line of action? Did they attempt to swing into action and inform the police, meet the child and take charge of the situation? Is there any explanation for the lag time in responding to a mail stating the incident and the calls by the principal?
They flimsily went on to ask the victim to meet the psychologist the next morning! The poor response time hints at their attitude in dealing with any such incident. The school's reputation is at stake, and the first and foremost duty is to safeguard its interests, even if it comes at the cost of a child's life and childhood.
Did the school strive to promote a better understanding amongst teachers and staff on the laws protecting the safety, security and interests of the students and devise the means to take immediate remedial and punitive action against such violations?
The camera doesn't cover the classroom or the washroom, purported to be the place of the crime. But corroborating the child's statement with the CCTV footage shouldn't be difficult for the authorities, isn't it? If, in her statements, she has mentioned that she was the last one to step out, does the footage say so? Why didn't the police proactively pursue the matter, checking the footage on their own and seeing if it covered the entire day?
Did the school get the security/safety audit done on its premises by personnel from the local police station? Is the security-related advice for the safety of school children limited to flashing the ID while picking up children?
Shouldn't there be a thorough check of the system? Did the school comply with the guidelines and report the action taken to the CBSE?
The inept handling of the situation by the school is evident in the manner in which the lawyer has levelled ridiculous allegations against the child. Does the school provide training and development for its staff to address their responsibilities to protect children from any form of abuse and safeguard their interests? The lawyer went on to say that the girl is looking happy in the footage. By making such insensitive remarks, aren't they belittling the girl's trauma? She is hesitant at many places while stepping out of the class. She is the last one to step out like she mentioned while narrating the trauma — she said that it took longer for her to hook her pants; has the school taken note of it?
It wasn't an external injury to be visible to all and sundry.
Another pertinent question is, does the school have separate committees for redress of public/staff/parents/students' grievances, an internal complaints committee on sexual harassment and other committees under POCSO Act? The details of these committees, along with other contact information, aren't conspicuous on the school's website and available to all stakeholders. Why so?
In the whole fiasco, it is the child who is suffering the most. Fearing for her safety and well-being, I have withdrawn her from the school, but with barely four months left for the session to get over, where does she go? Going to school is the next best thing to happen to her, but is there any place willing to give her academic refuge so that she is healed from this trauma in some measure?
My little one has offered me her share of solutions to resolve the issue. The day before, she told me, "Please come with me to school and speak to ma'am (her class teacher). She will fix everything." This morning, she asked me to call the boy's parents and tell them all that he did. When I told her I don't have their number, she told me, "Ask ma'am."
She is suffering the most. Her studies are at bay.
She's not willing to play. Has not slept well or eaten enough since then. The counsellor told me the repercussions will stay with her forever; I dread that. None of the schools has come forward to give her shelter for the time being. I am knocking on every possible door to get her into a good school. The child is scarred, but what stops the schools from empowering her through education? Beti ko bachane ke liye use padhana hai. But how?
(The writer of this piece wishes to be anonymous.)