Cape Town - Parents of a Grade 4 Sid G Rule Primary School pupil and anti-gender-based-violence activists returned to the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) to express their frustration over the lack of progress in a case of sexual assault at the school.
Walk In The Shoes Of Survivors (Witsos) activists and the parents of a nine-year-old former Sid G Rule pupil went to the WCED head office on the Foreshore, on Monday.
The pupil was allegedly sexually assaulted by a pupil in the same grade, on April 25, when she left the bathroom. The boy was suspended for two weeks. A meeting was held with the WCED Districts’ chief director Alan Meyer, and a social worker. The social worker agreed to review the matter, while the activists called for stronger intervention.
Witsos founder, Reverend June Dolley-Major, questioned why the perpetrator was allowed to remain at the school while the victim had to be removed due to the psychological toll the incident had taken on her.
“How does your approach by keeping the perpetrator at the same school as the victim, help the victim? Even in the Criminal Act of our country, restorative justice for the perpetrator takes place away from the victim.
“How do you justify having him in the same surroundings as his victim? Do you understand triggers, trauma responses, the fear of being in close proximity with the person who tried to rape you?” Dolley-Major asked.
“What message are you sending to her and other victims like her in primary schools by keeping the offenders at the same school as them?”
The activists have requested a written response to these questions by August 14.
The mother of the pupil disputed a response by the WCED stating that appropriate support was rendered to both pupils.
“I’m disgusted by their response. It is just a standard response they gave. My daughter only had one session thus far where they did an emotional evaluation, and nothing thereafter.
“I’ve requested that they continue the session at her new school to help her adjust, so will see if that happens. My daughter is still dealing with it mentally and is still very scared, and has random nightmares.”
Witsos director Celesthea Pierang said she was disturbed by the following processes after the matter was reported.
The victim’s father said he wished the department could do more.
“I feel really helpless because there’s no real way that we can deal with this, besides going through the Education Department which has been very unhelpful in terms of protecting our daughter …”
He said the family had to make the tough decision to remove their daughter from the school.
“I’m really fearful that she looks at this whole situation as a punishment towards her, when, in actual fact, it was the only decision that we could take in her best interests to protect our little girl,” he said.
WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond previously said the department provided extensive assistance to the school and the pupils in this matter.
“Arrangements were made to ensure that the learner was placed in an alternative class, and there are regular check-ins with the alleged victim. Individual support plans for both learners have been implemented. Further trauma support has been offered to the alleged victim.”
Hammond said assessment findings did not justify the district recommending removing or transferring of any pupil from the school.