Fitri Ambarwati, 38, was clearly frustrated when she told of her daughter being advised to move from her school after the school management learned that the 14-year-old had been a victim of an alleged sexual abuse case currently being investigated by the local police.
She said the Wisata Junior High School management had told her to move the eighth grader to one of two other schools in Denpasar. The move, the management said, would prevent her from being humiliated by her peers, especially with the case receiving so much media coverage.
"I am very confused! I haven't said yes to their suggestion, and have begged them to give me two or three days to think about it. I told them that as a single mother, I have many other things to worry about and take care of, including justice for my 14-year-old girl," she told The Jakarta Post at her home in south Denpasar on Tuesday.
She also said the school management had even offered her financial assistance if she could not afford to enroll the girl at the suggested schools. Fitri's daughter was one of two underage girls who were allegedly sexually assaulted by a man, identified only as KS, who often gave them money and other facilities. Based on the girls' information, the Denpasar Police officers are currently looking for other possible victims in the case that has drawn huge public outcry.
Fitri said she wished for her daughter to still be able to study at the school, which she hoped could give her a better future. She said was afraid her daughter would mingle with the wrong crowds in the suggested schools, which she claimed were inferior to the current school.
Wisata principal Made Raka declined to comment on the school's suggestion to Fitri, saying only that he was afraid of giving erroneous information.
"I'm sorry, but I've contacted the board of the school foundation to give an official statement tomorrow *Wednesday* morning at our school at 9," he said.
Ni Putu Suartini, spokeswoman for the Bali Children's Protection Commission (KPAI), said the commission planned to talk to the school management to prevent any discrimination against the victim.
She said the school should initiate efforts such as openly communicating the case to other students as a learning point, and guiding them to stay friends with the victim, before suggesting the girl move to another school.
"The school management should allow time to see whether the girl can study well in the current environment. We don't want her to become a victim for a second time," she said.
However, she added that in a similar case in Tabanan, the underage victim of the sexual assault felt better when she was moved to another school where students did not know about her case. Yet every case was unique, she went on, and the same solution might not apply in different cases.
"But one thing's for sure: if the school kicks the girl out, we will report it to the education agency!" she said.
