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pril 21, Online

The parents of the 6-year-old Jakarta International School (JIS) student allegedly sexually assaulted are suing the school's foundation for US$12 million, saying that negligence resulted in their son being sexually assaulted by several cleaners in a restroom.

The parents' lawyer, OC Kaligis, filed the lawsuit at the South Jakarta District Court on Monday, tribunnews.com reported. In the lawsuit, the foundation, which was officially established on June 9, 1977, is accused of negligence resulting in physical and psychological suffering and trauma.

The lawsuit claims that non-material losses amount to $10 million, although the suffering experienced by the victim could not be quantified.

Your comments:

I understand the anger toward JIS (if it in fact happened there) as you expect that your children will be safe while at school.

What I don't understand is why the parents have yet to comment about the actual men who allegedly committed this horrible crime and the company they work for (ISS).

Where is the anger toward them? These are the sick people that committed the crime!

There is no doubt this happened to the child, but who did it and where it occurred is questionable. I just hope they get justice for this little boy.

Mom X

There has been nothing said about the parents filing a lawsuit against ISS, only JIS and the Education and Culture Ministry.

If the parents wanted to seek justice for more than just their child as well, they should expand their concerns to other children who may be in contact with them.

If nobody realizes this by now, ISS employees work in other institutions as well, even in most (if not all) malls in Jakarta.

A school is a school, they are doing what they 'deem to be correct' but is money really going to be the best solution to all of this?

It is very narrow-minded to think that suing everything is the best solution, but there is a difference between suing for a purpose and just suing to get something out of it.

Olivia

And that is why schools around the world have and in many countries indeed must have public liability/indemnity insurance. The insurers will of course thoroughly inspect a school before insuring it. The insurance company lawyers then will use that report in court.

Jasam

Schools have a duty of care to their children. Robust child protection procedures would have incorporated the vulnerability of the children through age etc. an understanding of the nature of child abuse through means, motive and access.

Means includes unsupervised children accessing enclosed toilet facilities, the findings in the recent nursery critical case review last year in the UK highlighted this and the school should have been aware of this.

Motive; abuse is not just about sexual deviance, it can include power and control etc. Therefore a child from privilege could become more vulnerable due to the social inequalities between the child and the cleaner. Access, the child was on his/her own.

The responsibility lies with the school. However, the government has a responsibility to develop child-protection procedures for all children as a matter of urgency, which would include the use of warrants etc to close establishments down whilst they are part of a joint investigative process between the police and social workers.

As for the parents suing ' that is their business no one else's ' they have a long road ahead of them regarding their son's future mental and emotional well-being and this will be very costly.

Kayan Ndal