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Teachers could face 20 years for sexual abuse of students
Three teachers of a state junior high school in Serang regency, Banten, have been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing three students, one of whom is now 21 weeks pregnant
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span>Three teachers of a state junior high school in Serang regency, Banten, have been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing three students, one of whom is now 21 weeks pregnant.
The Serang Police, which are investigating the case, said the alleged abuse began between the three suspects, identified only as DA, AS and OM, and three students in November 2018.
One of the suspects, DA, a social science teacher, initially claimed that he was dating Ayu (not her real name), while AS and OM, who respectively taught counseling and art at the school, claimed to be dating Citra and Erna (also not their real names), respectively.
However, the police dismissed the suspects’ claims of consensual sexual relations after the victims said none of them was in a relationship with the suspects. Under the law, sexual relations with an underage person is a crime. Junior high school students are typically aged between 12 and 15.
“It was not consensual. The suspects seduced them with gifts and promises,” Serang Police criminal investigation department head Adj. Comr. David Chandra told The Jakarta Post over the phone on Monday.
The police said the suspects allegedly sexually abused the victims in the school’s computer laboratory, in class and at one of the suspects’ homes. Erna told the police that she had been pregnant since January.
The case came to light after Erna’s parents filed a report with the police on June 11, followed by the parents of the two other students on June 17. The suspects were arrested at their respective houses in Cikeusal district on June 18.
During the arrests, the police confiscated clothes belonging to the three students as evidence. The students also underwent medical examinations, which revealed injuries suggesting sexual relations. There was no indication of physical assault.
The three teachers, who have since been fired by the school, will be charged under articles 81 and 82 of the 2016 Child Protection Law, which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.
The case has been strongly condemned by the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI). KPAI commissioner Retno Listyarti has urged the authorities to punish not only the teachers but also the school, particularly the principal and the school management, as they had failed to provide a safe place for students.
“Such negligence can be seen in the school’s lack of security, so the suspects found it easy to do their vile acts. You can imagine how this scandal could have remained undisclosed if the victims’ parents did not file police reports,” Retno said in a media statement.
She said the KPAI would push the Serang Education Agency to evaluate the school’s principal and management, and to issue a warning to other schools to prevent similar cases from happening.
The KPAI will also send recommendations regarding the matter to the relevant institutions, and call for an increase in security in schools and the provision of a child-friendly school environment. (asp)
