Raj School Bars Sexual Assault Survivor From Exams, Says 'Will Spoil Atmosphere'

Whenever I talk about sexual assault with my parents, their reply is "these things happen. Just ignore and move on." Although each time I refused to conform to their ideologies, I couldn't change their tendency to undermine the consequences of sexual assault. Their mindset didn't change even after I was diagnosed with a mental health disorder due to lasting memories of the multiple sexual assaults I faced. I suffered due to anxieties, nightmares of the horrible experiences and trauma. However, my parents' support was limited to paying my medical bills and reprimanding me if I missed my doses. I wish they could tell me that sexual assault is wrong and I shouldn't feel guilty for anything. I wish they had protected me or raised voices against the harassers with whom they are still in contact.

A recent case of a  sexual assault survivor shows the grave consequences that women face after undergoing the harrowing experience. The consequences that parents and society ignore and hence leave the survivors alone in their battle. 

A private school in Ajmer district expelled a 17-year-old girl studying in Class 12 because she was a survivor of gangrape. Not only this, she was also barred from appearing for her board exams that ended on April 4. As per the reports, the school defended its decision by saying that the presence of the girl in the school would affect other students. 

The crime of gangrape happened on October 18, 2023. A complaint was registered under the POCSO Act and the investigation is still underway. 

When the girl went back to school, the principal asked her to take leave and not attend classes for a few days. Accordingly, she stayed at home and continued her studies. “When I went back to school, the principal said I should discontinue studies as parents of other students had been demanding my removal, saying that if I remained at school it would defame the institution," the girl said. 

Still, the girl filled up the forms for the Class 12 board exams from the school and even paid the fee. However, the institution barred her from appearing for the exams. “I had scored 79% in class 10 and wanted to study further,” the girl said. 

Action from Child Welfare Committee (CWC) 

When the matter came to light, the District Child Welfare Committee (CWC) set up an inquiry and found that the charges were true. Then, the District Education Officer (DEO) was asked to remove the school's affiliation. The CWC also directed the district collector to act against the school management. 

CWC chairperson Anjali Sharma said, "The facts are true and the girl lost a whole year. When we called the principal for his statement, he said the girl remained absent for four months which is why her name was struck off from the roll.”

Chief DEO Om Shankar Verma said that the education department team had conducted an inquiry in which it was revealed that the school had “removed her name from its rolls and issued her a transfer certificate forcibly, against the rules”. He further added that the report will be sent to the director and the required actions will be taken. 

“I have spoken to district legal aid authorities to compensate the victim. We are trying to ensure her appearance in the supplementary examinations conducted by Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education so that her year can be saved," Anjali Sharma said. 

How sad it is that a gangrape survivor who was not at all responsible for it was subjected to such apathy? Was it her fault that she was targeted, objectified and violated by others? Was it her fault that the abusers didn't respect her agency and indulged in such a horrific crime? 

How society deals with sexual assault 

We live in a society where sexual assaults are dealt with by protecting and shaming women. Wearing dupattas and loose clothes, hiding bra straps, coming back home before evening and not talking to any man- restrictions like these are imposed on women to protect them from sexual assault. But the ones who commit the crime don't see clothes or timings. They commit the crime to satisfy themselves.

Yet, society is not ready to blame the accused. Women are shamed for not being careful and defensive or being a soft targets. Some are even told that they asked for it by wearing provocating clothes. Women who survive rape and assault are discriminated against because they have been 'touched' by unknown men and hence become impure. Such women are not deemed fit for marriage or any other social relationships. But barring them from pursuing education is just the lowest society can go in shaming rape survivors. 

The abusers rape women physically and then society abuses them by taking away all their rights. Women have to bear all this just because of their gender?  

Be supportive and empathetic towards sexual assault survivors

Stop shaming rape survivors. They are not guilty of anything. It is the society that needs to differentiate between right and wrong. It has to develop empathy towards rape survivors and intolerance towards abusers. A woman who undergoes sexual assault, no matter how long or short it was, is already dealing with a lot of trauma. I am a living example of it. On top of this, if she has to battle with social exclusion, can you even imagine the pain she will feel?

I didn't face social exclusion perhaps because my parents never cared to oppose and raise their voices as it would have affected their reputation in society. But the 17-year-old girl not only raised her voice but also filed a police complaint. Shouldn't the society and the school appreciate her for her retaliation? And more than that, support her and not make her feel as if she was wronged. 

Views expressed are the author's own.