CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the State government to set-up a complaint boxes at every school to encourage girl students to come forward and report incidents of sexual assaults against them at schools.
“Keys of the boxes should be under the control of the Secretary, District Legal Services Authority. The authority, along with the District Social Welfare Officer, shall inspect the box once a week and enquire into the same. If prima facie, it reveals any sexual offence, they should forward the same to the police station concerned,” Justice P Velmurugan said.
The court passed the directions while confirming an order of a Mahila court sentencing S Jayaseelan, a pastor, to five years of rigorous imprisonment under the POCSO Act for sexually abusing a 12-year-old school girl in 2019.
While dismissing the appeal moved by Jayaseelan, the judge said, “This court is of the opinion that normally female students would fear lodging complaints against teachers or management of the school regarding sexual offences considering the future of their studies. They will not reveal anything about the sexual assault to anyone in the management of the school easily. Hence, this court recommends the government form a committee at every school.”
The committee shall also consist of a female police official, not below the rank of Superintendent of Police, District Educational Officer, a female psychiatrist and a physician from the government hospital, in addition to the District Social Welfare Officer, and the Secretary of District Legal Services Authorities, the court said.
“The District Educational Officer may inspect the school once in a month to receive the grievances of female students with regard to sexual assault and give confidence to the children to come forward to make complaint against the offenders, who may be a teaching or nonteaching staff and also the members of the management of the school,” the judge said.