A Class 12 student in Ajmer, Rajasthan, survived sexual assault by a group of three including her uncle in October 2023. The attack became known to her school, which requested that she continues her studies from home because her presence on campus could “spoil the atmosphere”. This in and of itself was an egregious response by the school, a private institution.
It’s understandable how the student would have accepted the directive so as not to rock the boat just half a year away from completing high school. But the prejudice worsened: when she appeared for the recent Board Exams that will allow her to graduate, the school refused to give her an admit card that would let her enter the hall. Once again, that she would “spoil the atmosphere” was the reason stated by school authorities, who claimed to be acting based on the complaints of other students’ parents. They also asserted that they could not provide her with an admit card as she had not been in attendance for four months — despite her having done so on their orders.
In purely practical terms, this action has cost her an entire academic year. One can imagine how the student — described as being bright — must have diligently worked privately toward her exams while also grappling with the aftermath of the assault, and how much this setback may impact her on multiple levels.
Fortunately, the 17-year-old survivor reported the school’s discriminatory misconduct to Ajmer’s Child Welfare Commission, and we can infer that she had also reported the sexual assault that occurred last year. All this indicates great courage, as well as a certain degree of support from adults around her. That she has these is a good thing, but as in every case of sexual violence, the river of untold, unretributed incidents beneath the known reports runs deep. There are also so many other students out there who have had their education truncated because of some form of classroom segregation or discrimination, at any level including the tertiary, because of entrenched bigotry on campuses. For some, it has even cost them their lives -- the late Dalit students Rohith Vemula and Delta Meghwal come to mind. How on earth can a rape survivor “spoil the atmosphere”? The sick logic behind this statement is the same logic that asserts touch pollution from marginalised castes, vessel pollution from the serving of food that is not vegetarian and spiritual pollution from menstruating bodies.
This particular survivor in Ajmer was essentially stigmatised for not hiding or not being able to hide the fact of having been sexually assaulted. Most survivors (are made to) feel that they must. The school’s actions were not only victim-blaming, but actually punished a student for -- for what, exactly? For surviving? For having lodged a report? For having ambitions such as completing high school education and moving on with her life?
Moreover, this discrimination further forces into secrecy all other experiences of violence or abuse. The way the school handled this incident becomes a bogeyman that keeps others silent, now and later. In truth, the shame rests squarely and only on perpetrators and their enablers --including this school.
Sharanya Manivannan
@she_of_the_sea
The columnist is a writer and illustrator