CHENNAI: While Scripture Union (SU), an international Christian organisation, on Monday suspended one of its preachers for allegedly sending inappropriate messages to schoolgirls, The New Indian Express has learnt that it was alerted to his alleged misbehaviour at least two months ago.
The organisation suspended Samuel Jaisundar after a Twitter user named @joelgiftson17 on Sunday shared screenshots of social media direct messages purportedly between Jaisundar and several schoolgirls across Tamil Nadu. Jaisundar and his team regularly visited Christian missionary-run schools across TN since 2006 and he conducted a Vocational Bible School (VBS) and summer camps.
TNIE independently found posts from at least 32 female students from eight schools across the State alleging that Jaisundar had sent them inappropriate messages asking for their pictures, particularly ones in which they are wearing skirts or frocks. TNIE also spoke to five students by phone and messages. They said that while Jaisundar was charming and popular, he also made many of them feel very uncomfortable, describing his behaviour as “manipulative and creepy”. TNIE could not reach Jaisundar for a response.
SU admitted that it had been made aware of Jaisundar’s alleged misbehaviour two months ago when the parents of a 19-year-old girl made an oral complaint. Praveen Alexander, the head of the legal team representing SU, said the girl’s parents had complained that Jaisundar initiated inappropriate conversations with their daughter over an app. He had been chatting with the girl since she was in high school.
"Based on the complaint, Scripture Union gave oral instructions to Sam to refrain from school activities. So, he has been barred from entering school campuses anymore. This happened two months ago. Now that we are going to conduct an inquiry, we will come out with the truth," Alexander told TNIE on Monday evening.
SU did not alert the police about the complaint nor does it appear to have warned schools that engaged its services about Jaisundar’s alleged misbehaviour. Under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, any person (including the child), who has apprehension that an offence under this Act is likely to be committed or has knowledge that such an offence has been committed, must provide information to the Special Juvenile Police Unit or the local police. Although the complainant was 19 years old, given Jaisundar met her as a schoolchild and continued to have access to school children through SU, questions arise as to whether the organisation failed in protecting children by not formally reporting the alleged misbehaviour.
A Vellore-based school, for instance, indicated it had only learned of the alleged misbehaviour after the issue came to light on social media, despite sources alleging it had been alerted some time ago.
The principal of the school told TNIE that the institution has initiated an independent inquiry into the matter. "The reprehensible messages exchanged on social media have come to our notice. We have taken immediate action to ascertain the motives of the participants of the said group as well as the veracity of the contents," the principal said, adding that they would, "therefore not be in a position to tell you anything more than this for the present."
Vidya Reddy of Tulir- Centre for the Prevention and Healing of Child Sexual Abuse said that despite the social media outcry police would not be able to do much unless a complaint is filed by one of the victims. Unfortunately, she pointed out, there are multiple barriers for families to report such offenses, including children feeling guilty and complicit in the crime, that need to be addressed.
While stressing that institutions like the SU and schools must have child protection policies, she said, "There is no point in just sitting and chest-beating, hand wringing and tweeting on social media and lamenting about the state of affairs. Parents too must make an effort to ensure these policies are in place," she said.
Despite students telling TNIE that Jaisundar’s alleged misbehaviour had gone on for years, they added it was only whispered about and not out in the open. According to Christina (name changed), now a third year college student from Bengaluru, it was about two months ago, on a private chat of a school alumni group that someone said, "Sam uncle was a creep." Alumni of a school in Vellore, which Jaisundar visited, also alleged that he and other members of the union made many students feel uncomfortable in person as well.
“Students are usually called to interact with the worship leaders in person after the union service,” said Christina. "I was disinterested one particular day during that interaction. Sam noticed this, called me aside and said, "You have a pretty smile. You should smile more often" and winked at me."
When she told her friends that the conversation had made her feel uncomfortable, they told her she was overthinking it.
"This happened five years ago when I was in Class 10. Everyone thought he was a nice guy. So I let it go then," she said.
In the screenshots shared on social media, the user purported to be Jaisundar asks girls, aged between 10-17, to share photos of themselves in short clothing, particularly in skirts or frocks. In one alleged conversation, he purportedly asks a minor if she has kissed boys on the lips, hugged them and about her relationship status.
A Class 12 student recalled his behaviour when she reached out to him feeling confused about her faith and religion. "He acted like I was traumatised. He held my hand and said it's ok. I stood up and he hugged me. I felt squished, like I was touched inappropriately," she said.
The next day, she said, students were taking group photographs when Jaisundar allegedly slid his hands around her shoulders. "I was disgusted by this. He pestered me repeatedly for my Whatsapp number and I could not be rude after a point," she said.
According to her, he had a way of building up the conversation before asking for pictures of the girls.
"He would remember very personal details. He would give a series of compliments that were not shallow. He said I was smart, that my English was good and my smile was beautiful and then he asked for my pictures," she said.
She said she once sent him a photo of herself "fully covered in clothes without a smile” as a joke. “He didn't text me for a while after that."
Child protection experts call such behaviour as grooming a victim before committing an offence. Victims often feel complicit in the offence, preventing them from reporting or disclosing it.
On another occasion, the Class 12 student claimed he had asked for pictures of her school dance and said that he "cannot forget her arabian dance”.
Another student, through an email, described as the sessions conducted by Jaisundar and his team as "cult-like functioning of these sessions including blatant homophobia, sexism, shaming of the #metoo movement etc." She said that the children adored the team, especially Jaisundar.
"We'd wait in anticipation for SU week and fight with all the other kids in school to meet him. He was the funny, caring, silly but understanding grown-up that we thought we could trust. He took advantage of that," she said, recalling incidents from when she was in school a couple of years ago.
"At first, I was ecstatic (at his attention). I took it as a sign that I was special. I was very happy to be receiving attention from this person who we all put on a pedestal," she said, elaborating that he commented on a picture she had posted on social media wearing a dress.
"He responded saying, "Wow, this is a very naugty picture." Then he took a screenshot of the post and sent it to me asking me about it. I got a little nervous, but I just responded with a 'haha' thinking I was overthinking.”
She told TNIE that she panicked and couldn't tell her parents. "I tried telling some friends at school, but due to the image he had carefully cultivated over the years, no one listened to or believed me. I was branded a liar, and called attention-seeking," she said, adding that she felt guilty.
“I felt like it was my fault for posting a picture of myself in a dress. I deleted my account and got off social media for months after that. I was too scared and felt too guilty to go online. I carried that guilt with me for years, until I grew up a little, and understood that it was not my fault.," she said.