The Madras High Court on Saturday, July 17, recommended that the Tamil Nadu government form a committee to help prevent sexual abuse against students in schools across the state. Justice P Velmurugan gave the direction while dismissing a criminal appeal from S Jayaseelan, pastor of a church in Salem, who challenged a lower court order that convicted and sentenced him to five years rigorous imprisonment in a case of sexual offense.
The judge observed that girl students may fear filing complaints of sexual assault against teachers or others who are part of the management of the school. And that they would not disclose details easily about the sexual crimes to anyone. "Hence, this court recommends to the Tamil Nadu government to form a committee at every school," the judge said.
The panel should comprise a social welfare officer, the secretary of the district legal services authority, a woman police officer not below the rank of superintendent, a district educational officer, a woman psychiatrist, and a physician from a government hospital.
The District Education Officers may inspect schools once a month and gather grievances faced by female students with regard to sexual assault. The officers shall instill confidence among students to come forward to file complaints against sexual offenders, who may be a teaching or non-teaching staff of the school or a member of the management, the judge said.
The judge also directed the schools to keep a 'complaint box' where students could drop in their complaints. The judge added that the keys of the box should be under the control of the secretary, district legal services authority, who shall inspect it, along with the social welfare officer, once in a week and enquire into complaints if any. If complaints revealed any prima facie case of a sexual assault, they shall forward the same to the local police to proceed further, the judge added.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had already issued orders to form a committee to ready Standard Operating Procedures to stop sexual offenses in schools.