The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Thimphu police, on 6th April apprehended the Vice Principal of a primary school in Thimphu in connection with the alleged molestation of nine girls in the school.
The complaint was received on 6th April from parents stating that the vice principal of the school has been molesting and sexually harassing the female students of the school.
The victims never shared their experiences to their parents or relatives but the issue came to light after one of the victims paid frequent visits to the hospital though she had no sickness. Upon asking the victim time and again, she confessed to being repeatedly molested by the vice principal.
All the parents of the victims were called to school by the principal and were informed about the molestation by the vice principal. Police said that, while questioning the victims, it was learnt that the suspect who is a mathematics teacher openly molested girl students of class VI during his period from the beginning of the academic session 2018.
The suspect caressed the girls by hugging them from behind, holding and massaging their thighs, rubbing his chin on them, kissing them at times and even fondling their breasts.
The 39-year-old suspect from Bartsham, Trashigang, denied the accusations and he claimed he only ‘patted’ the students.
During the course of investigation, it was learnt that the suspect has been molesting the students since 2017.
Police said that the incidents were never reported to their parents or the teachers although the incidences were being witnessed by other students including the boys in the school.
In addition, one of the victim from a group alleged that the suspect tried to rape her in his office in 2017. She said that, she was called to his office after the school and he tried to sexually assault her but she managed to escape after pulling his hair.
Police also said that, the suspect has a past record and they are verifying what are the crimes he has committed in the past. The suspect has been detained for further investigation.
The accused should be served the cold dish of justice fast; nothing less, nothing more, just what is due to him. However, our society is fast to condemn and fast to forget, wherein lies the seed of tragedy.
The incident, grotesques enough itself, is a systemic issue, for who knows what are unreported plights of the underprivileged out of immediate reach of supervisor, media and public wrath, such as in remote schools in rural areas, where any civil servant is a ‘Dasho’?
Our government will be better served if they address the root cause, build strategies to prevent sexual harassment of the vulnerables, set reasonable objectives and implement them.
But most probably the accused teacher might be sentenced, and we the people, the government and journalist alike will forget about it within days.
IF YOU CARE, YOU WILL DARE. If the government put the money where there mouth is, you will find a lasting solution in the interest of all.