RAPED AT SCHOOL

A 15-YEAR-OLD secondary school student was sexually assaulted in a school bathroom on Tuesday. The traumatised student reported the incident to a teacher and was taken to the office of the Child Protection Unit at a nearby police station, where she made a report. The form three student was at the Port of Spain school when she told the teacher she was going to the bathroom.

The girl later told police that she was followed inside by a 15-year-old male student whom she knew. He put his hand over her mouth and began fondling her. The girl said she tried to scream, but was overpowered by the boy, who began removing her skirt and committed gross sexual assault on her before raping her. She said that during the rape, she tried to fight back.

OTHERS TRAUMATISED

Afterwards, the girl spoke to the teacher, who immediately told the principal. The boy, who could not be found, is thought to have left the school and gone into hiding. The rape was reported to Sgt Moreau of the Child Protection Unit and the girl was examined by a district medical officer and a report taken from her.

Other students at the school who were told of the rape were traumatised. Counsellors from the Student Support Services of the Ministry of Education were expected to go to the Port of Spain school yesterday to counsel children affected by the incident. Police Child Protection officers are expected to interview the victim’s form teacher as well as other students. Yesterday, Minister of Education Anthony Garcia said he was not aware of the incident but would look into it. However, a staff member at the Ministry of Education, who wished not to be named, confirmed the ministry had received a report, saying, “We are aware of the issue. A report was generated by the principal and submitted to the ministry. The alleged victim was referred to the Child Protection Unit and police were also contacted. Student support services became involved.

“As it relates to the alleged perpetrator, the ministry will do a case-conferencing as part of the investigation and they will also offer all the services with respect to guidance and counselling. The school will do an initial seven-day suspension (the suspect) as this is in keeping with protocol. Then after, they will decide if they should apply to the minister for further suspension.”

COERCED INTO SEX

In an unrelated incident, involving another minor, a 15-year-old Central Trinidad schoolgirl and her mother went to the Four Roads Police Station on Tuesday, where the girl told police she ran away from home that morning to spend some time with her 27-year-old boyfriend, who later coerced her into having sexual intercourse with him.

The girl said she left home on Tuesday morning and secretly met with the man who is from Oropune Gardens and who took her to an area in Chaguaramas known as the Cove, where they engaged in a sexual act. Afterwards, he dropped her off near her home, where she was met by her worried mother, who asked where she had been.

The girl began weeping and confessed that she had run away from home to be with the man, with whom she had been having a secret relationship. The mother immediately made a report to Child Protection Unit Officers at the Four Roads police station. The girl was taken to a doctor and medically examined. She gave a statement and investigators searched for the suspect yesterday but could not be found. The girl is expected to be counselled by the Police Services Victim and Witness Support Unit.