Sexually abused student speaks out, aspires to be a lawyer
A teenage student, who said she was allegedly abused sexually by her teacher at a school in Southern Highlands, says she wants to become a lawyer to ensure children are not preyed upon by teachers.
The student, a bright 16-year-old girl, who despite growing up in rural Southern Highlands, has a dream to one day become a lawyer for family and child welfare.
The student was brave enough to speak to The National of her agonising experience of an incident with her teacher which her father revealed to The National on Wednesday.
She said that like any other student, she trusted her teacher.
When we graduated, our grade 8 certificate was not ready, so when the teacher sent word for me to go and get my certificate, I went.
I went alone because I thought I was safe. The teacher is also a relative and the school is in my homeland.
The teacher raped me and threatened to withhold my certificate if I reported him to my family.
Abused student, 16
The teenager said the teacher also gave her K200 after the incident and told her to stop crying and go buy goods at a nearby trade store.
At first I was scared to tell my family about what happened but after sometime I told them.
What the teacher did was wrong and it’s hard for me to look at teachers in the same light I used to before the incident.
Teachers have always been teachers, you know, someone we can trust, someone who is very smart and can answer all our questions and be there to explain things.
She hopes the teacher is locked up and not allowed into classrooms again where he can hurt other girls.
I’ve asked my parents to transfer me to a school in another province because even though my father has explained that I have done nothing wrong, I feel ashamed.
I don’t want to go back to that place. I know people will talk, but I’m not giving up on my education because of what happened.
I will become a lawyer some day and I will make sure that other young children are not hurt by their teachers.
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- University interim chancellor resigns - March 13, 2019
- School inspectors’ duty to report abuse - February 27, 2019
