To be believed was a relief
It’s not just for university students.
A 15-year-old boy convicted of sexually assaulting a girl in a classroom has been allowed to stay at the same school as his victim.
The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault and put on the sex offenders register.
The victim said: “I have to just keep my head down, pretend he’s not there, otherwise it makes me panic.”
Is she making a fuss about nothing?
The victim told BBC Inside Out East : “It was known that boy was very ‘hands on’ with girls.
“He started making comments about me, touching my legs and putting his hands on me.
“Then gradually he started putting his hands up my skirt, touching my chest and I kept telling him to stop.
“I wanted to leave but I felt like I couldn’t do anything. I felt powerless, like I was stuck.”
Now he’s been convicted on two counts, but she is still stuck.
The victim told the BBC the guilty verdict helped her to deal with the ordeal.
“It took a massive weight off my shoulders to be listened to,” she said.
“For most part I felt I was going mad. [I was] told in court I was a liar, but to be believed was a relief.”
But she said it had been incredibly hard to stay at school, knowing her convicted attacker had been allowed to continue there too.
Probably not ideal for all the other girls at that school, either.
This is just WTF. Allowing a boy continued access to his victim? Forcing the girl to continue to relive her experience without relief? FFS, what are they thinking? Or should that be, are they thinking?
Iknklast, don’t be silly. Of course they’re thinking.
They’re thinking what a shame it is that this promising young man must suffer a stain on his permanent record, and that it’s incumbent upon them to ensure he continues a proper education. Might need to aim short of Oxbridge, but, well, what can you do?
Seth, you’re suggesting they can’t ruin his life for a few minutes of bad behavior? That’s what I thought.
So ruin her life for no bad behavior at all, because, well, she’s a girl, and girls don’t count.
Was he on the swimming team? Or is he a member of a sacrosanct minority? Has his dad offered to build a gymnasium?