Student says "Teacher's body is pretty," Principal says "Teachers must endure," School conceals sexual harassment after it is reported

70% of Female Teachers Experience Sexual Violence During Their Careers
Experts Say "It's Difficult to Report Sexual Crimes in Schools, Sexual Education Must Be Strengthened"

Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] A middle school teacher in the Gyeonggi area reportedly suffered repeated sexual harassment from students and, after reporting the matter to the school, experienced secondary victimization. This has once again brought the seriousness of sexual violence issues within schools to the forefront, highlighting the urgent need for measures to eradicate sexual violence and protect victims within educational institutions.

Experts emphasized the necessity of strengthening disciplinary actions against sex crimes and implementing sex education.

On the 2nd, a petition titled "Please discipline the school administrator who covered up sexual harassment and committed secondary harm" was posted on the Blue House's public petition board.

A, who identified themselves as a middle school teacher affiliated with the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, revealed that students said things like, "Do you live alone, teacher? Who do you live with? Just imagining it makes my nose bleed," and "Teacher, your body is pretty and your chest... your heart is pretty too," all in public settings where everyone was present.

A said they reported the sexual harassment to the school principal, but the school took no action. During this process, the principal reportedly made remarks implying the teacher should endure the situation, such as "It's because you're pretty," "The problem is how you dress," and "Don't wear tight jeans."

A also explained that around October 2019, after wearing a loose-sleeved short-sleeve shirt to class, they were summoned to the principal's office, where the principal said, "There was a call from a parent saying your bra was visible because the short sleeves were loose. Is your underwear navy blue?"?comments that caused sexual humiliation.

A received a diagnosis of depression from a psychiatrist due to this and expressed that the mental damage was so severe they were considering resignation.

They said, "I endured a hellish work life, and seeing students became a terrifying trauma; my heart would pound just seeing groups of students," adding, "I hope the principal who concealed the sexual harassment incident and committed secondary harm loses their civil servant position and never receives a monthly pension for life."

A petition titled "Please discipline the school administrator who covered up sexual harassment and committed secondary harm" posted on the Blue House National Petition Board on the 2nd./Photo by Blue House National Petition Board capture

As this information became known, public opinion among citizens strongly condemned both the offending students and the school officials who covered up the incident.

Netizens criticized the school with comments such as, "Not only the students but also the principal who neglected and worsened the situation should be dismissed," "I couldn't believe my eyes hearing the principal ask if the underwear color matched," and "I'm worried that the wrong mindset established in the school without any sanctions will extend into society."

According to a survey, over 70% of female teachers reported experiencing sexual violence during their teaching careers.

A 2016 survey conducted by the Women's Committee of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union, targeting 1,758 female teachers working in kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide, found that 70.7% responded that they had experienced sexual violence in a broad sense, including sexual harassment or molestation, during their teaching careers.

The most common specific victimization was being forced to pour or drink alcohol (53.6%), followed by being forced to dance at karaoke or entertainment venues (40.0%), verbal sexual harassment (34.2%), and physical contact such as placing hands on thighs or shoulders (31.9%).

Additionally, 2.1% of respondents experienced severe sexual molestation such as forced kissing, and 0.6% (10 respondents) reported sexual assault including rape or attempted rape. The perpetrators were mostly people close to them, with 72.9% being administrators such as principals or vice principals, and 62.4% being fellow teachers.

Last month, a sexual molestation incident occurred at a public elementary school in Sejong City, where the principal kissed a female teacher. The principal kissed her on the forehead, saying, "You're pretty, so I want to give you a kiss," and also tapped her left buttock three times with his hand. The offending principal was prosecuted on charges of molestation by abuse of authority and was fined 7 million won.

Given these circumstances, there is a growing call for urgent measures to address repeated sexual violence in schools. In particular, criticism is mounting that school administrators, who should protect and respond to victims when sexual violence occurs, instead blame victims and conceal the incidents, showing a persistent lack of awareness within schools regarding sexual violence issues.

Experts suggest the need for stronger disciplinary measures against sex crimes and the implementation of sex education that can raise gender sensitivity.

Attorney Lee Eun-ui (Lee Eun-ui Law Office) said, "When a student makes sexually harassing remarks toward a female teacher, it is even harder to report the incident if the perpetrator is a fellow teacher or superior," adding, "To prevent such harm, schools should conduct education that raises gender sensitivity, such as sex education appropriate to the current situation. Proper disciplinary actions against perpetrators must also be implemented when the facts are confirmed."

Attorney Lee continued, "Crimes such as sexual molestation without the victim's consent due to abuse of authority often end with fines under current law. Cases resulting in imprisonment are rare," and said, "If imprisonment is difficult, institutional measures such as increasing compensation should be strengthened."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.