Thank you Madam Chair. I speak on behalf of Pax Romana, on 8(b) Problems in prosecuting sexual assault, especially the problem of rape. First of all I thank the Sub-Commission for considering this issue of sexual abuse seriously. I would like to bring the attention of the WG on the alarming situation of sexual abuse in the schools. The schools are no longer a safe place for children. I had dealt with few incidents of sexual abuse in schools in Tamil Nadu, India. The experiences are painful.

• In some cases, the children were threaten by the teachers, that they would be given low grade or failed if they speak about the harassment outside. As a result many children were afraid to speak.

• Some children who underwent the cross-examination, after the case was registered in the police station had to face another trauma. Their psychological and emotional aspects were not taken into consideration. They were re-victimized in the police station.

• In many cases, the higher authorities in fact all men, who conducted the inquiry ignored the fact, just because the accused are above 50 years old.

• Another painful fact is that in almost all cases of the affected children, they are from the underprivileged section. They are dalits who are discriminated on basis of decent and work and refugees.

We have also noticed that the domestic mechanisms are often irrelevant and inadequate. In one of the major cases of sexual abuse in a college, where the alleged accused are some higher authorities the women's commission didn't turn up even though the students and human rights organizations appealed the State women's commission to conduct a inquiry.

As you know sexual abuses in campuses are quite rampant. There have been few alleged cases of sexual abuses by the professors. Students are afraid of being re-victimized by placing the case before the court.

In this circumstance what could be the alternative inquiry process or mechanisms, which can render Justice to the young women and children.

Thank You Madam.