School says student’s rape was ‘prank on prostate exam’

A “joke” simulating a “prostate medical examination” led to the rape of an 11-year-old student by eight others on January 19 at a school in Vimioso, in Bragança, a local school group has concluded.

“According to the process initiated at the school level, a ‘joke’ may have occurred between students simulating a medical examination of the prostate,” the Ministry of Education said in a written response sent this Wednesday to the Lusa agency.

The guardianship emphasizes that “the school’s concern was focused on protecting the student involved in this episode, mobilizing the support of the psychology and guidance service, the vigilance of operational assistants, teachers and the relevant class teacher.”

“Naturally, because there was inappropriate behavior, there were students who were preventively suspended, one of whom had his suspension extended. Now they are back. [todos] to school and attend classes,” the Ministry of Education indicates.

Eight students aged between 13 and 16 were suspended for four days. Following this suspension, seven immediately returned to school, and the eighth later returned to the school that the alleged victim continued to attend.

Two of the suspects are 16 years old – they could now face criminal charges – and one of them is the victim’s brother, who turned 16 on the day of the alleged sexual assault.

The episode occurred on January 19, but the State Police was informed about the incident only three days later.

In its response, the Ministry of Education adds that “the remaining institutions have not yet completed and/or reported the completion of their respective procedures,” citing investigations launched by the Ministry of Justice and the General Inspectorate of Education and Science.

Four days after Lusa reported the case, the Office of the Attorney General (PGR) announced the opening of criminal and educational guardianship investigations, explaining that “educational guardianship investigations are provided for in the Educational Guardianship Act when it comes to acts qualifying law as a crime committed by minors aged 12 to 16 years.”

Also according to the Ministry of Education, the Vimioso school group “continues to pay special attention to any situations that may jeopardize the safety of students, maintaining joint work with partner institutions.”

“A range of activities are carried out throughout the school year to raise pupils’ awareness of current dangers (eg violence and bullying, safe internet, sexual violence against children and young people, drug use), benefiting this school by awarding badges such as ‘School “no bullying – School without violence” or “Healthy school”,” the answer says.

The school has already announced that it has initiated disciplinary proceedings against eight students and an operational assistant who allegedly witnessed the situation and did nothing.

Several sources Lusa spoke with confirmed that the sodomy episode took place inside the school, “with the help of a broom,” and in the presence of at least one staff member, who “did nothing” to stop the alleged attackers, information that is also included in Vimioso Parish Council Exhibition.