Protect children from abuse

The year 2013 witnessed a series of high-profile teenage molestation cases in many of which teachers and principals of schools were identified as the molesters. This has prompted many to question the ethics of today's educators, which has somewhat diverted public attention from the real matters of concern, says an article in Beijing Youth Daily. Excerpts:

Recently, victims of a high-profile teenage molestation case in Shanghai said that they were disappointed because the accused, their former high-school physics teacher, escaped legal punishment, although he lost his job. The teacher in question, Zhang Datong, was found to have sexually assaulted male students for 20 years.

Indeed, people like Zhang have brought shame upon teachers who are supposed to act as guides to youngsters. But the discussions and criticisms overemphasizing Zhang's occupation as a teacher and attributing his behavior to the collapse of professional ethics are misconstrued and can do little to protect teenagers from molestation. Worse, the aspersions cast on the entire tribe of teachers are misconstrued.

It is the responsibility of the entire society, not teachers alone, to protect teenagers from harm. More than anything else, the lack of sex education in schools makes teenagers vulnerable to physical abuse.

One of the victims said that Zhang tried to convince him that he was performing a "medical experiment". Most of the victims didn't know what Zhang was doing was actually a crime. Obviously, the lack of sex education and poor knowledge and skills of self-protection have made teenagers vulnerable to sex assault.

It is noteworthy that only children below the age of 14 are covered by the provisions of the law against child abuse and offenders can be convicted only if the victim is a girl. That molesters like Zhang are not legally punished is not only a travesty of justice, but also adds insult to the victims' injury.