Sexual abuse victim wants to continue studies

Has strong desire for education and career of her own

The 16-year-old girl, a victim of sexual abuse by a block education officer (BEO), wants to study well and make a career on her own.

Sharing the ordeal she underwent at the hands of her mother, the minor girl, who has studied up to eigth standard, has reportedly told the child welfare committee (CWC), that the urge to carve a niche of her own made her regularly attend classes at a public school near her house. It was also the only time when she felt happy to an extent.

What took the girl by surprise was the sudden change in the behaviour of her mother Leela, after she (girl) attained puberty two years ago. She was rarely sent outside, except to school. Four of her classmates were the only world outside her home. Her mother remained out of the house, most of the time.

The irony is, Leela, who had forced her daughter into sex work, had negatively remarked about her character before the school headmaster. Once, the headmaster had even summoned Leela to ask her to concentrate on her daughter’s academic performance.

When the headmaster sought to know why the girl was not faring well, Leela had made adverse remarks about her daughter’s character. The headmaster took exception to Leela’s comments, advising her to shower love on her ward.

But this had no impact on her mother, who sold the girl  for Rs 75,000 to the K R Pet BEO A B Puttaswamy Gowda. Whenever Gowda visited Mysore, the girl was sent to Leela’s friend Geetha’s house at E and F block in Ramakrishna Nagar. Geetha is said to have been running a brothel.

Whenever the girl picked up an argument with her mother, the latter would abuse her both physically and mentally. She used to reiterate that it’s the only way to earn money to build a house.

The girl had confided to her friends and the headmaster, about her situation.
Though the girl hadn’t revealed much about her family, she had established that her parents hailed from Saklesphur in Hassan district. They had separated when she was young.

 The girl also had a younger sister, who had died four years ago. Her father remarried later.

Now, with the police arresting Puttaswamy Gowda and sending him to judicial custody, the girl has been provided shelter at Government Girls Home on Lalitamahal road.