“He just gave me a loud admonition in the dormitory” The housemaster who was reported for child abuse was cleared of charges

A housemaster who was accused of child abuse for raising his voice and admonishing students during the dormitory life guidance process was cleared of the charges.

According to the legal community on the 23rd, the Cheongju District Prosecutors' Office decided not to indict Ms. A, a woman in her 50s, who was sent on the 10th of last month on charges of violating the Special Act on Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes, etc.

Mr. A worked at a middle school dormitory in the North Chungcheong region last year and was suspected of emotionally abusing students by making comments such as "Why don't you clean?" and "Think about it before you live."

He was also accused of putting psychological pressure on students who returned home late at night by blocking their entry and exit and not letting them sleep.

Mr. A completely denied the allegations. At that time, there were repeated situations where students did not follow the rules of life, such as returning late at night, so we provided guidance to correct this, and it was claimed that there was no intention of abuse at all, only that the voice was temporarily raised in a situation where the student was not in a good condition at the time.

The prosecution deemed that Mr. A’s charges were not recognized. The prosecution judged that emotional abuse under the Child Welfare Act refers to actions that reach the level of harming a child's mental health or normal development, and that it is difficult to recognize this simply because of increased admonitions or increased vocalization.

In addition, it was explained that the illegality of an act must take into account the relationship between the actor and the child, the situation at the time of the act, repetition, and changes in the child victim's reaction and condition.

Attorney Nam Sang-gwan of Daeryun Law Firm, who represented Mr. A, explained, "Child abuse and discipline for educational purposes must be distinguished," adding, "This case was a one-time act within the scope of routine discipline, and we were able to receive an acquittal by focusing on the fact that violence or repetition was not recognized."

Reporter Kwon Byeong-seok (bsk730@fnnews.com)

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"He only gave me a loud admonition in the dormitory" The superintendent of the dormitory who was reported for child abuse was 'not guilty' (Shortcut)