A local organization for the disabled claimed Tuesday that there have been sexual assaults at a rehabilitation facility for the mentally retarded in Gwangju over the past years.
The facility is where a disabled girl was earlier reported to have been detained and physically abused for several years.
In a statement, the Center for Consultations on Sexual Violence Against Women in Gwangju said rapes, sexual harassment and sexual assaults occurred at the facility in Maruk-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju. Earlier, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) called for the closure of the facility for the alleged detention of the girl.
The center called on the authorities to investigate the sexual abuses immediately.
An official of the center said in early December last year, a male student was sexually harassed by male teachers at the rehabilitation center, while consultations on problems facing the student were underway. The student was later accused of sexually assaulting his younger brother, the official said on condition of anonymity.
The male student also assaulted five of his fellow male students, the official said, claiming that teachers have tried to cover up the cases.
In addition, some teachers sexually attacked several female students, he said.
On Feb. 1, the NHRC filed with the authorities complaints against a Lee, 41, head of the facility who allegedly detained a 17-year-old female student for eight years and harassed her. The Seo-gu district office in Gwangju asked for the shutdown of the facility.
A 10-member faculty of the rehabilitation center had taken care of 26 mentally disabled people. But it currently has only two staff members and two mentally retarded persons.