Diamond Valley Special Developmental School accused of mishandling repeat sexual assaults of 14yo girl with autism
Diamond Valley Special Developmental School is facing serious accusations it mishandled the multiple sexual assaults of a 14-year-old girl with autism by an older male student.
Victoria
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A distraught mother has accused a north eastern suburbs special school of failing in its duty to provide a safe learning environment for her daughter who was allegedly sexually assaulted by a male peer twice last year.
The 14-year-old girl’s mum said Diamond Valley Special Developmental School in Greensborough neglected to properly inform her about the incidents and “failed to ensure her (daughter’s) safety”.
The female student, who has autism and an intellectual disability, was allegedly sexually assaulted by a boy twice late last year while on school grounds, with the first incident happening on the second last day of term three.
Documents detailing the incident claimed the girl was helping a friend when a male student inappropriately touched her twice without consent before allegedly trying to “coerce her into an empty classroom”.
The girl removed herself from the situation and reported the incident to one of the school’s Educational Support Officers.
“I received a call from the school and they said there had been an incident but she was perfectly fine,” the mother said.
“I took it as she’d fallen over on the playground or something, it wasn’t conveyed what had happened.”
After her daughter told her about the incident, the mum said she tried to organise a meeting with the school but had to wait until the start of term four to get answers.
In the meantime she sought advocate group Autism Goals for support.
In an email seen by the Herald Sun, the school apologised for “not contacting” the mum at the time of the incident.
“I apologise that we did not contact you at the time and acknowledge that this would have provided you with an opportunity to better support (your daughter) immediately,” the email said.
A support plan was put in place to ensure the girl felt safe returning to school, but it didn’t prevent a second alleged sexual assault incident at a school barbecue.
The mother said “my daughter’s life has been altered forever” because of the incidents and “she will carry the pain of this for the rest of her life”.
The girl has not returned to school since.
“(The school) failed to follow the policies that were put in place to protect children like mine” the mum said.
“My daughter trusted the school. She relied on them for care and safety. This was not just a failure – it was a violation of everything the school should stand for.”
Autism Goals Founder Pauline Aquilina, who is working as an advocate for the family, said “this is not just one family’s tragedy. It is a systemic failure”.
“Our schools must be safe for all children,” she said.
“We owe it to every child — and every parent — to lead with integrity, act with urgency, and place the rights and safety and dignity of our children at the centre of all we do.”
It comes after the Herald Sun revealed two male classmates threatened to rape a 12-year-old student at nearby Bundoora Secondary College last month, sparking calls for schools to have robust support for victims that prioritised their continued access to education.
A Department of Education spokesman said every child deserved to feel safe at school and “all concerns regarding student wellbeing and safety are thoroughly examined”.
“The Department has met all child safety reporting obligations and will work with the family on a plan to help the student return to school,” he said.
The incidents were reported to Victoria Police’s Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation team.
A police spokeswoma said: “Mernda Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team received a report regarding allegations of two sexual assaults at a Greensborough school during 2024.
Investigators have engaged with all relevant parties and it has been determined that no further police action will be taken at this stage.”
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Originally published as Diamond Valley Special Developmental School accused of mishandling repeat sexual assaults of 14yo girl with autism
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