Indonesian rape victim back in school

JAKARTA - An Indonesian school which had expelled a 14-year-old girl, claiming she "tarnished" the institution's image after she was raped by a trafficking syndicate, has reversed its decision, a child rights activist said on Tuesday.

The decision to reinstate her was reached after a mediation session involving her school, the National Commission for Child Protection (NCCP) and other local agencies, Tempo.co reported.

"A decision was reached to allow the student to return to school and attend classes as normal," NCCP chairman Arist Merdeka Sirait told Tempo on Tuesday.

The girl had been raped by a Facebook friend who she met on Sept 23 and held her captive for a week in Bogor. She was expelled from Yayasan Budi Junior High School during a ceremony attended by pupils on Monday for failing to attend classes for two weeks. A teacher told the girl she had "tarnished the school's image", said Mr Sirait.