How Could You? Hall of Shame-India-Grace Home
This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions
From Kothanur, India, “[i]t was an orphanage in name only. In reality it was a house of horrors where innocent children and adolescents who came to seek shelter, satiated one man’s depravity. Samuel, the caretaker of ‘Grace Home’ – an orphanage in Kothanur in Bengaluru North – was arrested on Tuesday after eight girls from the orphanage complained to their friends in a neighbouring school, about being repeatedly sexually assaulted by the caretaker.
Based on their complaints, the Department of Women and Child Development (DWCD) and Child Welfare Committee (CWC) on Tuesday conducted a joint raid at the orphanage and rescued 56 children – 22 boys and 34 girls, most of who are from the North East.
Almost all of them reportedly complained of being sexually molested by Samuel. “Not just the girls, he has also molested the boys. He would pick one of them every night depending upon his fancy,” said an official source.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Director, DWCD, Gurmeet Tej said that the CWC and District Child Protection Officer raided ‘Grace Home’ and rescued the young inmates after they received information that the children were being sexually assaulted by the caretaker Samuel.
“The eight girls had shared with their school friends about how they were being sexually molested by Samuel. They were recently shifted from ‘Grace Home’ to another shelter in the neighbourhood. We have moved them to another institution and the remaining 48 children will also be moved out to safer places and government homes,” said Tej.
Samuel was arrested by the Kothanur police station under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code for sexual assault against women and Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act 2012.”
There was no grace at this orphanage
[Deccan Chronicle 8/7/13 by Bala Chauhan]
“Stating that the alleged ‘child trafficking,’ ‘sexual abuse’ and ‘rape of children’ at Grace Home, Jaipur, and the incarceration of the principal accused, pastor John Jacob, has brought shame, anger and challenge to the Christian ministers and members, the All Manipur Christian Organisation (AMCO) urged for a just and speedy legal verdict against the accused.
Feeling the need to address the issue of the heinous act, AMCO held emergency sittings on July 22 and 23 to express, clarify and appeal to the Christians in particular and people of Manipur in general regarding child trafficking, sexual abuse and rape, especially of children.
A statement issued by AMCO said that child trafficking, sexual abuse and rape, especially of children, is a heinous crime, a grave sin to be condemned by all while condemning the series of crime, allegedly committed by Jacob John against his maid-servants and innocent children at Grace Home at Jaipur.
Sharing the trauma, shame and pain of the innocent victims of Grace Home, Jaipur , the maidservants and the innocent children, AMCO said the indescribable psychological wound and the spiritual trauma caused to children will take a long time to be healed while expressing deep sympathy and assuring them of prayerful support.
That child trafficking, sexual abuse and rape, especially of children must be seen within the larger context of an entire society , poverty, injustice, corruption, illiteracy, gender inequality, sexual mal-adjustment, etc.
It further clarified that pastor John Jacob, the accused person and the institution he runs (Grace Home, Jaipur) has neither link with any Christian organization nor has he taken permission from any Christian Church organization in Manipur for his institution.
The All Manipur Christian Organization (AMCO) and its constituent Churches have no knowledge about the person and his institution but only through the public media, we have no partnership with the person and his institution.
Further, it appealed all concerned to beware of bogus organizations lurking around to recruit children, for money and carnal motives, in the guise of charity and to authenticate the genuineness of the person/s involved and the organization/institution before entrusting children in their hands.
In case of doubt on the person and organization, AMCO advised all concerned to inform the local village authority and police or alert child help line.
After establishing the authenticity, local Church authority and get the Church’s letter of approval should be obtained, it cautioned while also urging to take every care to abide by the legal demands of the land.
In case of any untoward incident taking place in an area, say rape, sexual assault or child trafficking, etc, one must immediately inform the rightful authorit and refrain from taking law into one’s hands or indulge in irrational mob culture as it does more harm than good.
Calling upon all Christians of various churches and all social organizations to make comprehensive strategies and mechanisms to prevent recurrence of all forms of sexual abuses in respective areas, AMCO said that safety and protection, specially of children must be given priority.
Any child sexual abuse is an outrageous offence, but it arouses extremely negative reaction in the public if significant persons such as religious leaders commit it, the AMCO statement said adding this is because of the higher trust and confidence placed on them by the society is outraged.
However, one must strive to maintain an attitude of charity.
The legitimate desire to protect children to the utmost must not lead one to be unjust towards those who inflict such a serious wrong nor resorted to summary condemnation on them to bear life of shame and death as they are still fellow human beings, children of God in need of compassion.”
Grace Home case : AMCO for speedy trial
[E-Pao 8/9/13]
REFORM Puzzle Piece
Sickening, sickening, sickening. What is so sad about this is that the children were there because they had no other place to go. And because it had the patina of religion, it might have operated with less scrutiny than otherwise.
Thanks for publicizing this.
A new twist in the tale of Jaipur rescue case
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, July 29 2013: Reacting to the media report of girls rescued from Jaipur Home being sexually exploited by the administrator Jacob John, the parents and guardians of rescued children claimed that the hymens of their children got ruptured during the medical tests held at Ukhrul District Hospital and the accused Jacob John had done nothing wrong to them.
According to a joint statement issued by the concerned parents and guardians of the victimized children, the parents and rescued children have never complained to the authorities about rape or sexual exploitation against any individual.
However, without the consent of the children and consulting their parents, the rescued children were subjected to forced medical tests at Ukhrul District Hospital on April 25, 29 and 30 this year thereby violating the privacy and rights of the children.
The children reported to their parents about the horrendous incident of the medical tests when the doctors inserted their two fingers on their (children) private parts.
The children cried out in pain and agony, but they were told to shut their mouth by the doctors when they protested.
The Children also narrated to their parents that the doctors even handed out some ointment to be applied on the affected parts.
Besides one child got severely injured during the medical tests that she could not control her bladder for few weeks and she had to use pads all the time.
They were also given both tablets and syrup, the joint statement said.
The parents and guardians further questioned the authorities if any medical test was conducted at Jaipur or New Delhi when the children were rescued and transported.
They demanded the reports if such medical tests were conducted there.
Questioning the veracity of the medical report which said that the rescued children were diagnosed with early signs of pregnancy, the parents and guardians demanded the authorities to give the details of their pregnancy.
The parents and guardians further decried that such false reports published in newspapers could affect dignity, integrity and career of the victimized children.
A dirty conspiracy against pastor as in personal vendetta! As published in leading daily news papers in Manipur (Hueiyen lanpao dated 30th July 2013 and a local daily dilect- Aja dated 26 July 2013), the parents and guardians of the victimized children of Grace Home, Jaipur had finally poured out their heartfelt feelings about how the parents and the children had suffered and are suffering in the hands of the so-called moral guardians who had rescued them from the clutches of a man who they claimed had exploited them sexually. On the contrary, if what the parents and guardians statements and reactions are true, it is just the opposite.
The forced medical examination done on the children without the parents and children’s consent, the mental torture they suffered from the representatives of NGOs and police trying to persuade the children and parents to admit and submit to their statement that the children are raped even when the parents and children have not filed any complaints whatsoever. The children narrated their harrowing experiences when they were hustled together like a bunch of animals at the Ukhrul District Hospital, Manipur where the medical examination was done for the third time! It was reported that the children were not even allowed to protest the pain suffered due to forced insertion of 2 fingers in their private parts. Rather the children were scolded and told to keep their mouth shut! Does this mean the privacy and rights of the children are not important? What value is the justice system if the victimized are trembled and the law with its numerous loopholes and the moral guardians are only concerned about conviction of a single perpetrator ignoring all human values and rights?
As concerned citizens and parents let us reflect deeper on this whole issue and give a poser, if it be our children, will we allow such atrocities? Think about the physical and psychological torture the rescued children must have faced? Their ordeal has not ended yet! Four months have passed but the state law seems to have little progress on the investigation and the children’s feelings and rights are violated! The children are still hustled together at a shelter home run by NGOs and SSA/CWC at Ukhrul, Manipur. The parents are not allowed to meet them as they wish and they were interrogated and perused day in and day out by the so called moral guardians including the police for a statement that the children hardly understands. Is this the way justice would be done? I don’t think so. As rightly said, “Justice with little regard for the value and integrity of humanity is a sham.”
If the claims of TFO (Tangkhul Frontal Organization is true, as carried in the Sangai Express dated 31st July 2013), then why did the children complaint to their parents about the excruciating pain they suffered when they underwent the medical test? Shall we regard this as concocted lies of the children? Did the parents or children of Manipur file any complaints to the police or authorities about sexual exploitation before the raid at Grace Home? Has any confessional statement been made by any parent or children? How was the statement taken and by whom? Why were the children lodged in SSA/CWC run shelter home at Ukhrul when the SSA/CWC are party in the case? Wouldn’t it amount to obstruction of justice as they have free access to the children? It would have been fairer and more transparent if the children would have been kept with a neutral agency/organization which is not a party to the case. Even if the parents are poor and illiterate, they have every right to be informed about the whole process and progress of the investigation. However, why are the parents kept in the dark and allowed little access and interaction with their own children? Could we consider this as a fair process of investigation for justice?
Let us rethink carefully again on the prevailing justice system. This incident of Jaipur Home is an eye opener for all of us to start reflecting and start questioning on the prevailing system of investigation and the way the moral guardians handle issues of such sensitivity.
Daniel R.
You are citing an pseudonymous comment placed on a news article, NOT legitimate, fact-checked journalism.
http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/tseitm-29175-grace-home-case-amco-for-speedy-trial/
If you’ll scroll down to the comments, you’ll see the comment in question was placed by… L horam! I did a Google search using the search terms “Grace Home india John Jacob” between the dates Jul 28, 2013- Oct 15, 2013 and can’t find any independent corroboration of L horam’s claims. All the articles I DID find were in agreement with the source Rally cited.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130909/jsp/northeast/story_17326854.jsp#.Ul1x9xD-8Zk
http://www.hindujagruti.org/news/15875_pastor-jacon-john-sexually-abuse-children.html
http://www.hueiyenlanpao.com/headlines/item/11277-four-more-kids-rescued-from-jaipur-home
Astrin Ymris
I forgot to mention that the source of the article above is Hueiyen News Service and it is not mine.
Parents’ woes and Children’s nightmare: A new twist in Jaipur Grace Home rescue case
Thursday, 01 August 2013 01:27
I apologize and Thank you for reminding!
Daniel R.
Searching ” Hueiyen News Service” yields a site with the email address http://www.hueiyenlanpao.com.
http://www.hueiyenlanpao.com/letter-to-the-editor/item/12301-on-jaipur-grace-home-case
I found stories written AFTER 8-1-13 on other sites which indicates that allegations that the government raped kids to smear a saintly pastor were NOT found to be true. An attempt to search the Hueiyen News Service site for any follow up past the 8/2/13 letter to the editor weren’t productive, so I’m going by the coverage which I could find.