"Let Me Fix Your Collar": Hand Inside Shirt Leads to Sexual Assault Charges and Secondary Victimization

A hearing-impaired employee at a post office in Gyeongsangbuk-do reported repeated unwanted physical contact by a superior, only to have the claim rejected by the oversight agency and subsequently face secondary victimization.

The Pohang Branch of the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office has indicted a Grade 7 civil servant, identified as B, on charges of forcible indecency against a Grade 9 civil servant, A, who is hearing-impaired and works at the same post office.

B is accused of telling A, "Let me fix your collar," at a crosswalk in front of the post office in June 2024, before inserting a hand inside the back of A's shirt and touching their neck.

B is also accused of touching A's neck by kneading a neck cooler A was wearing three times in July of the same year, and suddenly pulling on A's elbow while A was standing with arms crossed.

Although A reported the incidents to the organization, no meaningful protective measures were taken.

In October 2024, the Gyeongbuk Regional Office of Postal Service held a committee for sexual harassment and sexual violence grievances, but concluded that the actions did not constitute sexual harassment.

Controversy over "secondary victimization" also emerged following the report.

It was reported that the personnel manager at the post office, who also served as a sexual grievance counselor, made remarks to other employees suggesting they "be careful around A."

Ultimately, A filed a criminal complaint against B, and the prosecution indicted B on charges of forcible indecency.

During the final hearing held last month, the prosecutor requested a two-year prison sentence.

The prosecution stated, "We applied the charge of forcible indecency against a person with a disability, which carries a heavier statutory penalty, considering the victim's disability," adding, "Even if the victim were not disabled, the physical contact in question would still be recognized as sexual molestation."

The Ministry of Personnel Management also determined that the remarks made by the sexual grievance counselor constituted secondary victimization and recommended that the Gyeongbuk Regional Office of Postal Service discipline the counselor and mandate completion of training on preventing sexual harassment and secondary victimization.

Reported by Jung Da-eun | Video by Hong Jin-young | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.