E2024-G028

Breaking the Silence: The Gwangju Inhwa School Case and Its Aftermath

Narrative

The Gwangju Inhwa School sex abuse case, which shocked the entire nation, was a tragic revelation of prolonged abuse and silence inflicted on children with disabilities. In 2005, testimonies from the victims brought the truth to light, and in response, the Committee for the Gwangju Inhwa School Sex Abuse Case was formed through solidarity within the local community. The committee played a crucial role in supporting the victims, uncovering the truth, and shifting public awareness, ultimately receiving the Human Rights Award of Korea in December 2007. In 2009, novelist Gong Ji-young (1963- ) published The Crucible, a novel based on the case, which was later adapted into the 2011 film Silenced by director Hwang Dong-hyuk (1971- ), stirring public outrage once again. This led to legislative reform, resulting in the enactment of the Act On Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, popularly known as the “Dogani Law,” which included the abolition of the statute of limitations for sexual crimes against children with disabilities.