HONESDALE -- Police say a student in the Wayne Highlands School District sexually assaulted another student at the middle school in Honesdale.
It happened back in February, according to investigators, around the same time another student in the district is accused of sexually assaulting a student on a bus.
School officials said they contacted police after that alleged sexual assault at the middle school more than a month ago.
In light of both cases, victims advocates said it's important for children and adults to speak out if they or someone they know are victimized.
Several days after an alleged sexual assault at the Wayne highlands Middle School, Honesdale Police said they started investigating and now recommend indecent assault charges against a 15-year-old boy.
Some people are concerned there wasn't enough supervision at the time of the alleged assault.
"They need to be more vigilant. Otherwise this is going to keep happening," said Pam Beltramine of Hawley.
Wayne Highlands Superintendent Greg Frigoletto would not comment other than to say the incident is under investigation by authorities. As of now, it's unclear whether or not that student is suspended, expelled, or is still a student at Wayne Highlands.
This latest case comes after state police said a 13-year-old boy sexually assaulted a 9-year-old girl on a school bus in the area of the Preston School and along the bus route for nearly a month earlier this year.
Both cases took place in the same district.
"It's a crime that often happens in secrecy," said Michele Wolf, Executive Director Victim' Intervention Program in Wayne County.
Wolf said awareness is the key to help others speak up.
"It's a community problem, just like domestic violence, it takes the community to step forward to help forward, to get the word out and stop silencing victims," she said.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month around the country. In Wayne County, pairs of shoes with a sex assault victim's story attached to them will be placed around the community.
Meanwhile, the Wayne Highlands School District is left to deal with the fallout from two cases on school property.
"It happens once it's an isolated instance, it happens more there's a problem," said Beltramine.
Prosecutors said they're waiting for juvenile probation to investigate before a deciding if the 15-year-old should be charged in this latest incident in the Wayne Highlands School District.
If you or someone you know is a victim of abuse, V.I.P. has a hotline: (800) 698-4VIP.
