Jakarta: The rape of a five-year old boy in the toilets of the prestigious Jakarta International School has shocked the expatriate community and prompted a discussion in Indonesia about the prevalence of child sex abuse.

The boy, who turned six last week, has contracted herpes and a bacterial infection allegedly as a result of two anal rapes by members of the school’s outsourced cleaning staff in February and March.

Police have urged parents of other students at the school to check the behaviour of their children and report anything suspicious, after the shocking child rape claim at Jakarta International School.

Two men — employees of the international contract cleaners ISS — are in police custody. They are alleged to have attacked the boy during school hours when he went to the toilet near his classroom. Jakarta police say two more men and one woman are also under investigation.

The boy is the son of a Dutch father and an Indonesian mother. He attended the school's early childhood program. After initially requesting privacy, his mother went public with graphic details on Monday, motivated, according to lawyer Andi Asrun, by disappointment that the school had not acted more quickly to address problems. They say his teachers should have been aware of the boy’s long absences and should have noticed that he was upset when he returned to class.