Sexual Misconduct and Abuse in Schools

A Real and Ubiquitous Problem

4.5 million children are subject to sexual misconduct between kindergarten and 12^th grade.
U.S. Department of Education

9.6 % of children are victims of abuse.
American Association of University Women, 2001

Offenders

57% of sex offenders are male; 43% of sex offenders are female.  (AAUW 2001, Shakeshaft 2003)

Age of offenders ranges from 21 to 75 years old with an average age of 28. (Hendrie, 1998)

Victims

56% of the victims are female; 44% of the victims are male. (AAUW 2001, Shakeshaft 2003)

How does it happen?

The reasons are many. Often times a teacher and student will view their relationship as natural and consensual thereby making it acceptable. But regardless of the age of consent, sexual misconduct between a teacher and student is a criminal offense.

Other times there are cultural issues that allow the unthinkable to happen, such as the code of silence, rationalization by witnesses that “it can’t be true,” or school personnel who aren’t sure what to do. When should they report? To whom should they report?

School administration is often complicit in the problem by fostering what is termed a “culture of deliberate indifference.” Akin to the code of silence, the culture of deliberate indifference reflects passivity toward the problem, denying it exists and taking no proactive steps to address what is a ubiquitous problem.

Prevention

EthicsEd's course, Preventing Sexual Misconduct and Abuse in Schools, shows employees how to avoid inappropriate relationships with students, how to recognize such relationships between others, and when to report them.  For more information about the course content and how it is delivered through our eLearning system, please choose an option below.

	See EthicsEd's flagship product, Preventing Sexual Misconduct and Abuse in Schools.
	Contact an EthicsEd project manager if you have any questions about our system.