What do we Know About Educators who Commit Sexual Abuse?
Despite the age of this study, published in 2014, it provides valuable insight into current issues about sexual abuse by educators.
Teachers, Students, and Sexual Abuse
While these cases do not come across my desk terribly often, they do still occur.
In Pennsylvania, the age of consent is 16. However, if the abuse case involves a 16- or 17-year-old victim and a perpetrator who is in a position of trust, i.e., a teacher, the teenager cannot give consent and the cases are criminally charged.
Here in PA, the cases that get the most media attention are where a female teacher abuses a student, regardless of the gender of the victim.
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Sexual Abuse by Educators: A Study
The authors sought to address three specific questions that were all related to the gender of the educator who offended. Were there gender differences based on:
- The age of the victim?
- The grade the abuser taught?
- How the offenses came to light?
Study Results
Age of the victims:
- Male teachers who offended had victims that were significantly younger (12 & under)
- Female teachers most often offended against students 13 and older
There were no differences between the genders in terms of the grade in school they taught.
I found an interesting revelation to be how the sexual abuse came to light:
- When the person who engaged in the offending behavior was a man, the abuse was disclosed more often by the victim themselves, discovered by someone in the administration or through a police sting.
- When the person who was the abuser was female, the abuse came to light more often through a report by another student or by a parent or guardian.
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Sexual Abuse Study Takeaways
These findings appear to support some of the stigma related to being the victim of sexual abuse perpetrated by a woman.
Often these victims are not believed when they do report the abuse, or they do not perceive the sexual interactions to be abusive.
This study was not designed to provide any causal explanations. Therefore, they do not attempt to make assertions as to why male educators abuse younger victims more than female educators. This would be a very interesting topic of study.
Ten Years Later
Ten years out from the publication of this study, it’s disappointing to realize that this abuse continues. In some cases, it may seem as though it has increased.
My opinion is that the behavior, teachers sexually abusing their students, has likely not increased.
With increased education and mandatory reporting laws, as well as the positive effects of things like the #metoo movement, it is more likely that these cases are simply being reported more often, holding those who engage in the abuse to account.
Inappropriate sexual behavior by educators should always be reported.
School needs to be a place of safety for children and educators need to be trustworthy custodians of our children’s education.
Reference: Ratliff, L. & Watson, J. (2014). A Descriptive Analysis of Public School Educators Arrested for Sex Offenses. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 23:2, 217-228.
Do you feel your sexual behavior, or that of someone you love, is out of control? Consult with a professional.
Have you found yourself in legal trouble due to your sexual behavior? Seek assistance before the court mandates it, with Sexual Addiction Treatment Services.
Are you looking for more reputable data-backed information on sexual addiction? The Mitigation Aide Research Archive is an excellent source for executive summaries of research studies.
