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A: This is one of the first questions parents will ask when they discover that a teacher has been abusing their child. There are many reasons why a teacher abuses a child, such as satisfying a sadistic desire or a desire to have a “real” relationship with a student.
Regardless of whether a victim is 17 years old or 7 years old, teachers who sexually abuse students have one thing in common – a skewed sense of morality. Teachers, coaches, and any adult who holds a position of trust and power over a student commits a grave crime when they break that trust and abuse the student.
More: Perpetuating Teacher-Student Sex Abuse in Schools
It’s also important to note that schools and institutions often engage in conduct which allows such abuse to occur. In these situations, schools which have reason to suspect the abuse and do nothing about it, are in a sense, far worse than the abuser. Time and time again, school administrators will sweep allegations of sexual abuse under the rug in order to protect the school’s reputation and avoid an investigation. This is particularly true in private school settings including religious or parochial schools where policies and procedures vary and are oftentimes lax.
Here’s the reality – in a school sex abuse situation, other students and teachers usually have either directly seen the abuse or have heard rumors about the abuse. When questioned, many students and teachers will admit that they heard something was going on between the teacher and a student, but did not think it was their place to do or say anything about it. In other words, they were all afraid to rock the boat. This mentality is often shared by school administrators. Schools may find themselves having to answer a civil action in situations where it did nothing about allegations of sex abuse within its walls.
For more information, contact a school sex abuse lawyer.
Pennsylvania School Sex Abuse Law Firm
LBK handles school sex abuse cases in the Northeast area with offices in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. Attorneys at the firm are licensed in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In addition, the firm has the resources and experience to handle school sex abuse cases in all states and welcomes calls from local counsel about potential cases. Philadelphia Office (Walnut Street): (866) 641-0806 | Toll Free: Click To Call
Published: September 10, 2012
Last updated: July 9, 2015
