Abused by the Teacher.

This week the BBC Victoria Derbyshire program presented a documentary about young people who had been groomed and sexually abused by their primary school teachers. Some abuse occurred regularly and frequently in the school and in some cases continued off school property in teacher’s homes. The revelations of victims were shocking and disturbing, but what was equally upsetting is that some of the abusers had either been previously charged with sexual offences or were suspected of sexual abuse in schools. This vital information often wasn’t shared so a teacher could get a position in a different part of the country and their employer would be unaware of legitimate concerns. In some cases, the police weren’t informed either. This often allowed a child abuser in schools to abuse over decades before being stopped.

Sexual abuse in its many varied forms must cease, but when serious concerns about a teacher’s conduct are known and documented then this information must be available and shared responsibly when necessary. Otherwise vicious and ruthless sexual predators will continue to abuse children in schools.