Stop Educator Sexual Abuse Misconduct & Exploitation (SESAME) is an organization that describes itself as a national voice for prevention of abuse by educators and other school employees. It has compiled alarming statistics on the incidences of sexual abuse in schools nationwide, reporting that just under 500 educators were arrested in 2015:
- Of children in 8th through 11th grade, about 3.5 million students (nearly 7%) surveyed reported having had physical sexual contact from an adult (most often a teacher or coach). The type of physical contact ranged from unwanted touching of their body, all the way up to sexual intercourse.
- This statistic increases to about 4.5 million children (10%) when it takes other types of sexual misconduct into consideration, such as being shown pornography or being subjected to sexually explicit language or exhibitionism.
- Very often, other teachers “thought there might be something going on”, but were afraid to report a fellow educator if they were wrong. They didn’t want to be responsible for “ruining a person’s life,” although that is exactly what they are doing to the child if they don’t speak up, thus allowing the abuse to continue.
I for one don’t trust anonymous surveys as a source to make these sort of claims. The same reasons they are considered reliable could equally make them unreliable. Without a follow up, there’s no way to determine if the answers or claims made are true.
Reporting of sexual misconduct may be rising, but it is concerning that no investigation of such conduct is considered taken seriously unless it finds the accused guilty. Consequently, the accused must somehow prove his/her innocence. What exactly is the safeguard against false accusations since a mere accusation – proven or not – effectively ends the career of the accused?
Then what about those situations that were instigated by students? Is the accused a predator for giving in to student advances? I don’t think so. Certainly lacking professional judgment, definitely an idiot, but not a predator.
SESAME looks like a private advocacy group, funded by private donations. Accordingly, I personally couldn’t care less what they claim. They’re perfectly allowed to fudge whatever statistics they find or establish to solicit private donations, as shown in the parentheses in the very first bullet point. The ludicrously wide range of activity in the second bullet – particularly “being subjected to sexually explicit language” – can only serve to overstate the issue.
The problem I do have is if/when they seek government grants. That’s when it becomes a front serving only to fill the pockets of whoever runs it, much like NCMEC. Such organizations are absolutely worthless regarding their stated goals and missions, yet government funding to them continues despite the supposed increases in the issues they claim to be fighting so successfully against.
It’s just a matter of time till no one will be qualified to be a teacher or law enforcement officer. The ‘angel of light’ is slowly but surely destroying our society. I believe that if we don’t turn back to letting the Bible, God’s Word, establish our ‘steps’ we are heading to an ultimate doom. There is no other way that has permanence.
In agreement Capt!
I had to attend group therapy for sex offenders while on parole. My therapist flat out stated that he thought the restrictions banning registrants from living or working near schools was totally ridiculous because the only sexual abuse and assault going on there was by teachers or fellow students. In my own home town (Bay City, MI) there was an incident where a teacher was found by police in the back seat of his car with a 15-year-old girl, both of them completely naked. There was another 15-year-old girl in the front seat, either just watching or awaiting her turn. It turned out that this teacher was the school superintendant’s son. The incident was buried by authorities and that teacher simply moved to Texas to take another teaching job, no doubt with glowing employee references. Just like in most cases, convicted sex offenders are not the real danger. The real danger comes from friends, family members, and authority figures such as teachers.
REPORTED sexual abuse by teachers is on the rise. THAT may be a good thing. But actual sexual abuse by teachers may have been occurring for some time.
If this organization is taking an evidence-based approach to abuse prevention, then I would view them as an ally of groups like FAC. But if they are relying on public registries for abuse prevention, then they are not actually that interested in abuse prevention.