We are pleased you have found your way to S.E.S.A.M.E.'s website. You are here for a reason. You are here because you have an interest in protecting your students, your school, your district and your community from what we call Educator Sexual Abuse and Misconduct. You may have concerns about the behaviors you have observed from fellow colleagues or staff members. Or, unfortunately, you may be reading this because an educator or staff member in your school community has been accused of sexual abuse or misconduct with a student/s.
S.E.S.A.M.E. has been a non-profit organization for over 20 years advocating on behalf of victims of educator sexual abuse and misconduct, their families and communities. There is a great need for awareness education of the prevalence of this issue. Even educators who have received child abuse and prevention training are not adequately equipped to observe, respond and process the educator sexual abuse phenomena.
We encourage you to use the resources available to you on S.E.S.A.M.E.'s website. We have the best of the best on our board of directors and board of advisors. We are confident that the information and resources on our site will assist and support you in acting on or following up on your personal situation.
Thank you for being responsible and caring enough to find S.E.S.A.M.E.
WELCOME EDUCATOR
EDUCATOR TIPS
Here are just a few general tips for educators who want to be more aware and engaged when it comes to protecting children from sexual abuse, misconduct and exploitation. Please also be sure to check with your local school, district or government about laws and initiatives that may impact you as an educator.
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Protect the students in your school. Keep your eyes and ears open. If you see something between an educator and a student that doesn't seem right to you, report it.
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Educate yourself about what is inappropriate so you know what you are looking for. What is abuse? What is misconduct? What is exploitation? Use your gut instinct too – if something seems inappropriate, it probably is. Stop suspicious behavior before it gets worse.
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Protect yourself. Know your own boundaries and educate students about how to maintain safe boundaries with others. Remind your students that you are available if they need to talk and provide a place where they can feel safe to share thoughts and feelings with you. Protect yourself by providing a safe location that is visible to others.
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Communicate. Encourage students to communicate openly with each other, and with you, as well as with other school professionals. If they witness something inappropriate, encourage them to communicate it to someone.
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IT IS YOUR JOB TO REPORT ABUSE. By law, educators are mandated reporters. What does this mean? Educators are obligated to report any incidence of abuse or alleged abuse to the proper authorities. This means reporting inappropriate behavior to:
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School administrators
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The local police department
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The local Department of Children and Family Services
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If you witness abuse, it is your responsibility to make sure all of these parties are notified of the abuse. Suppose the school administrator does not follow through with his or her required notifications. The abused child is still at risk and still needs help!
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Parents of the abused child – Parents should be aware of the protocols that educators must take when there is alleged abuse. Regardless of what parents want, you must report incidents to the above authorities.
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What happens if you don't report abuse?
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The student remains at risk for further harm.
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The abusive educator could harm others.
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As an educator, you could face legal action for not reporting abuse that you know about.
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Again, please make sure to inform yourself on all individual school and local mandates for reporting and professional conduct.
Please contact S.E.S.A.M.E if you would like to participate in or sponsor a Sexual Abuse and Misconduct Awareness event at your school.