6. What can you do to tackle child sexual victimisation?

School staff are in an ideal position to detect situations that may threaten children’s wellness and development. Children spend much of their time in schools and attend school daily, therefore, school staff have considerable opportunities to recognise any changes that may occur in children’s behaviour and their interactions with the world around them.

As stated in the Children’s Commissioner Report (2017), school staff members are usually one of the trusted people outside of the family circle, to whom children can disclose sexual abuse. Within the school environment, it is possible to establish positive relationships and bonds which offer children a sense of safety and enables them to share their worries and any difficulties they may be experiencing. In Helena’s story, we can see, for example, how the teacher offers a space to enable dialogue and afterwards to detect changes in her behaviour.

But are we ready to receive a sexual abuse disclosure from a child? Will we know how to react properly if that situation takes place?

Imagine that Helena has come to you and described her experiences and what has been happening to her. Considering your role and responsibility as a teacher, click through each of the questions below and identify which actions are appropriate to take after receiving a sexual abuse disclosure:

Download a list of appropriate and inappropriate actions following a disclosure of child sexual abuse