Adults need to be aware of the problem of “sexting” which involves a young person using a mobile phone to take sexually-explicit digital photos for distribution by SMS, MMS or email. Once on the internet, these images leave a permanent footprint that can be accessed by others.
It is important that students know that the production and distribution of pornography constitutes a crime, whether images are of their own bodies or those of other. This can have long-term consequences such as being placed on a paedophile register, thereby affecting their future choice of career.
It is usual now for students and parents to sign cyber-safety agreements and agree to follow copyright and licensing laws. Teachers must ensure that students and parents are familiar with internet security and how to deal with breaches.
Given the rate of change, teachers should attend professional development sessions whenever possible These are provided by NetAlert, Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), NetSafe (New Zealand) and similar organisations to learn about current potential risks, the latest internet scams, cyber-bullying, identity theft, dangers inherent in chat-rooms, Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites. Students should know about Kids Helpline, Cybersmart Kids Online, Stay Smart Online and other relevant websites.
Some school principals continue to ignore child sexual abus
Despite mandatory reporting legislation, daily media publicity, child protection initiatives and huge compensation payments made to victims, some school principals, staff and education administrators have continued to ignore child sex offences committed by staff 6.
In September 2007, a student reported to the principal that she had been sexually abused by a teacher at a Toowoomba Catholic Primary School. The victim left the school and over the next two years the teacher abused another twelve children7,8,9. Fourteen months later, another victim made a disclosure to police.
The teacher retired suddenly but despite the circumstances, he was loaded with gifts, received farewell Mass and glowing testimonials. Weeks later, he was re-hired as a relief teacher. Worse, he was appointed as child protection officer in whom children were told to confide10. The 60-year old man was charged with 12 counts of rape and 34 counts of indecent treatment of 13 girls and the school principal was summoned for failing to report the sexual abuse of a child11. The principal said he sought the advice of his “immediate superiors” and thought (wrongly) that this was his only obligation. He claimed to have “followed their advice on how to proceed” which only involved writing a letter to the accused informing him of the allegations. The prosecutor said these officials “watered down” the allegations, before confronting the teacher. Surprisingly, Magistrate Stjernqvist acquitted the principal but said it was clear that someone at the school or Catholic Education office had committed an offence. The Bishop then sacked both the principal and two administrators saying that their actions showed a clear lack of understanding of the behaviour expected of school managers. The Bishop accepted that his actions (which were applauded by the community) might result in the church being sued for wrongful dismissal in addition to being sued by victims’ parents12. Teachers contributing to relevant internet sites made it clear that the inaction of the Toowoomba management was not at all unusual and when past whistleblowers exposed paedophile colleagues and priests, they risked losing their jobs.
The unwillingness of adults to “get involved” in the protection of children was confirmed by a national study published by the Australian Childhood Foundation (2008)13 which found that 31% of Australian adults would dismiss children as liars if they said they’d been sexually abused. An additional 20% said they wouldn’t know what to do. Sixteen percent didn’t know that it was an offence for an adult to use a child for sex and 16% did not know that most child sex offences are committed by people who are known and trusted by their victims In other words, unless we educate the community, the chances of children receiving help to stop abuse are slim. Adult ignorance becomes obvious when we read repeatedly that parents of sexuaIly abused children reported sexual crimes to senior clergy or a head teacher and didn’t contact police even when it became obvious that the school or church authorities were ignoring crimes committed against their children. This suggests that parents may be ignorant of the serious long-term harm that abuse can cause. The Foundation’s study also found that Australians ranked child abuse 13th on a list of concerning community issues, behind the state of footpaths, inefficient public transport and petrol prices. Chief executive officer Joe Tucci told media:
“Many people could not deal with the horror of child abuse and they choose to ignore it and hope that someone else will act on it. The community is putting it in the margins of their focus as they want to believe it is someone else’s problem and that someone out there is doing something about it.”
The study involved 720 adults from all states and territories 14 .
Apart from ignorance, disbelief and the minimalisation of sexual crimes against children, school principals may avoid making reports because they fear having to give evidence in court and they fear violence from offenders15.
A study undertaken by psychologists at Oregon University (USA) showed that men are unlikely to believe reports of abuse unless they themselves were victims. The study, published in Psychology of Women Quarterly, also found that sexist males tended to believe that such incidents, if they happened at all, were not harmful. Leading author Lisa DeMarni and psychology Professor Jennifer Freyd said this goes some way to explain why 86% of child sex crimes are never reported. “Until we change societal attitudes, abuse victims are unlikely to speak up. That means that abuse can keep occurring and victims won’t get the societal support they need. It’s positive social support and being believed that is most likely leading to positive mental health outcomes” 16.
The importance of child protection policies
Because of the responsibility placed on people who work with children in both paid and voluntary capacities, it is important that administrators and staff of all services catering for children, together with parents and management boards, develop child protection and abuse prevention policies which must be read, agreed and implemented by staff, researchers, tertiary and high school students on field experience, volunteers and other visitors. The general aims of a child protection and abuse prevention policy are to:
create a safe environment and protect children while in the care of staff (including camps, clubs, sleep-overs, sports-training, drama and choir rehearsals and visits elsewhere)
provide children with information to help them to protect themselves; and
report abuse to statutory authorities
respond in ways that make children safe when abuse is suspected
reduce stress on staff by providing guidance, counselling and keeping them well informed especially when abuse is reported
protect staff from wrongful accusation by implementing safe strategies
re-assure parents by involving them in policy development
Specific aims should be to:
emphasise child safety and invite staff, children and parents to identify places/situations that could make children vulnerable to abuse and create changes necessary to increase safety. This is very important in large schools and situations involving volunteers
make public the underlying philosophy and commitment of a service which accepts its responsibilities for the protection of children