Survivors of child sex abuse face many hurdles. They face deep and long lasting emotional scars. In addition, drugs and alcohol problems are often very common and begin at an early age. Teenagers who were victims of child sex abuse often turn to drugs and alcohol to help them cope. Suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety, rage, […]
The problem of sex abuse in schools is very serious. Whether committed by a fellow student, a teacher, coach or principal, we must do everything we can to stop sex abuse in all places, including schools. New Jersey School Sex Abuse – Reporting Requirement Schools in New Jersey are required to report suspected cases of […]
Cases of abuse by school employees such as teachers, coaches, and even principals have increased, especially in the last several years. According to a November 2012 Report of Pennsylvania’s Task Force on Child Protection, the PA Department of Education has over 500 open cases, 144 of which involve sexual misconduct or physical abuse. The silver […]
We trust our schools with the care and safety of our children. We trust that no teacher, coach or other school employee like a janitor will abuse our children. The problem, however, is that sex abuse in a school setting occurs with a frequency that is simply unacceptable. The question is-how do we protect our […]
A: The answer depends on many factors such as the statute of limitations, the applicability of any exceptions to the statute, and whether the school is a private or public school. In general, public schools have some protection under state law, whereas private schools do not receive such protection. For private schools such as religious […]
School administrators must take any report of sexual abuse seriously. However, investigating a report of sex abuse in a school setting is often fraught with peril. The student-victim must be protected and the abuser investigated fairly. These can be conflicting interests. Teachers, coaches, janitorial staff and even other school children can commit sex abuse. In […]
Sex abuse in a school setting is a widespread problem. Just last week, a soccer coach was found guilty of 5 counts of sexually abusing a student he was coaching. Whether by a teacher, coach or counselor, or even by a fellow student, sex abuse can leave victims with long term emotional and mental issues. […]
Any teacher who commits any type of abuse, be it sexual, physical or mental can be held liable for the abuse. There is no requirement that there be an actual witness to the assault. Teachers can be held liable in criminal courts as well as civil courts for abusive conduct. Bringing Criminal Charges Against a […]
Last month, an Oregon school principal, Michael Bremont, took plea deals in two separate student sex abuse cases. There is evidence that school employees confronted Bremont in the first case, before the second case occurred. However, those school employees did nothing after Bremont denied the abuse. This was in 2007. The second criminal case involves […]
Children who are abused in school settings, whether by an administrator, teacher, aide, nurse, coach or janitor, have legal rights under the laws of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. First, a victim of sex abuse in a school setting has legal rights in the criminal justice system. For instance, under the Pennsylvania Crime Victim’s Act, victims […]