School-Based Responses to Children Who Have Been Sexually Assaulted

• Published in: Education & treatment of children Vol. 27; no. 1; pp. 64 - 81
• Main Authors: Webster, Raymond E., Hall, Cathy W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York The Roscoe Ledger 01.02.2004; Springer; West Virginia University Press, University of West Virginia
• Subjects: Adults; Care and treatment; Child Abuse; Child abuse & neglect; Child molestation; Child neglect; Child pornography; Child protective services; Child psychology; Child welfare; Childhood; College Students; Crisis intervention; Education; Educators; Government services; Medical personnel; Mental Health Workers; Practice; Sex crimes; Sexual Abuse; Sexually abused children; STUDIES; Teacher attitudes; United States; United States
• ISSN: 0748-8491

Over 300,000 children are sexually abused annually in the United States, with 84,320 new cases of child sexual abuse occurring each year (National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse, 1998). It is inevitable that educators and mental health professionals working in the schools will become involved with some of these children. Because of this it is essential that educators understand the dynamics involved in child sexual abuse and know how to respond professionally and legally should a child disclose this experience to them. This paper provides a brief and up-to-date review of the salient aspects of this literature in this area and concludes with a specific discussion about how educators should proceed in the event a child makes such allegations.