There have been many high-profile cases of Tennessee sexual abuse in 2015 where teachers are accused of sexual harassment and exploitation of students. According to nationwide statistics available, a significant number of students under-18 years of age are subject to sex abuse by teachers or school employees. About 70 percent of female students experiencing sexual harassment at school or private tuitions in Tennessee feel embarrassed and suffer in studies. However, to utter dismay, only a fraction of such cases come to public glare and perpetrators are punished.
What is Teacher Sex Abuse in Tennessee
Sexual assault allegations against teachers have been on the rise in Tennessee, leaving lifelong consequences for victims of sexual abuse.
Some of the most common examples of teacher sexual abuse include:
- Consensual sex by seducing students
- Non-consensual sex with students
- Emotional and physical abuse following sexual abuse, such as blackmail, intimidation, threats
- Violence during sex or aggravated rape
- Sexual harassment
- Physical intimacy with students
- Unwanted sexual advances
- Sexual bullying
- Intentionally brushing up against the student in a sexual way
- Sexual assault
- Rape
- Sexual touching
- Sending lewd messages / Sexting
Sexual relations between teachers and students, whether consensual or non-consensual, raise the concern of abuse of trust, destroying the trust expected in a professional relationship due to such non-professional behavior. There could be issues of conflict of interest emanating from such relationships, wherein a teacher may show favoritism or hostility toward the student.
Which Students Are Most Vulnerable
According to a latest study report issued by the Association of American Universities, 12 percent of students across 27 universities across the United States had allegedly experienced sexual assault by force or incapacitation. The report claims that the number of cases of sexual harassment by teachers is especially high for transgender, gender nonconforming, genderqueer, and female students.
Sexual abusers often target vulnerable or marginal students, since teachers believe such students would be disbelieved if they report sexual harassment or abuse. Most of such students are gratified for attention and teachers do not hesitate to exploit them sexually.
What are the Effects of Teacher Sex Abuse on Students
Tennessee sexual abuse by teachers results in irreparable damage that lasts into adulthood in a majority of children. Such incidents of sexual crime against students leave the victims physically and emotionally weakened. Victims of sex abuse suffer physical, health, emotional, and educational effects, with many dropping out of school, unwilling to attend school or being social, and feeling embarrassed, afraid, and confused about identity.
According to a 2006 “Drawing the Line” report,
- 57% of sexually abused female students reported feeling embarrassed, self-conscious
- 55% reported feeling angry
- 32% reported feeling afraid
Student victims of sexual harassment experience severe impact on their academic development, decreased participation in class, loss of appetite, change schools, avoid group studies, sleeping problems, nightmares, think about changing schools or major, and/or avoid the library.
Legal Recourse & Sex Abuse Lawsuit
There have been stunning reports of Tennessee sexual abuse of students of all ages by K-12 teachers. Tennessee State Board of Education has disciplined 434 teachers since 2004, but the numbers of teacher sex abuse continue to rise. Over 65,000 public school teachers face disciplinary action, but the problem of sexual harassment of students seems to be spreading like epidemic in Tennessee.
Teachers can lose licenses for involvement in sexual abuse, whether engaging in consensual or non-consensual sex with students or sending inappropriate messages.
Please contact us or call on 1-800-632-1404 for a free consultation with our Tennessee sexual abuse attorney.