'Snitches get stitches': School-specific barriers to victim disclosure and peer reporting of sexual harm committed by young people in school contexts

Prevention of, and response to, sexual harassment at secondary school: A system map

BACKGROUND

Sexual harassment in secondary school is common but only recently acknowledged as a widespread problem in the United Kingdom. There is limited research on how schools respond to incidents of sexual harassment. The aim of this study was to understand how school systems shape the dynamics of disclosure, reporting and handling of sexual harassment in school (including behaviours, processes, norms), and to identify opportunities for effecting systems change.

METHODS

We used participatory systems mapping to elicit school stakeholders' perspectives on systems factors and their connections. Researchers built the map based on in-person workshops with students (n = 18) and staff (n = 4) from three schools in Scotland. Survey data (n = 638 students; n = 119 staff) was used to augment participant perspectives. The map was validated via three workshops (two online, one in-person) involving students and staff from seven schools.

RESULTS

The final map (causal loop diagram) represents a hypothesised system of 25 causally connected factors and three feedback loops shaping the disclosure, reporting and handling of sexual harassment. We grouped these factors into four interlinked themes: 1] Knowledge and confidence; 2] Trust in reporting system and processes; 3] Communication, confidentiality and safeguarding; and, 4] Prioritisation of sexual harassment.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

This study highlights the interconnectedness of factors shaping disclosure, reporting and handling of sexual harassment within secondary schools. The map surfaces key challenges for schools and provides a foundation for learning and discussions on where to focus efforts in future.

Whom Would You Help? The Impact of Perpetrator and Victim Gender on Bystander Behavior During a Sexual Assault

We examined the impact of perpetrator and victim gender on bystander helping choices and assault perceptions. Participants (32 females, 37 males) read about two simultaneously occurring sexual assaults, indicated which victim they would help, and gave their perceptions of the assaults. We used a within-participants design that fully manipulated the perpetrator and victim gender for both assaults. Results showed female victims of male perpetrators and male victims of female perpetrators were most and least likely to be chosen for help, respectively. Cognitive networks derived from open-ended responses provided insight into the rationale used by participants to make helping decisions in ways that differed by perpetrator and victim gender.

To tell or not to tell about bullying-New insights from the study on the perceptions of criminal sanctioning, anticipation of school punishment, agency, and trust toward school staff

The primary aim of this study was to determine whether perceptions of criminal sanctioning and school punishment predict students' willingness to report different types of bullying (material, physical, sexual, verbal, relational, and cyberbullying). An online survey was conducted with secondary school students (n = 1092) as participants. Traditionally included predictors (trust toward school staff, cost of reporting bullying, gender, and school agency) were also incorporated into a multiple linear regression analysis. The perception of criminal sanctioning for a particular type of bullying was a significant predictor of the willingness to report a given type of bullying, whereas anticipation of school punishment was relevant only in the case of cyberbullying. Trust toward school staff and gender were also significant predictors of willingness to report any type of bullying. School agency helped predict the willingness to report any kind of bullying except cyberbullying. Surprisingly, the costs of reporting bullying were relevant only in the case of material bullying. These results have important implications for stakeholders and school administration in identifying unreported bullying, developing and implementing anti-bullying policies, and introducing programs aimed at improving students' legal awareness.

"Pay Attention! Pay Attention! Pay Attention!!!": The Pivotal Role of Educators and the Educational System as Experienced by Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse

Educational institutions and educators are significant in children's lives, and they have a crucial role in implementing policies, practices, and sexual education to enhance children's safety. Such policies and practices should be based on the voices of CSA survivors. This study explored child sexual abuse (CSA) survivors' viewpoints on their past experiences with educators and the educational system. A qualitative thematic approach was used to analyze 61 written testimonies collected in 2020-2021 by the Israeli Independent Public Inquiry on CSA. Two interrelated themes arose: (1) CSA survivors' retrospective perspectives of educators and the educational system's responses to signs of their CSA, described as ranging from abusive to life-saving. Specifically, they shared three types of responses: (a) harmful and hurtful; (b) dismissive and ignoring; and (c) accepting and attending. (2) The second theme described the survivors' messages to educators to promote constructive change. The survivors conveyed expectations that educators should play a central role in CSA prevention, detection, and intervention and, specifically, the need for educators to receive professional training, provide beneficial sexual education, and identify and respond to CSA. The findings promoted moving beyond individual-level interventions to focus on improving educational institutional and organizational cultures related to CSA in both national and international contexts.

Strengthening Schools' Responses to Students' Harmful Sexual Behaviors: A Scoping Review

Research into harmful sexual behavior (HSB) by children and young people under the age of 18 has grown in recent years. A key concern emerging is the high prevalence of HSB in school settings. Although teachers are increasingly aware of HSB, their provision of effective responses has remained a major challenge. While progress has been made by providing teachers with best practice models and tools, little is known about what facilitates and hinders their application of these in practice. This scoping review sought to address the question: "What are the barriers and enablers for teachers in responding effectively to HSB?" Eight international databases and one search engine were employed to identify relevant academic and gray literature. The inclusion criteria comprised all study types, published in the past two decades, and focused on teachers' knowledge, experiences, and responses to HSB. Twenty-five publications met the inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis identified that minimization of HSB, harmful social norms, and inadequate support from external agencies were major barriers. These barriers could be mitigated by adopting a whole-school approach and establishing proactive partnerships with parents and external agencise, along with offering alternative pathways to safety. The findings of this review highlighted the importance of addressing the full continuum of HSB through early, secondary, or tertiary interventions, and sharpening the focus of respectful relationships education to transform gender relations in classrooms and the workplace. Further research is needed to explore schools' responses to specific populations, including those with disabilities and females.

A Systematic Review Exploring Variables Related to Bystander Intervention in Sexual Violence Contexts

This article presents a systematic review of the available literature which has investigated the role of key variables in facilitating or inhibiting bystander intervention (including direct intervention, tertiary and secondary prevention) in sexual violence (SV) contexts. Studies exploring the role of individual, situational and contextual variables were grouped to provide a narrative overview of bystanders' personal characteristics as well as the immediate and wider contexts which may be influencing their bystander behaviour. A systematic search of published literature from four electronic databases identified 2526 articles that were screened, of which 85 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies focused upon the role of individual variables, in particular gender of bystander. This body of work finds females are more likely to intervene than males; however, not all studies report these differences and in some cases, this is influenced by the type of intervention behaviour being considered. Regarding situational variables, the most commonly researched variable was the presence of other bystanders, although the role of this variable as inhibiting or facilitating was not clear. Finally, the most commonly researched contextual variable was social norms towards intervention, which has consistently shown greater bystander intervention when there is a belief that peers support such behaviour. Very few studies considered the interaction between these variables. Therefore, it is important for future research to consider this gap in the literature so that we can obtain a more well-rounded understanding of variables that can inhibit and facilitate bystander intervention in SV contexts.

"We were there all alone": Sexual abuse within the peer group in boarding schools in Israel - Retrospective perceptions of adult survivors

BACKGROUND

Despite the extensive research on child sexual abuse and the alarming extent of the phenomenon among peers, certain perspectives are still missing.

OBJECTIVE

The current study aimed to explore the subjective experience of adult survivors of peer sexual abuse while in boarding school, which has rarely been explored.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

The present study included 15 adults who were sexually abused by their peers while attending boarding school.

METHODS

The data were based on semi-structured in-depth interviews focused on the abuse story, disclosure, and the meaning of the boarding school context to the participants. The interviews were analyzed using the qualitative thematic analysis approach.

RESULTS

The findings characterized the boarding school as lacking parental figures, lacking rule and regulation enforcement, and staff who were not able to deal effectively with sexual abuse cases. The relationships within the peer group in the boarding school were characterized by intense, although unspoken, intimacy and sexuality. As part of the group's socialization, breaking the rules was encouraged, including in the sexual realm. Furthermore, the boarding school was perceived as a space that maintained conservative patriarchal social structures that encouraged traditional gender perceptions.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of the current study indicated the urgent need to advance both policy and practice in this area, for example, greater involvement of the boarding school staff in the lives of the adolescents and implementation of rules and regulations to create a safer climate for those who choose, or need, to live away from home.

Stop Sexual Harassment: A study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial in secondary schools in Norway

Background

Sexual- and gendered harassment are normalised in many peer groups, yet their associations with mental health concerns among adolescents are well-established. School based interventions that prevent and reduce sexual and gendered harassment among younger adolescents are scarce. For schools, protecting pupils from harassment may be challenging if the behaviour is trivialised among the pupils themselves. In the current study, the school intervention "Stop Sexual Harassment" was therefore developed to help teachers and pupils detect, address and stop sexual and gendered harassment among pupils ages 13-15 in Norwegian secondary schools.

Methods

In this study the effectiveness of "Stop Sexual Harassment" is evaluated via a cluster randomised controlled trial among pupils and teachers at 38 secondary schools. Schools were randomised into intervention and control groups. Primary outcomes are sexual and gendered harassment victimisation and perpetration, which will be assessed by the administration of questionnaires to pupils and teachers at baseline, and 2-, and 7-months follow-up. A process evaluation of the intervention implementation will be conducted through focus group interviews with pupils and teachers to gain insight about their experiences with the program components and implementation of the intervention.

Discussion

If the intervention yields positive effects, large-scale implementation of the program may be offered for secondary schools. The program may thus reduce sexual and gendered harassment among young adolescents.

Clinical trial registration

clinicaltrial.gov; identifier: NCT04716400.

Possible paths to increase detection of child sexual abuse in child and adolescent psychiatry: a meta-synthesis of survivors’ and health professionals’ experiences of addressing child sexual abuse

Background

Efforts are directed both towards prevention and early detection of Child sexual abuse (CSA). Yet, only about 50% of CSA survivors disclose before adulthood, and health professionals rarely are the first disclosure recipients. Increasing the detection rate of CSA within the context of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) therefore represents a significant secondary prevention strategy. However, facilitating CSA disclosure when the survivor is reluctant to tell is a highly complex and emotionally demanding clinical task. We therefore argue that efforts to increase detection rates of CSA within CAP need to rest on knowledge of how both survivors and health professionals experience addressing CSA.

Method

Using meta-ethnography as method, we present separate sub-syntheses as well an overarching joint synthesis of how survivors and health professionals experience addressing CSA.

Results

Results show how both survivors and health professionals facing CSA disclosure feel deeply isolated, they experience the consequences of addressing CSA as highly unpredictable, and they need support from others to counteract the negative impact of CSA.

Conclusion

The results indicate that adapting the organization of CAP to knowledge of how the survivors and health professionals experience addressing CSA is critical to facilitate earlier disclosure of CSA within CAP.

Patterns of disclosure and perceived societal responses after child sexual abuse

BACKGROUND

Disclosure of child sexual abuse (CSA) is key for abused children to access help and to protect them and other children.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate patterns of disclosure of child sexual abuse and how children perceived responses from people they disclosed to.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Data were collected online in classrooms and during home studies in a national probability-based sample of 3282 third-year students in Swedish high schools in 2020-2021 (the age of the students varied between 16 and 23 years (M = 18,2)).

METHODS

Results are presented with frequencies (n) and percentages (%). Pearson's chi-squared test was used for comparisons between groups.

RESULTS

First, a substantial share of abused girls and most abused boys had not yet told anyone about the abuse, leaving them unable to access protection or rehabilitation. Second, participants who had disclosed sexual abuse had most often turned to a peer, more rarely to an adult, and seldom to a professional or volunteer. Third, although the societal responses that the participants perceived were mixed, more severe abuse was associated with more negative societal responses. Fourth, most participants stated that they did not need any professional support. Fifth, among the minority who had sought help, half were satisfied and a third dissatisfied.

CONCLUSIONS

Results showed that most children with experience of CSA did not have access to the protection, support, and rehabilitation that they have a right to. Preventive measures need to target children and young people, while societal responses after CSA, especially severe CSA, need to be improved.

"Maybe I imagined it, maybe it really was all just childish play": Complexity and ambiguity in survivors' perceptions of harmful preadolescent sexual behavior

BACKGROUND

Harmful preadolescent sexual behavior (HPSB) is an understudied phenomenon in the field of child sexual abuse (CSA).

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the present study was to analyze and describe the experiences and perceptions of adult survivors of HPSB.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

16 survivors of HPSB were recruited as part of a purposeful sample. Their ages at the time of the study ranged from 21 to 50; they were Jewish-Israeli, secular, and Hebrew-speaking.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews and qualitative thematic analysis were conducted based on a descriptive phenomenological-psychological approach.

RESULTS

Participants described elements of complexity in their perceptions of the "truthiness" of their memories and the mutuality of the HPSB experiences, as well as their primacy, seriousness, and life impact. They also described elements of support during disclosure, but mostly exposed the challenges and hardship involved, particularly the lack of legitimacy in exposing harmful sexual behavior perpetrated by other children.

CONCLUSIONS

Both the HPSB experiences themselves and the subsequent disclosure contributed to the development of detached, mistrustful identities among the participants.

Preventing harmful sexual behavior in primary schools: Barriers and solutions

BACKGROUND

Schools are recognized as crucial stakeholders in preventing and combating public health problems such as sexual violence and abuse. While prevention efforts have often focused on safeguarding children from adult perpetrators, less attention has been dedicated to safeguarding against harmful sexual behavior (HSB) displayed by children and young people at school. As little is known about teachers' understanding of and responses to HSB in primary school more research is needed.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study is to explore and identify barriers to the prevention of HSB in primary school. Possible solutions to these identified barriers are pursued through a transformative lens.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Nineteen informants from six schools participated in focus-group interviews at their respective schools in the south-eastern region of Norway in May and June 2019. Fifteen of the informants were primary school teachers, three were school principals and one was a social worker.

METHODS

The focus-group interviews were transcribed verbatim, and the transcripts and field notes were analyzed using thematic analysis.

FINDINGS

Primary school teachers report a lack of HSB competence and limited multi-agency cooperation or coordinated practice. Under these circumstances, the teachers perceive the prevention of HSB as an overwhelming individual professional responsibility.

CONCLUSIONS

The study suggests that the following three policy initiatives need to be prioritized.

Barriers to Accessing Treatment Services: Child Victims of Youths with Problematic Sexual Behavior

Child sexual abuse (CSA) remains a significant public health problem. Although the deleterious effects on the child victims could be mitigated through evidence-based interventions, victims often fail to be identified and receive clinical assessment and therapy services, particularly when they have been victimized by another youth. Given that at least a third of CSA cases are committed by another youth, understanding the process of identifying and addressing the needs of CSA victims of youth is the focus of the present study. Factors impacting services for child victims of youths with problematic sexual behavior (PSB) were examined through qualitative interviews (N = 226) with mental health agency administrators, direct service providers, and community stakeholders from eight geographically diverse communities across the United States. Responses focused on macro and micro level barriers to the identification and service provision for child victims of PSB of youths. Implications for clinicians and policymakers are discussed, along with strategies to enhance access and provision of services to meet the needs of the child victims.

Sexual harassment by peers in Chilean schools

BACKGROUND

Although a significant amount of literature has explored peer sexual harassment in higher education, little is known about peer sexual harassment in primary and middle school. Among existing studies, most have examined individual student characteristics that predict peer sexual harassment without considering the importance of the classroom and school context, which may prevent or promote such harassment.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to identify individual and school-related factors predicting sexual harassment victimization.

METHODS

A sample of 17,364 Chilean students from Grades 5 through 8 in 405 schools with low socioeconomic status answered instruments concerning peer sexual harassment, other types of peer victimization and discrimination, and perceptions of classroom and school climate and norms against sexual harassment. Data were analyzed through hierarchical multivariate regression.

RESULTS

Experiences of being sexual harassed by other students were reported by 13.5 % of students, with higher frequencies in male students, students from Grades 5 and 6, and students with lower individual socioeconomic status. School-related experiences of being discriminated against due to sexual orientation, ethnic origin, and disability were the strongest predictors of sexual harassment victimization.

CONCLUSION

We discuss how peer sexual harassment might be understood as a consequence of peer social discrimination based on sexism, racism, and ableism. We also discuss the need to provide inclusive school climate policies that allow all students to feel safe and included.

Sexual Abuse and Assault in a Large National Sample of Children and Adolescents

The present study sought to examine features of sexual abuse cases among a U.S. nationally representative sample of 13,052 children and adolescents, ages 0-17 years. The National Survey of Children's Exposure to Violence was collected in three different years (2008, 2011, and 2014) via telephone interviews. Information about sexual abuse and assault was obtained from youth themselves (ages 10-17) or caregivers (for children ages 0-9) using the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire. Results indicate most offenses are at the hands of other juveniles (76.7% for males and 70.1% for females), primarily acquaintances, and occurring more frequently for adolescents aged 14-17. Whereas girls are mostly abused by males (88.4%), boys are abused by both males (45.6%) and females (54.4%). In 15% of cases, penetration is part of the abuse. Victims report being very afraid in 37.5% of episodes but not at all afraid in 19.8%. Among 10- to 17-year-olds, 66.3% of episodes are not reported to parents or any adult. Police reports occur for 19.1% of all cases. The results in the present study indicate that children and youth are exposed to sexual abuse and assault in varied ways, which require moving beyond conventional stereotypes of the problem.

Study protocol for PRISE: a longitudinal study of sexual harassment during the transition from childhood to adolescence

Background

Sexual harassment is a widespread problem with serious consequences for individuals and societies. It is likely that sexual harassment among peers has its main onset during the transition from late childhood to early adolescence, when young people enter puberty. However, there is a lack of systematic research on sexual harassment during this developmental period. Thus, there is very little information about the prevalence of sexual harassment during this important transition, its consequences, and how to effectively intervene against and prevent the problem. The primary objective of the described project, entitled Peer Relations In School from an Ecological perspective (PRISE), is to examine sexual harassment and its developmental correlates during the transition from late childhood to early adolescence.

Methods

The PRISE study has a longitudinal design over 3 years, in which a cohort of children (N = 1000) and their main teachers (N = 40) fill out questionnaires in grades 4, 5, and 6. The questionnaires assess aspects of peer sexual harassment and potential correlates including biological (e.g., pubertal development), psychosocial (e.g., self-assertiveness, self-image, peer relations), and contextual (e.g., classroom climate, norms) factors. In addition, we will examine school readiness and policies in relation to sexual harassment and collect register data to assess the number of reports of sexual harassment from the participating schools.

Discussion

The PRISE study will enable the researchers to answer fundamental, unresolved questions about the development of sexual harassment and thus advance the very limited understanding of sexual harassment during the transition from childhood to adolescence - a central period for physical, sexual, and social development. Due to the sensitive nature of the main research concepts, and the age of the participants, the ethical aspects of the research need particular attention. Ultimately, the hope is that the PRISE study will help researchers, policy makers, and practitioners develop, and implement, knowledge that may help in combating a major, current societal challenge and adverse aspect of young people’s developmental ecologies.

Management of non-consensually shared youth-produced sexual images: A Delphi study with adolescents as experts

There is an increased availability of online child abuse images, a proportion of which is created by young people in coercive and non- coercive relationships (sexting).

OBJECTIVES

This Delphi study with adolescents as "experts" who had taken and shared sexual images, was conducted to identify appropriate responses to sexting where images are shared without consent and identify indicators of distress and ways to facilitate disclosure when the sharing of images causes anxiety or is associated with further victimization.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

124 adolescents from the United Kingdom completed an online survey. All self-identified as taking and sharing sexual images of themselves. 45 provided full survey responses (73% female; mean age 16.24) and of these 23 completed the second round. Recruitment was through social media and local schools.

METHODS

An online two-round Delphi method was completed using a vignettes-based questionnaire. To assess consensus, a defined average percentage agreement (80% cut-off) was used. Qualitative content analysis identified relevant themes in responses to Round 1 which informed the Round 2 items.

RESULTS

In the first round 60 items were identified that endorsed views of problem identification, facilitation of disclosure, proportionate responding, and problem management. Overall, participants agreed that the clear majority of statements identified in Round 2 were important and thus achieved consensus.

CONCLUSIONS

This study represents a novel and inclusive approach through the formation of an expert panel of young people. These views may inform appropriate victim-centered management of cases where images have been shared without permission.