A Child Sexual Abuse Research Project: A Brief Endnote

Abstract

There is a dearth of research on sexual abuse perpetrated by educators. Although the problem is receiving increasing attention, little emphasis has been placed on abuse directed at younger schoolchildren and on offenders’ accounts of this form of abuse. Here, we attempt to address this gap in knowledge by exploring the narratives of five convicted, imprisoned male child sexual abusers, each of whom worked with children in educational settings in the United Kingdom. We draw on four themes that emerged from detailed interviews with offenders, namely: the power of reputation, authority and control, the “front of invulnerability,” and disclosure of abuse. We conclude by considering the implications of our work for policy and practice.

KEYWORDS:

• sexual abuse
• children
• educators
• teachers

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Susan Roberts

Susan Roberts, MPhil, is senior lecturer in the Department of Criminology, Swansea University. Her research interests focus on sexual offending against children, including the motivation and strategies of child sexual abusers; and female sexual offending.

Maurice Vanstone

Maurice Vanstone, PhD, is Emeritus Professor in Criminology and Criminal Justice at Swansea University. His research has included the effectiveness of community sentences; sexual crimes against children and the motivations and strategies of child sexual abusers; the international origins of probation; and the skills and practice of probation officers in Jersey.