Sexual abuse, grooming behaviors, inappropriate employee-student relationships, and other boundary violations harm students, their parents/guardians, the District’s environment, the school community and the community at large, while diminishing a student’s ability to learn. Such conduct and other sexual misconduct are prohibited pursuant to Board Policy 5:120. To increase awareness and understanding of these issues, the District encourages parents/guardians, students and all members of the school community to closely review Board Policy 5:120, Employee Ethics, Conduct, and Conflict of Interest, Board Policy 4:165, Awareness and Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse and Grooming Behaviors, and the information listed below.
Sexual Abuse Response and Prevention Guide
Warning Signs of Child Sexual Abuse
Warning signs[1] of child sexual abuse include, but are not limited to, the following behaviors:
Physical signs:
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or other genital infections
- Signs of trauma to the genital area, such as unexplained bleeding, bruising, or blood on the sheets, underwear, or other clothing
- Unusual weight gain or loss
Behavioral signs:
- Excessive talk about or knowledge of sexual topics
- Keeping secrets
- Not talking as much as usual
- Not wanting to be left alone with certain people or being afraid to be away from primary caregivers
- Regressive behaviors or resuming behaviors that the child had grown out of, such as thumb sucking or bedwetting
- Overly compliant behavior
- Sexual behavior that is inappropriate for the child’s age
- Spending an unusual amount of time alone
- Trying to avoid removing clothing to change or bathe
Emotional signs:
- Change in eating habits or unhealthy eating patterns, like loss of appetite or excessive eating
- Signs of depression, such as persistent sadness, lack of energy, changes in sleep or appetite, withdrawing from normal activities, or feeling “down”
- Change in mood or personality, such as increased aggression
- Decrease in confidence or self-image
- Anxiety, excessive worry, or fearfulness
- Increase in unexplained health problems such as stomach aches and headaches
- Loss or decrease in interest in school, activities, and friends
- Nightmares or fear of being alone at night
- Self-harming behaviors or expressing thoughts of suicide or suicidal behavior
- Failing grades
- Drug or alcohol use
Grooming Behavior & Warning Signs
A person commits “grooming” when the person knowingly uses a computer on-line service, Internet service, local bulletin board service, or any other device capable of electronic data storage or transmission, performs an act in person or by conduct through a third party, or uses written communication to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice, or attempt to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice, a child, a child's guardian, or another person believed by the person to be a child or a child's guardian, to commit any sex offense as defined in Section 2 of the Sex Offender Registration Act, to distribute photographs depicting the sex organs of the child, or to otherwise engage in any unlawful sexual conduct with a child or with another person believed by the person to be a child.
Warning signs of grooming include, but are not limited to, the following behaviors:
- Sexual or romantic invitations to a student via any form of communication
- Dating or soliciting a date from a student
- Engaging in sexualized or romantic dialog with a student through any form of communication
- Making sexually suggestive comments that are directed toward or with a student
- Self-disclosure or physical exposure of a sexual, romantic, or erotic nature through any form of communication
- Sexual, indecent, romantic, or erotic contact with a student
- Failing to respect boundaries or listening when a student says “no”
- Engaging in touching that a student or student’s parents/guardians have indicated is unwanted
- Trying to be a student’s friend rather than filling an adult role in the student’s life
- Talking with students about personal problems or relationships
- Expressing unusual interest in a student’s sexual development, such as commenting on sexual characteristics or sexualizing normal behaviors
- Giving a student gifts without occasion or reason
- Restricting a student’s access to other adults
Inappropriate Relationships and Other Boundary Violations by Adults & Warning Signs
All District personnel, employees, volunteers, and visitors are expected to maintain professional and appropriate relationships with students based upon students’ ages, grade levels, and developmental levels. Adults in schools breach adult-student boundaries when they misuse their position of power over a student in a way that compromises the student’s health, safety, or general welfare.
Warning signs of boundary violations include, but are not limited to, the following behaviors:
- Favoring a certain student by inviting the student to “hang out” or by granting special privileges
- Engaging in peer-like behavior with a student
- Discussing personal issues with a student
- Spending time alone with a student outside of their role in the student’s life or making up excuses to be alone with a student
- Failing to maintain age-appropriate relationships with a student
- Meeting with a student off-campus without parent/guardian knowledge and/or permission
- Dating, requesting, or participating in a private meeting with a student (in person or virtually) outside of a professional role
- Transporting a student in a school or private vehicle without administrative authorization
- Giving gifts, money, or treats to an individual student
- Sending a student on personal errands
- Intervening in a serious student problem instead of referring the student to an appropriately trained professional
- Taking and using photos/videos of students for non-educational purposes
- Initiating or extending contact with a student beyond the school day in a one-on-one or non-group setting
- Inviting a student to an employee’s home
- Adding a student on personal social networking sites as contacts when unrelated to a legitimate educational purpose
- Privately messaging a student
- Maintaining intense eye contact with a student
- Making comments about a student’s physical attributes, including excessively flattering comments
- Disclosing confidential information
- Invading personal space
Reporting & Referral Information for Sexual Abuse, Grooming and/or Boundary Violations
If you/your student believe you/your student are a victim of child sexual abuse, grooming behaviors, or boundary violations, immediately contact the Building Principal, a school counselor, or another trusted adult employee of the District.
To make a report of alleged child sexual abuse or grooming, parents/guardians may also contact:
Local Police Department
Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Hotline at 1.800.25.ABUSE (2873)
Available Resources & Assistance Information
For parents/guardians and students seeking counseling services or other resources for children affected by sexual abuse, the following resources are also available:
- National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673)
- National Sexual Abuse Chatline at online.rainn.org
- Child Advocacy Center or Crisis Sexual Assault Center
Parents/guardians and students may also contact the school counselor or school social worker for more information regarding available resources and support services for children affected by sexual abuse.
[1] These warning signs are derived from the National Sexual Abuse Chatline at online.rainn.org.
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