Sexual misconduct in educational institutes- How to avoid it? 

Sexual harassment in schools is not an uncommon phenomenon and while most schools try to hide or neglect such events, the impact it leaves on the life of the victim is unimaginable. You may think that sexual harassment cases are very rare but it’s a fact that while you are just sitting at your home, such incidents may be happening in schools near you. Moreover, these shameful acts have been taking place in educational institutes for years but those involved have denied it, ignored it, and got their way out.

Let’s learn more about guidelines to avoid sexual misconduct in educational institutes

• Sexual harassment education: Every student needs to understand and learn about sexual harassment acts. The concerned authorities must educate students on the difference between ragging, bullying, sexual harassment, friendly teasing, etc. A clear line should be drawn between various acceptable and unacceptable acts of students concerning one another.

• Accountability: There should be someone at the institute whom the victim can approach without any hesitation. Such authorities should also be held accountable in case such matters are not taken seriously. These authorities should also get in touch with students on a regular basis and try to educate them about such incidents.

• Organize programs and seminars: Programs and seminars are quite crucial to train the students, teachers, and staff against sexual harassment cases. During these programs, the authorities can also make the students feel free to come up and report any incidents that may have happened in the past. Here, the students should be made aware of the steps that they can take and the authorities that they should contact in case they face any kind of sexual harassment on campus.

• Involve parents: It is important to report such matters to the parents of the concerned students. In the presence of parents, the victim feels safe and free to speak about the incident and the accused will have someone to answer to, even at home. However, the parents of the victims and the accused should be carefully informed and counseled so that they can deal with this matter in a prudent way.

Students often feel embarrassed to report such incidents and therefore, they must be informed that it’s not their fault and it’s alright to report such cases. School authorities should always be available to hear about such incidents and must take strict action so that their campus becomes a safe and secure place for learning.