This page offers guidance and resources around supporting students. The content itself is designed for adults and school personnel who interact with students.
Educate students
It is the responsibility of the adults in a community to keep children safe, and training should focus on increasing the ability of adults to prevent and respond to abuse. However, giving students the tools to understand their bodies, how to respect their own and other’s physical and emotional boundaries, and how to talk about their bodies and feelings are skills that students can use for the rest of their lives.
The Maine DOE model policy includes specific guidance on what education for students should include. In general effective prevention programs for children are focused on understanding basic concepts related to the body, to feelings, recognizing unsafe or uncomfortable situations, and identifying safe adults they can talk to.
The Maine DOE model policy includes specific guidance on what education for students should include. In general effective prevention programs for children are focused on understanding basic concepts related to the body, to feelings, recognizing unsafe or uncomfortable situations, and identifying safe adults they can talk to.
Talk to families and communities
Including families and the community in your child sexual abuse prevention efforts is crucial. Prevention is more effective when students encounter the information in multiple places. Share information about your child protection policies and guidelines for staff and volunteers with parents. Provide contact information for a staff member (possibly your school's nurse, guidance counselor, or Title IX coordinator) in your program materials for parents to discuss any concerns about their child’s safety. Share a list of questions with parents that they can ask their children to identify any uncomfortable situations, boundaries, etc. The more opportunities communities have to talk and think about these issues, the more comfortable they become.
How to Talk to Parents about Child Sexual Abuse, Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs
Talk, Children's Safety Partnership
Respond to disclosures
It is important to stay calm if a child tells you they are being abused.
Listen to them and do not blame them.
Thank the child for telling you and tell them you support them.
Do your best not to ask the child too many questions
Don’t ask a child ‘why’ they did or did not do anything about the abuse – it’s never a child’s fault when an abuser targets them.
If you or someone else is in need of immediate medical or police assistance, call 911. Always follow your schools mandatory reporting procedures.
Listen to them and do not blame them.
Thank the child for telling you and tell them you support them.
Do your best not to ask the child too many questions
Don’t ask a child ‘why’ they did or did not do anything about the abuse – it’s never a child’s fault when an abuser targets them.
If you or someone else is in need of immediate medical or police assistance, call 911. Always follow your schools mandatory reporting procedures.
Responding to Sexual Behaviors, Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault
What Should I Do After a Child Tells?, Stop It Now!
Responding to Children's Sexual Behaviors, Chicago Children's Advocacy Center
Make mandated reports
It can be hard to know what to do when you know or suspect that a child is being sexually abused. The important thing to remember is to stay calm, and to believe and support the child. You may need to ask a few questions to find out more information, but do not ask more than you need to, and avoid interviewing the child – it can cause more stress to the child, and harm a potential investigation. Interviews should always take place with trained, forensic interviewers. Additionally, while you may need to discuss the situation with another adult or a supervisor, it’s important to protect the child’s confidentiality; don’t discuss the situation with anyone who does not need to know. Your school should have a comprehensive policy for responding to abuse (see "Set and follow effective reporting policies" in Supporting Systems).
School personnel - school faculty, staff, coaches and activities advisors – and school volunteers are required to report directly to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) any time they know about or suspect child abuse, which in Maine is defined as a “threat to the health or welfare of a child.” If individuals don’t report directly, but instead report to a school’s designated reporter, they must confirm in writing that a report was made on their behalf (pursuant to 22 MRS §4011-A and §4012).
Once a report is made, any written documentation should be strictly limited, and only include required information (22 MRS §4012). Training for unbiased documentation methods is recommended; these materials may become part of an investigation, and any details about the reporter’s feelings or judgment can be a problem in the future.
Schools may not retaliate against an employee who makes a report of child abuse, including if they report directly to DHHS.
School personnel - school faculty, staff, coaches and activities advisors – and school volunteers are required to report directly to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) any time they know about or suspect child abuse, which in Maine is defined as a “threat to the health or welfare of a child.” If individuals don’t report directly, but instead report to a school’s designated reporter, they must confirm in writing that a report was made on their behalf (pursuant to 22 MRS §4011-A and §4012).
Once a report is made, any written documentation should be strictly limited, and only include required information (22 MRS §4012). Training for unbiased documentation methods is recommended; these materials may become part of an investigation, and any details about the reporter’s feelings or judgment can be a problem in the future.
Schools may not retaliate against an employee who makes a report of child abuse, including if they report directly to DHHS.
Reporting, Stop It Now!
Understand the impact of trauma on students
Trauma is the emotional response that may arise after difficult, stressful, or dangerous events, like sexual assault, bullying at school, or natural disasters. The events don’t have to be one-time; trauma can also arise from day-to-day exposure to events such as divorce or homelessness.
Trauma can directly impact a student’s ability to learn. Students might be distracted by thoughts, anxiety, fear, or trauma-based illness, and it can prevent them from paying attention in class, studying, or doing well on a test. Experiencing violence can lead to decreased IQ and reading ability. Some students might avoid going to school altogether. In addition to making learning more challenging, trauma can make it harder for children to manage emotions. In the classroom setting, this can lead to poor behavior, which can result in reduced instructional time, suspensions, and expulsions. Over the long term, students who experience trauma can be less likely to graduate, and more likely to experience teen pregnancy, joblessness, and poverty.
Trauma can directly impact a student’s ability to learn. Students might be distracted by thoughts, anxiety, fear, or trauma-based illness, and it can prevent them from paying attention in class, studying, or doing well on a test. Experiencing violence can lead to decreased IQ and reading ability. Some students might avoid going to school altogether. In addition to making learning more challenging, trauma can make it harder for children to manage emotions. In the classroom setting, this can lead to poor behavior, which can result in reduced instructional time, suspensions, and expulsions. Over the long term, students who experience trauma can be less likely to graduate, and more likely to experience teen pregnancy, joblessness, and poverty.
Complex Trauma, Resources for Educators, National Child Traumatic Stress Network
How Can Trauma Affect the Brain?, University of Washington
Know your local sexual assault support resources
Every region of Maine has dedicated sexual assault support centers, who offer free and confidential 24-hour helpline support, one to one support, support groups, community training and education about sexual violence, and sexual violence prevention programming. For more information about sexual violence prevention education, contact your local sexual assault support center.
The Children's Safety Partnership is a program of the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MECASA) and a partnership between MECASA, the Maine Department of Education, Maine's local sexual assault support centers, and schools across the state.