As if you didn’t already have enough things to worry about, take a look at this chilling video from the state of Indiana. This is a sex offender training overview featuring interviews with investigators and a former teacher who was convicted of child sex abuse. Warning: This video is graphic in content and goes into detail about how this predator disguised himself so that he could abuse children. While there is no detailed sexual content the video can be disturbing for sensitive viewers.
Would you know a school sex offender?
What should be the most alarming piece is the number of missed instances that the sexual predator describes. Each time someone would become suspicious, he would evade detection by being a diligent worker and respected colleague. At one point he states – “It felt like a lot of stuff was ignored. A lot of stuff was ignored.”
Chuck Cohen of the Indiana State Police adds that in many cases, those who reported abuse were not sure if they should. He reported comments like “I almost didn’t call you – but I thought I should” in cases of real abuse that was prosecuted. And of course, we know that sex offenders come in all ages and can be male or female.
Here are some tips for educators from the video:
- Educators who try to do their own investigation, determine victims or scope of abuse can quickly result in destroyed evidence.
- Talking to the alleged victim or other students to determine “what actually happened” before reporting the incident can violate privacy and destroy evidence.
- Confronting the alleged offender yourself can hinder the investigation later.
- Talking to the alleged victim in front of the offender or interviewing the offender in front of the victim should NEVER be done.
- Do not wait until you have absolute certainty – that will probably be too late.
Remember – if you are reading this, you are probably a Mandatory Reporter because of your job or state law. This means you are required to IMMEDIATELY report any suspicion to law enforcement or your states child protective agency. While this is often loosely defined, realize that even a short delay can allow further victimization to take place and evidence to be destroyed.
“Legally, if you do not report something you are required to report, you are committing a crime.”
The video also describes how most law enforcement investigations of suspected child abuse are low-key and designed to avoid disrupting the school environment. The best way to protect the victim’s privacy and to avoid violating the privacy of alleged offenders is to immediately notify law enforcement and let them handle the investigation.
Indiana Department of Education: Sexual Predator Awareness video
Warning: This video contains graphic information and detailed descriptions of sexual predator assaults: