Awareness and Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse,

Grooming Behaviors, and Boundary Violations

Child sexual abuse, grooming behaviors, and boundary violations harm students, their parent/guardian, the District’s environment, its school communities, and the community at large, while diminishing a student’s ability to learn.

Warning Signs of Child Sexual Abuse

Warning signs of child sexual abuse include the following.

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

Warning Signs of Grooming Behaviors

School and District employees are expected to maintain professional and appropriate relationships with students based upon students’ ages, grade levels, and developmental levels.

Prohibited grooming is defined as (i) any act, including but not limited to, any verbal, nonverbal, written, or electronic communication or physical activity, (ii) by an employee with direct contact with a student, (iii) that is directed toward or with a student to establish a romantic or sexual relationship with the student. Examples of grooming behaviors include, but are not limited to, the following behaviors:

Sexual or romantic invitations to a student
Dating or soliciting a date from a student
Engaging in sexualized or romantic dialog with a student
Making sexually suggestive comments that are directed toward or with a student
Self-disclosure or physical exposure of a sexual, romantic, or erotic nature
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 as unwanted
Trying to be a student’s friend rather than filling an adult role in the student’s life
Failing to maintain age-appropriate relationships with students
Talking with students about personal problems or relationships
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
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
Spending a lot of time with a student
Restricting a student’s access to other adults

Warning Signs of Boundary Violations

School and District employees breach employee-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. Examples of boundary violations include:

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
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
Sexual or romantic invitations toward or from a student
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
Engaging in sexualized or romantic dialog
Making sexually suggestive comments directed toward or with a student
Disclosing confidential information
Self-disclosure of a sexual, romantic, or erotic nature
Full frontal hugs
Invading personal space

If you believe you are a victim of child sexual abuse, grooming behaviors, or boundary violations, or you believe that your child is a victim, you should immediately contact the Building Principal, a school counselor, or another trusted adult employee of the School.

Additional Resources include:

National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673)

National Sexual Abuse Chatline at online.rainn.org

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Hotline at 1.800.25.ABUSE (2873)

Pikeland Community School

PIKELAND COMMUNITY SCHOOL

STUDENT/PARENT HANDBOOK

2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR

Table of Contents

Parent/Guardian Handbook Acknowledgment

Contact Information

General Information

Medical

Attendance & Absences

Grades & Testing

Discipline

Extracurricular

Internet Usage