Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.
— Oscar Wilde.
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Private School Abuse
Boarding School Abuse denotes a wide-range of illegal and lurid activities commonly perpetrated on students by school faculty members, administrators or employees involving sexual assault of varying degrees. The attack might be a one-time, non-consensual encounter or it may include many assaults during an continuing interaction. For example, an continuing intimate encounter with a student, spawned by the predatory actions of a faculty member, school administrator or employee and whether leading to physical agreed sex acts or not, is a form of abuse.
Student on student sexual assault is another form of abuse, which might be compounded by the school’s failure to provide a safe environment that allowed the attack to occur. Within the school population are students of different ages, maturity and experiences. Immature students might be subjected to the predatory behavior of older, more mature students. This intent, along with peer-pressure exerted on both the predator and the targeted victim, may lead to varying forms of abuse that includes sexual assault of varying degrees.
In all alleged Boarding School Assault matters, a school administration’s failure to fully, adequately report the crime to police and other authorities, or its additional failure to investigate, address and deal fully with the matter increases the effects on the victim, the school population and possibly others. Recent Boarding School Abuse issues reported in the media exemplify these failures, including times when the attacker quietly leaves the school only to assume employment somewhere else in a school environment.
Predatory Behavior
Most boarding schools pride themselves on their tiny, personal communities within a well-defined and secure campus. In this environment, faculty, administrators and staff are often much nearer and familiar with students than might be expected in a non-boarding school setting. This could create both opportunity and cover for the possible attacker and for the predatory behavior.
In some situations, the attacker might be a personable and popular individual, generally considered to be a positive addition to the school community. A targeted victim could feel flattered that a popular superior in the school community has expressed special attention in him or her. Because of this popularity and integration into the school community, abuse allegations against these attackers are often met with distrust, non-belief, and resistance from the community. Often, abusers have boundary and judgment problems which turn into unusually friendly relationships with students that are beyond what are commonly anticipated. This creates a predatory pathway and opportunity for the abuse.
All abusers, to differing amounts, use predatory actions that are generally referred to as “grooming,” or targeting a potential abuse victim. Below is a list of grooming methods used by predators that are in a position of authority in relation to the subordinate student.
Grooming
Grooming is a major part of a predator’s method. In a boarding school setting, a predator usually works closely with small amounts of students, understanding every student’s needs and weaknesses. Once a victim is identified and chosen, these vulnerabilities – such as being lonely, low self-esteem, emotional neediness, or attention seeking behavior, may be systematically leveraged in the following ways:
Trust
A predator may initially work to get the student’s trust. This step is most difficult to see as private school communities are often tight-knit and personal engagement is commonplace. Here, the predator is likely part of a group of staff who are genuinely interested in the student’s wellness and success at the school.
Reliance
As a predator creates a trusting relationship with the potential student-victim, the student will start to count on more and more on the predator for any need it is that the predator is exploiting and fulfilling. The student may spend more time with the predator, feeling increasingly comfortable with the relationship. Additionally to attention and affection, the potential victim may receive gifts from the predator, which may include valuable, presents like the guarantee of high grades, or a university recommendation letter. The reliance step is mainly where the predatory behavior is noticeable from well-meaning collegial behavior.
Isolation
As the grooming progresses, the predator will work to isolate the potential victim. At school, this could mean late meetings, tutoring sessions, encounters in the dorm , one-on-one sports practice sessions, or various other such circumstances.
Sexualization
The predator will start to desensitize the student from reacting negatively to touching, caressing and other actions which lead to sexual interaction. This could start with breaching the physical-touch barrier, or communicating, with suggestive messages to gauge the victim’s response to the advancement. This could increase until the relationship transforms to one of a physical, sexual nature.
Maintenance
As the sexual relationship is created, the predator will work to maintain control over the student and the continuing abuse. The predator will likely seek to manipulate the student by inducing emotions of shame, or even threats, or employ the opposite strategy of continuing to make the victim feel special and desired. In any event, the predator may continue to exploit the victim by whatever means necessary to maintain the inappropriate physical relationship.
Impacts on Abuse Victims
While the grooming escalates as intended by the predator, the targeted student, being made to feel special, will likely respond positively to the actions. The predator, through these well-thought-out and performed grooming behaviors and activities, tries to re-calibrate and remove the moral boundaries of the victim. Because the abuse survivor participated in the re-calibration, she frequently experiences deep feelings of guilt, initially blaming herself for the incident and hesitant to report it.
Furthermore, after the abuse has been revealed, victims of private school abuse are often subjected to discreet social pressure and intimidation, such as being bullied, alienation from their peers, or retaliation from teachers. Particularly at boarding schools, where academics are stringent, competition can be fierce and social circles small, survivors of abuse could be rapidly isolated and socially persecuted. Subjected to those reactions, many private school abuse survivors that have revealed the abuse leave school. Others, fighting with the prospect of the isolation and social persecution, report the abuse a while later. In either situation, the impact can be severe and life-altering.
Some abuse survivors suffer from long-term effects of the abuse that include depression, anxiety, ptsd, low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, substance abuse, restless sleeping and eating patterns, and trouble establishing and maintaining healthy relationships. Individual therapy and support groups could assist survivors get past these effects.
Legally, a victim of boarding school abuse could receive financial compensation from the abuser and more commonly, from the school for its negligence to protect the student from the predator, as well as failures or negligence in its method of reviewing and responding to the survivor’s report of the abuse. If you are a survivor of boarding school abuse and would like to confidentially discuss your story and learn of your legal options at no cost or obligation, we are ready to speak with you. It’s important for a survivor to realize that being a victim is not your fault. The attorneys at Meneo Law Group are committed to bringing those who committed the the abuse to justice.
Student on student sexual assault is another form of abuse, which might be compounded by the school’s failure to provide a safe environment that allowed the attack to occur. Within the school population are students of different ages, maturity and experiences. Immature students might be subjected to the predatory behavior of older, more mature students. This intent, along with peer-pressure exerted on both the predator and the targeted victim, may lead to varying forms of abuse that includes sexual assault of varying degrees.
In all alleged Boarding School Assault matters, a school administration’s failure to fully, adequately report the crime to police and other authorities, or its additional failure to investigate, address and deal fully with the matter increases the effects on the victim, the school population and possibly others. Recent Boarding School Abuse issues reported in the media exemplify these failures, including times when the attacker quietly leaves the school only to assume employment somewhere else in a school environment.
Predatory Behavior
Most boarding schools pride themselves on their tiny, personal communities within a well-defined and secure campus. In this environment, faculty, administrators and staff are often much nearer and familiar with students than might be expected in a non-boarding school setting. This could create both opportunity and cover for the possible attacker and for the predatory behavior.
In some situations, the attacker might be a personable and popular individual, generally considered to be a positive addition to the school community. A targeted victim could feel flattered that a popular superior in the school community has expressed special attention in him or her. Because of this popularity and integration into the school community, abuse allegations against these attackers are often met with distrust, non-belief, and resistance from the community. Often, abusers have boundary and judgment problems which turn into unusually friendly relationships with students that are beyond what are commonly anticipated. This creates a predatory pathway and opportunity for the abuse.
All abusers, to differing amounts, use predatory actions that are generally referred to as “grooming,” or targeting a potential abuse victim. Below is a list of grooming methods used by predators that are in a position of authority in relation to the subordinate student.
Grooming
Grooming is a major part of a predator’s method. In a boarding school setting, a predator usually works closely with small amounts of students, understanding every student’s needs and weaknesses. Once a victim is identified and chosen, these vulnerabilities – such as being lonely, low self-esteem, emotional neediness, or attention seeking behavior, may be systematically leveraged in the following ways:
Trust
A predator may initially work to get the student’s trust. This step is most difficult to see as private school communities are often tight-knit and personal engagement is commonplace. Here, the predator is likely part of a group of staff who are genuinely interested in the student’s wellness and success at the school.
Reliance
As a predator creates a trusting relationship with the potential student-victim, the student will start to count on more and more on the predator for any need it is that the predator is exploiting and fulfilling. The student may spend more time with the predator, feeling increasingly comfortable with the relationship. Additionally to attention and affection, the potential victim may receive gifts from the predator, which may include valuable, presents like the guarantee of high grades, or a university recommendation letter. The reliance step is mainly where the predatory behavior is noticeable from well-meaning collegial behavior.
Isolation
As the grooming progresses, the predator will work to isolate the potential victim. At school, this could mean late meetings, tutoring sessions, encounters in the dorm , one-on-one sports practice sessions, or various other such circumstances.
Sexualization
The predator will start to desensitize the student from reacting negatively to touching, caressing and other actions which lead to sexual interaction. This could start with breaching the physical-touch barrier, or communicating, with suggestive messages to gauge the victim’s response to the advancement. This could increase until the relationship transforms to one of a physical, sexual nature.
Maintenance
As the sexual relationship is created, the predator will work to maintain control over the student and the continuing abuse. The predator will likely seek to manipulate the student by inducing emotions of shame, or even threats, or employ the opposite strategy of continuing to make the victim feel special and desired. In any event, the predator may continue to exploit the victim by whatever means necessary to maintain the inappropriate physical relationship.
Impacts on Abuse Victims
While the grooming escalates as intended by the predator, the targeted student, being made to feel special, will likely respond positively to the actions. The predator, through these well-thought-out and performed grooming behaviors and activities, tries to re-calibrate and remove the moral boundaries of the victim. Because the abuse survivor participated in the re-calibration, she frequently experiences deep feelings of guilt, initially blaming herself for the incident and hesitant to report it.
Furthermore, after the abuse has been revealed, victims of private school abuse are often subjected to discreet social pressure and intimidation, such as being bullied, alienation from their peers, or retaliation from teachers. Particularly at boarding schools, where academics are stringent, competition can be fierce and social circles small, survivors of abuse could be rapidly isolated and socially persecuted. Subjected to those reactions, many private school abuse survivors that have revealed the abuse leave school. Others, fighting with the prospect of the isolation and social persecution, report the abuse a while later. In either situation, the impact can be severe and life-altering.
Some abuse survivors suffer from long-term effects of the abuse that include depression, anxiety, ptsd, low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, substance abuse, restless sleeping and eating patterns, and trouble establishing and maintaining healthy relationships. Individual therapy and support groups could assist survivors get past these effects.
Legally, a victim of boarding school abuse could receive financial compensation from the abuser and more commonly, from the school for its negligence to protect the student from the predator, as well as failures or negligence in its method of reviewing and responding to the survivor’s report of the abuse. If you are a survivor of boarding school abuse and would like to confidentially discuss your story and learn of your legal options at no cost or obligation, we are ready to speak with you. It’s important for a survivor to realize that being a victim is not your fault. The attorneys at Meneo Law Group are committed to bringing those who committed the the abuse to justice.
Private School Abuse
Boarding School Abuse presents a range of criminal and improper acts commonly perpetrated on students by school faculty members, administrators or employees involving sexual assault of varying degrees. The assault might be a one-time, non-consensual abuse or it can involve numerous assaults within an ongoing interaction. For example, an ongoing intimate relationship with a student, formed by the predatory actions of a faculty member, school administrator or employee and whether leading to physical agreed sex acts or not, is a form of abuse.
Student on student sexual assault is another type of abuse, that might be compounded by the school’s failure to offer a safe environment that allowed the assault to happen. Inside the school community are students of varying ages, maturity and experiences. Younger students may be subjected to the predatory behavior of older, more mature students. Their intent, along with peer-pressure applied on both the predator and the targeted victim, may lead to different types of abuse including sexual assault of varying degrees.
In all reported Boarding School Assault situations, a school administration’s failure to completely, immediately report the assault to police and other authorities, or its additional failure to investigate, address and deal completely with the matter increases the effects on the victim, the school community and potentially others. Recent Boarding School Abuse issues reported in the press highlight these failures, including matters when the perpetrator quietly leaves the school merely to assume employment elsewhere in a school environment.
Predatory Behavior
Most private schools pride themselves on their small, personal communities inside a well-defined and secure campus. In this environment, faculty, administrators and staff are often much closer and familiar with students than would be expected in a non-boarding school situation. This could provide both opportunity and cover to the would-be attacker and for the predatory behavior.
In some matters, the attacker may be a personable and popular individual, generally thought to be a enhancement to the school community. A targeted victim could feel flattered that a well-liked superior in the school community has expressed special interest in him or her. Because of this popularity and integration in the school community, abuse accusations against these abusers are frequently met with distrust, non-belief, and resistance by the community. Frequesntly, abusers have boundary and judgment problems which turn into unusually friendly relationships with students that are past what are commonly expected. This provides a predatory pathway and opportunity for the abuse.
All abusers, to differing degrees, employ predatory tactics that are generally referred to as “grooming,” or targeting a possible abuse victim. Following is a compilation of grooming behaviors exhibited by predators that are in a position of authority in relation to the subordinate student.
Grooming
Grooming is a significant part of a predator’s ploy. In a boarding school setting, a predator usually works closely with small numbers of students, understanding every student’s needs and weaknesses. Once a victim is identified and chosen, these vulnerabilities – such as being lonely, low self-esteem, emotional neediness, or attention seeking behavior, could be systematically leveraged in the following ways:
Trust
A predator will initially work to gain the student’s trust. This step is the most difficult to see as private school communities are usually tight-knit and personal interaction is commonplace. Here, the predator is likely part of a group of staff who are genuinely interested in the student’s wellbeing and success at the school.
Reliance
As a predator creates a trusting relationship with the potential student-victim, the student may begin to rely more and more on the predator for whatever need it is that the predator is leveraging and fulfilling. The victim will spend more time with the predator, feeling more comfortable with the relationship. In addition to attention and kindness, the possible victim may receive gifts from the predator, including valuable, gifts such as the guarantee of higher marks, or a university recommendation letter. The reliance step is usually when the predatory behavior is noticeable from well-meaning collegial behavior.
Isolation
While the grooming continues, the predator might work to isolate the potential victim. At abused at boarding school , this might mean late meetings, tutoring sessions, meetings in the dorm , one-on-one athletic training sessions, or various other such circumstances.
Sexualization
The predator will start to de-sensitize the student from reacting negatively to touching, caressing and other actions that lead to sexual interaction. This could begin with breaking the physical-touch barrier, or speaking, with suggestive language to determine the victim’s response to the progression. This might escalate until the relationship transforms to one of a physical, sexual nature.
Maintenance
As the sexual relationship is established, the predator will work to maintain control of the victim and the continuing abuse. The predator will probably seek to manipulate the student by introducing feelings of shame, or even threats, or employ the opposite strategy of continuing to make the victim feel special and desired. Regardless, the predator may continue to exploit the victim with means necessary to keep the immoral physical relationship.
Impacts on Abuse Victims
When the grooming escalates as intended by the predator, the targeted student, being made to feel special, will likely respond affirmatively to the actions. The predator, through these well planned and performed grooming behaviors and activities, tries to re-calibrate and reduce the moral confines of the targeted student. Since the abuse survivor participated in the re-calibration, she often experiences deep feelings of shame, initially blaming himself for the incident and likely not to report it.
Furthermore, after the abuse has been revealed, survivors of boarding school abuse are often subjected to discreet social pressure and intimidation, like being bullied, alienation from their peers, or revenge from teachers. Especially at private schools, where academics are rigorous, competition can be fierce and social circles small, victims of abuse may be readily isolated and socially persecuted. Exposed to those reactions, many private school abuse victims who have revealed the abuse leave school. Others, faced with the prospect of such isolation and social persecution, report the abuse a while later. In either situation, the impact can be significant and lasting.
Some abuse victims bear from long-term effects of the abuse including depression, anxiety, ptsd, low self-esteem, suicidal feelings, substance abuse, restless sleeping and eating patterns, and trouble creating and maintaining healthy relationships. Individualized therapy and support groups may assist survivors overcome these effects.
Legally, a victim of boarding school abuse may win financial compensation from the abuser and more commonly, from the school for its failure to protect the student from the abuse, as well as failures or negligence in its method of reviewing and responding to the survivor’s report of the abuse. If you are a survivor of boarding school abuse and would like to confidentially discuss your situation and learn of your legal options at no cost or obligation, we are ready to talk with you. It is important for a victim to realize that experiencing assault is not your fault. The attorneys at Meneo Law Group are committed to bringing those responsible for the assault to justice.
Student on student sexual assault is another type of abuse, that might be compounded by the school’s failure to offer a safe environment that allowed the assault to happen. Inside the school community are students of varying ages, maturity and experiences. Younger students may be subjected to the predatory behavior of older, more mature students. Their intent, along with peer-pressure applied on both the predator and the targeted victim, may lead to different types of abuse including sexual assault of varying degrees.
In all reported Boarding School Assault situations, a school administration’s failure to completely, immediately report the assault to police and other authorities, or its additional failure to investigate, address and deal completely with the matter increases the effects on the victim, the school community and potentially others. Recent Boarding School Abuse issues reported in the press highlight these failures, including matters when the perpetrator quietly leaves the school merely to assume employment elsewhere in a school environment.
Predatory Behavior
Most private schools pride themselves on their small, personal communities inside a well-defined and secure campus. In this environment, faculty, administrators and staff are often much closer and familiar with students than would be expected in a non-boarding school situation. This could provide both opportunity and cover to the would-be attacker and for the predatory behavior.
In some matters, the attacker may be a personable and popular individual, generally thought to be a enhancement to the school community. A targeted victim could feel flattered that a well-liked superior in the school community has expressed special interest in him or her. Because of this popularity and integration in the school community, abuse accusations against these abusers are frequently met with distrust, non-belief, and resistance by the community. Frequesntly, abusers have boundary and judgment problems which turn into unusually friendly relationships with students that are past what are commonly expected. This provides a predatory pathway and opportunity for the abuse.
All abusers, to differing degrees, employ predatory tactics that are generally referred to as “grooming,” or targeting a possible abuse victim. Following is a compilation of grooming behaviors exhibited by predators that are in a position of authority in relation to the subordinate student.
Grooming
Grooming is a significant part of a predator’s ploy. In a boarding school setting, a predator usually works closely with small numbers of students, understanding every student’s needs and weaknesses. Once a victim is identified and chosen, these vulnerabilities – such as being lonely, low self-esteem, emotional neediness, or attention seeking behavior, could be systematically leveraged in the following ways:
Trust
A predator will initially work to gain the student’s trust. This step is the most difficult to see as private school communities are usually tight-knit and personal interaction is commonplace. Here, the predator is likely part of a group of staff who are genuinely interested in the student’s wellbeing and success at the school.
Reliance
As a predator creates a trusting relationship with the potential student-victim, the student may begin to rely more and more on the predator for whatever need it is that the predator is leveraging and fulfilling. The victim will spend more time with the predator, feeling more comfortable with the relationship. In addition to attention and kindness, the possible victim may receive gifts from the predator, including valuable, gifts such as the guarantee of higher marks, or a university recommendation letter. The reliance step is usually when the predatory behavior is noticeable from well-meaning collegial behavior.
Isolation
While the grooming continues, the predator might work to isolate the potential victim. At abused at boarding school , this might mean late meetings, tutoring sessions, meetings in the dorm , one-on-one athletic training sessions, or various other such circumstances.
Sexualization
The predator will start to de-sensitize the student from reacting negatively to touching, caressing and other actions that lead to sexual interaction. This could begin with breaking the physical-touch barrier, or speaking, with suggestive language to determine the victim’s response to the progression. This might escalate until the relationship transforms to one of a physical, sexual nature.
Maintenance
As the sexual relationship is established, the predator will work to maintain control of the victim and the continuing abuse. The predator will probably seek to manipulate the student by introducing feelings of shame, or even threats, or employ the opposite strategy of continuing to make the victim feel special and desired. Regardless, the predator may continue to exploit the victim with means necessary to keep the immoral physical relationship.
Impacts on Abuse Victims
When the grooming escalates as intended by the predator, the targeted student, being made to feel special, will likely respond affirmatively to the actions. The predator, through these well planned and performed grooming behaviors and activities, tries to re-calibrate and reduce the moral confines of the targeted student. Since the abuse survivor participated in the re-calibration, she often experiences deep feelings of shame, initially blaming himself for the incident and likely not to report it.
Furthermore, after the abuse has been revealed, survivors of boarding school abuse are often subjected to discreet social pressure and intimidation, like being bullied, alienation from their peers, or revenge from teachers. Especially at private schools, where academics are rigorous, competition can be fierce and social circles small, victims of abuse may be readily isolated and socially persecuted. Exposed to those reactions, many private school abuse victims who have revealed the abuse leave school. Others, faced with the prospect of such isolation and social persecution, report the abuse a while later. In either situation, the impact can be significant and lasting.
Some abuse victims bear from long-term effects of the abuse including depression, anxiety, ptsd, low self-esteem, suicidal feelings, substance abuse, restless sleeping and eating patterns, and trouble creating and maintaining healthy relationships. Individualized therapy and support groups may assist survivors overcome these effects.
Legally, a victim of boarding school abuse may win financial compensation from the abuser and more commonly, from the school for its failure to protect the student from the abuse, as well as failures or negligence in its method of reviewing and responding to the survivor’s report of the abuse. If you are a survivor of boarding school abuse and would like to confidentially discuss your situation and learn of your legal options at no cost or obligation, we are ready to talk with you. It is important for a victim to realize that experiencing assault is not your fault. The attorneys at Meneo Law Group are committed to bringing those responsible for the assault to justice.
Boarding School Abuse
Boarding School Abuse denotes a range of illegal and improper actions frequently committed against students by school faculty members, administrators or employees regarding sexual assault of varying degrees. The assault might be a one-time, non-consensual attack or it might include many assaults during an continuing interaction. For example, an ongoing intimate encounter with a student, created by the predatory actions of a faculty member, school administrator or staff and whether leading to physical agreed sex acts or not, is a form of abuse.
Student on student sexual assault is an additional type of abuse, that may be made worse by the school’s negligence to provide a safe environment that enabled the attack to happen. Within the school population are students of varying ages, maturity and experiences. Immature students may be subjected to the predatory behavior of older, more experienced students. Their actions, coupled with peer-pressure applied on both the attacker and the targeted victim, might lead to varying forms of abuse that includes sexual assault of varying degrees.
In all alleged Boarding School Assault matters, a school administration’s failure to fully, immediately report the assault to police and other authorities, or its further failure to research, address and deal completely with the situation amplifies the effects on the victim, the school population and potentially others. Recent Boarding School Abuse issues reported in the press exemplify these failures, including times when the perpetrator quietly leaves the campus merely to assume working elsewhere in a school environment.
Predatory Behavior
Many boarding schools pride themselves on their small, personal communities inside a well-defined and secure campus. In this environment, faculty, administrators and staff are often much closer and familiar with students than might be expected in a non-boarding school situation. This could create both opportunity and cover for the possible abuser and for the predatory behavior.
In some matters, the attacker could be a personable and popular person, generally considered to be a enhancement to the school community. A targeted student could feel flattered that a well-liked superior in the school community is expressing special attention in him or her. Because of this popularity and involvement in the school community, attack accusations against these attackers are often met with doubt, disbelief, and resistance by the community. Often, abusers have distance and morality issues which turn into unusually friendly relationships with students that are beyond what are commonly expected. This provides a predatory path and opportunity for the attack.
deerfield academy abuse , to varying degrees, use predatory tactics that are generally known as “grooming,” or targeting a potential abuse victim. Following is a compilation of grooming methods used by predators that are in a position of authority in relation to the student.
Grooming
Grooming is a major part of a predator’s method. In a boarding school setting, a predator usually works closely with small amounts of students, knowing every student’s needs and weaknesses. Once a target is located and selected, these vulnerabilities – such as loneliness, low self-esteem, emotional neediness, or attention seeking behavior, might be systematically leveraged in the following ways:
Trust
A predator might initially work to gain the student’s trust. This step is the most difficult to discern as private school communities are usually tight-knit and personal engagement is commonplace. Here, the predator is usually part of a group of staff who are genuinely interested in the student’s wellness and success at the school.
Reliance
As a predator establishes a trusting relationship with the potential student-victim, the student may start to rely more and more on the predator for any need it is that the predator is exploiting and fulfilling. The victim will spend more time with the predator, feeling more and more comfortable with the relationship. In addition to attention and affection, the potential victim might receive gifts from the predator, including valuable, gifts such as the promise of higher marks, or a college recommendation letter. The reliance stage is usually where the predatory behavior is noticeable from well-meaning collegial behavior.
Isolation
As the grooming continues, the predator will try to isolate the student. At school, this might mean late get togethers, tutoring sessions, encounters in the dormitory , one-on-one sports practice sessions, or other such circumstances.
Sexualization
The predator will begin to de-sensitize the possible victim from reacting negatively to touching, caressing and other actions that lead to sexual interaction. This could begin with breaking the physical-touch barrier, or speaking, with suggestive language to gauge the victim’s reaction to the progression. This could increase until the relationship advances to one of a physical, sexual nature.
Maintenance
Once the sexual relationship is created, the predator will try to keep control over the victim and the continuing interaction. The predator will likely seek to manipulate the victim by introducing emotions of shame, or possibly threats, or use the opposite strategy of continuing to make the victim feel special and desired. Regardless, the predator might keep trying to exploit the victim by whatever means available to maintain the inappropriate physical relationship.
Legacy on Abuse Victims
When the grooming escalates as planned by the predator, the targeted student, being made to feel special, will probably respond affirmatively to the actions. The predator, from these well-thought-out and performed grooming behaviors and activities, tries to re-work and reduce the moral confines of the targeted student. Because the victim participated in the re-calibration, she often experiences deep feelings of shame, initially blaming herself for the incident and hesitant to report it.
Additionally, after the abuse has been revealed, victims of private school abuse are frequently subjected to discreet social pressure and intimidation, such as being bullied, isolation from their peers, or revenge from staff. Particularly at boarding schools, where education is rigorous, competition can be intense and social circles small, survivors of abuse can be rapidly isolated and socially persecuted. Subjected to such reactions, many boarding school abuse survivors who have reported the abuse leave school. Others, fighting with the prospect of such isolation and social abuse, report the abuse a while later. In either situation, the impact can be significant and lasting.
Some abuse victims suffer from long-term effects of the abuse including depression, anxiety, ptsd, low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, substance abuse, restless sleeping and eating patterns, and trouble establishing and maintaining healthy relationships. Individual therapy and support groups might help victims overcome those effects.
Legally, a survivor of boarding school abuse may recover financial compensation from the predator and more frequently, from the school for its failure to protect the student from the predator, as well as failures or deficiencies in its process of reviewing and responding to the survivor’s report of the abuse. If you are a survivor of boarding school abuse and would like to confidentially share your situation and learn of your legal options at no cost or obligation, we are prepared to speak with you. It’s important for a survivor to remember that experiencing assault is not your fault. The lawyers at Meneo Law Group are committed to bringing those responsible for the abuse to justice.
Student on student sexual assault is an additional type of abuse, that may be made worse by the school’s negligence to provide a safe environment that enabled the attack to happen. Within the school population are students of varying ages, maturity and experiences. Immature students may be subjected to the predatory behavior of older, more experienced students. Their actions, coupled with peer-pressure applied on both the attacker and the targeted victim, might lead to varying forms of abuse that includes sexual assault of varying degrees.
In all alleged Boarding School Assault matters, a school administration’s failure to fully, immediately report the assault to police and other authorities, or its further failure to research, address and deal completely with the situation amplifies the effects on the victim, the school population and potentially others. Recent Boarding School Abuse issues reported in the press exemplify these failures, including times when the perpetrator quietly leaves the campus merely to assume working elsewhere in a school environment.
Predatory Behavior
Many boarding schools pride themselves on their small, personal communities inside a well-defined and secure campus. In this environment, faculty, administrators and staff are often much closer and familiar with students than might be expected in a non-boarding school situation. This could create both opportunity and cover for the possible abuser and for the predatory behavior.
In some matters, the attacker could be a personable and popular person, generally considered to be a enhancement to the school community. A targeted student could feel flattered that a well-liked superior in the school community is expressing special attention in him or her. Because of this popularity and involvement in the school community, attack accusations against these attackers are often met with doubt, disbelief, and resistance by the community. Often, abusers have distance and morality issues which turn into unusually friendly relationships with students that are beyond what are commonly expected. This provides a predatory path and opportunity for the attack.
deerfield academy abuse , to varying degrees, use predatory tactics that are generally known as “grooming,” or targeting a potential abuse victim. Following is a compilation of grooming methods used by predators that are in a position of authority in relation to the student.
Grooming
Grooming is a major part of a predator’s method. In a boarding school setting, a predator usually works closely with small amounts of students, knowing every student’s needs and weaknesses. Once a target is located and selected, these vulnerabilities – such as loneliness, low self-esteem, emotional neediness, or attention seeking behavior, might be systematically leveraged in the following ways:
Trust
A predator might initially work to gain the student’s trust. This step is the most difficult to discern as private school communities are usually tight-knit and personal engagement is commonplace. Here, the predator is usually part of a group of staff who are genuinely interested in the student’s wellness and success at the school.
Reliance
As a predator establishes a trusting relationship with the potential student-victim, the student may start to rely more and more on the predator for any need it is that the predator is exploiting and fulfilling. The victim will spend more time with the predator, feeling more and more comfortable with the relationship. In addition to attention and affection, the potential victim might receive gifts from the predator, including valuable, gifts such as the promise of higher marks, or a college recommendation letter. The reliance stage is usually where the predatory behavior is noticeable from well-meaning collegial behavior.
Isolation
As the grooming continues, the predator will try to isolate the student. At school, this might mean late get togethers, tutoring sessions, encounters in the dormitory , one-on-one sports practice sessions, or other such circumstances.
Sexualization
The predator will begin to de-sensitize the possible victim from reacting negatively to touching, caressing and other actions that lead to sexual interaction. This could begin with breaking the physical-touch barrier, or speaking, with suggestive language to gauge the victim’s reaction to the progression. This could increase until the relationship advances to one of a physical, sexual nature.
Maintenance
Once the sexual relationship is created, the predator will try to keep control over the victim and the continuing interaction. The predator will likely seek to manipulate the victim by introducing emotions of shame, or possibly threats, or use the opposite strategy of continuing to make the victim feel special and desired. Regardless, the predator might keep trying to exploit the victim by whatever means available to maintain the inappropriate physical relationship.
Legacy on Abuse Victims
When the grooming escalates as planned by the predator, the targeted student, being made to feel special, will probably respond affirmatively to the actions. The predator, from these well-thought-out and performed grooming behaviors and activities, tries to re-work and reduce the moral confines of the targeted student. Because the victim participated in the re-calibration, she often experiences deep feelings of shame, initially blaming herself for the incident and hesitant to report it.
Additionally, after the abuse has been revealed, victims of private school abuse are frequently subjected to discreet social pressure and intimidation, such as being bullied, isolation from their peers, or revenge from staff. Particularly at boarding schools, where education is rigorous, competition can be intense and social circles small, survivors of abuse can be rapidly isolated and socially persecuted. Subjected to such reactions, many boarding school abuse survivors who have reported the abuse leave school. Others, fighting with the prospect of such isolation and social abuse, report the abuse a while later. In either situation, the impact can be significant and lasting.
Some abuse victims suffer from long-term effects of the abuse including depression, anxiety, ptsd, low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, substance abuse, restless sleeping and eating patterns, and trouble establishing and maintaining healthy relationships. Individual therapy and support groups might help victims overcome those effects.
Legally, a survivor of boarding school abuse may recover financial compensation from the predator and more frequently, from the school for its failure to protect the student from the predator, as well as failures or deficiencies in its process of reviewing and responding to the survivor’s report of the abuse. If you are a survivor of boarding school abuse and would like to confidentially share your situation and learn of your legal options at no cost or obligation, we are prepared to speak with you. It’s important for a survivor to remember that experiencing assault is not your fault. The lawyers at Meneo Law Group are committed to bringing those responsible for the abuse to justice.
Introduce Yourself (Example Post)
This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.
You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.
Why do this?
- Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
- Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.
The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.
To help you get started, here are a few questions:
- Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
- What topics do you think you’ll write about?
- Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
- If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?
You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.
Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.
When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.
The Journey of Sheehan 609 