Students asking for a sexual relationship is not uncommon in schools and it doesn’t, therefore, come as a surprise when the teacher is overwhelmed by the thought of being approached by a student for sex.
It, however, puts the teachers’ professional ethics in question. I is thus important that the teacher no matter the grade he teaches in, must learn how to deal with sexual advances from the students.
First, the teacher must tell someone about it, this not only opens open avenues in which the teacher can defend themselves, but also grants teacher leverage in case he gets into a compromising situation. Atleast someone will be there to help.
Seeking for a counselor’s help for the student is also a great idea. This puts the student into the context of knowledge and makes it harder for them to approach you again.
Teachers should also express their thoughts on why it’s not a good idea to be in a sexual relationship with the student. This way, it closes the possibility of being forced into a relationship.
In addition to the above, a teacher must avoid saying or sending confusing signals. This implyies that if you don’t like being in a relation then why do you speak like you are dating her or him.
Thus it’s important that you don’t misrepresent ideas, for example, a student is asking for sexual relationship and you are telling other people that the two of you are just friends.
Avoid befriending students who ask for a sexual relationship at all cost unless of course, the state of friendship is one that increases the student’s success rate and doesn’t position you in questionable positions.
Explain to the student the implication of having sex with them, for example when you tell a student that sex leads to psychological damage a student may easly be turned away.
It’s also important to let the student understand that sex is not the only way they can get the time to talk to you and that it’s healthy for them to focus on the book than on the sex.
Teachers can request the school management to implement a talking school compound which makes it easier for teachers to remind the student of what the school stands for.
Telling a superior about a students advance has been known to decrease student’s advances by 65%, though it may not be really high enough to warrant ignorance. It is still important that a teacher tells a senior about such events.
In addition to the above, asking for help is also paramount, this ensures that you get a better experience and see clearly the facts.
In fact, whenever someone asks for help, they get more than help which is important here if you want to make it easy for the student and yourself.
Help can be in the form of what I can do for a student who is asking for a sexual relationship or what can be done to help such students’ focus on their studies.
It’s also important that you don’t gossip about it, this makes it easier for you to be comfortable in the knowledge that you are not being affected by situation hazards.
In fact, gossiping about these advances has been known to worsen matters in a way that others change the events to look real thus beating the evidence that the relationship didn’t exist.
A teacher must try to understand the context in which the student is asking for a sexual relationship. For example, it may be because of the way you dress, conduct class that a student thinks of as sexually.
Without understanding the context the teacher may be solving the wrong problem with the right solutions, it’s like using rural solutions to urban problems.
Change the topics whenever it is brought up, for example, if a student is seeking a sexual relationship you can simply change the topic to the subject that you teach.
Keeping a distance and walking away also helps the teacher from getting into a compromising situation and regretful acts of unwanted acts.