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**Tiarali** · 03-29-2012, 08:59 AM

http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content...082773.htm

Alright. I found this tonight and thought it was very interesting. In my state, currently, the only mandatory reporting requirements for teachers is that they must report suspected sexual abuse by an employee of the school towards a student. Apparently there is currently a bill being proposed that, if passed, will mean that teachers must report all reasonably suspected sexual abuse, regardless of who the alleged perp is. I'm pleased about that.

Anyway, so this incident happened in my state under the current laws. A teacher was later found guilty of raping and molesting 13 students at the school (I think, I'm tired). One of the girls told the principal, who reported the allegations to his superiors but neither he nor they reported it to the police.

He was charged with failure to report, but acquitted because he did report to his superiors.

This was very interesting to me, because I thought that IFB pastors do not have any superiors to report to. Then I thought, maybe they could dodge it if the principal reports it to the pastor, and then they both sit on their hands and do nothing.

If so, that's pretty disgusting. There's no point having legislation that a type of abuse must be reported to the police if you aren't going to prosecute those who whisper about it amongst themselves and refuse to report it to the police.

Argh.

amyrose5 · 03-29-2012, 09:22 AM

In all of the U.S. via state laws, all adults are mandatory reporters. Not to say that the "reported it to superiors" thing doesn't happen and doesn't get people off the hook (see: Paterno, Joe).

**Sharon** · 03-29-2012, 09:30 AM

I see that the man's superiors also lost their jobs, but I don't see any mention of criminal action against them. Did they also face charges?

I'm really surprised that there are not stronger mandatory reporter laws in Australia.

**Tiarali** · (This post was last modified: 03-29-2012 09:32 AM by Tiarali.)

That's interesting.

This is a page which outlines the mandatory reporting requirements across the states of Australia. I think Queensland has the lowest requirements. Mind you, this page doesn't seem to even mention the mandatory requirement of teachers to report suspected sexual abuse by an employee of a school towards a student (which was introduced in 2004), so there may be some situations that aren't mentioned on that page.

Aussies are very much an apathetic bunch. She'll be right, mate.