Challenging Media Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse: Female Teacher Sexually Abuses Male Student
- Kayelene Kerr Child Safety Educator & Advocate
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
In January 2026 it was revealed a 33 year old teacher from a Perth school was charged with sexually abusing a 12 year old student.
The offender was a female teacher, someone in a position care, supervision, authority and trust. The victim was a male student.
There’s sometimes a belief that sexual abuse by a female is somehow less harmful, it isn’t.
Male students are not immune to sexual abuse and female teachers are not incapable of abusing children. When the victim is male and the offender is female, harmful commentary tends to follow suggesting:
It’s ‘less serious’.
The boy was ‘lucky.
It was a ‘relationship, not abuse’.
We don't have to imagine the messages a boy receives when the person abusing him is female because it floods social media and no doubt conversations in the community, conversations that children and young people hear.
Female teacher sexually abuses male student ... VICTIM? MORE LIKE LUCKY
Why complain
Wish I went to that school
Does she do home schooling
I want to go back to school
School kids high-fiving in my day
Be grateful, other boys are jealous
Most boys would love that
I knew I should've taken up music lessons
You should be proud
He’d be a hero back when I went to school
Where were these teachers when I was at school
I just wish we had these teachers growing up
Each of these messages shifts responsibility away from the offender and reinforces harmful messages that can contribute to shame and self-blame.
Predictably, this online commentary minimises abuse and I can’t help but wonder, if this was a male teacher and female student would the response and reporting be different? I think so. Minimisation and jokes don’t protect kids, they protect offenders.
If we want to create safer environments for children, we must be willing to challenge the stories society tells about gender, power, control and abuse.
On the 28th of January The West Australian front page article stated, "I had sex with 12YO student." It should have stated, "I sexually abused a 12YO student."
When media reporting softens child sexual abuse, we have to challenge the language.
The following guidance encourages reporting that raises community awareness of child sexual abuse, reduces stigma and empowers victims and survivors when they share their personal experiences with the media. It includes advice on how to develop and frame stories appropriately, language and terminology to use and avoid, and sensitivities to consider when engaging with victims and survivors.
Reporting on Child Sexual Abuse: Guidance For Media
About The Author
Kayelene Kerr is recognised as one of Western Australia’s most experienced specialist providers of Protective Behaviours, Body Safety, Cyber Safety, Digital Wellness and Pornography education workshops. Kayelene is passionate about the prevention of child abuse and sexual exploitation, drawing on over 29 years’ experience of study and law enforcement, investigating sexual crimes, including technology facilitated crimes. Kayelene delivers engaging and sought after prevention education workshops to educate, equip and empower children and young people, and to help support parents, carers, educators and other professionals. Kayelene believes protecting children from harm is a shared responsibility and everyone can play a role in the care, safety and protection of children. Kayelene aims to inspire the trusted adults in children’s lives to tackle sometimes challenging topics.
About eSafeKids
eSafeKids strives to reduce and prevent harm through proactive prevention education, supporting and inspiring parents, carers, educators and other professionals to talk with children, young people and vulnerable adults about protective behaviours, body safety, cyber safety, digital wellness and pornography. eSafeKids is based in Perth, Western Australia.
eSafeKids provides books and resources to teach children about social and emotional intelligence, resilience, empathy, gender equality, consent, body safety, protective behaviours, cyber safety, digital wellness, media literacy, puberty and pornography.
eSafeKids books can support educators teaching protective behaviours and child abuse prevention education that aligns with the Western Australian Curriculum, Australian Curriculum, Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and National Quality Framework: National Quality Standards (NQS).
