Using Root Cause Analysis and Occupational Safety Research to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse in Schools

Significant progress has been made in the past two decades understanding how child molesters gain access to children and molest them while manipulating others to not get caught. However, incidents of child sexual abuse in schools by educators, and by other children, continue. This manuscript suggests that a comprehensive solution involves two components: (1) using root cause analysis methodology to systematically identify and integrate repetitive causes; (2) to use the findings from voluminous occupational safety research focusing on low-frequency but high-intensity events. Additionally, this manuscript describes eight organizational operations and practices that may reduce the risk of sexual abuse of children by educators or peers in a school setting. These findings were based on existing recommendations and on root cause analysis of thousands of incidents in schools and other youth serving organizations. Finally, the manuscript discusses how a framework drawn from occupational safety research can help schools and other youth serving organizations create environments that will help to create safe environments. Authors have used both components in working with thousands of organizations including faith-based, independent, and urban independent school districts, youth development programs, social service agencies, camps and so on serving diverse populations in 11 countries.