Never miss any of the fun stuff. Get the biggest stories and wackiest takes from the Daily Star, including our special WTF Wednesday email
Thank you for subscribing!
Never miss any of the fun stuff. Get the biggest stories and wackiest takes from the Daily Star, including our special WTF Wednesday email
We have more newsletters
Over the last year or so the Daily Star has seen a rise in cases of teachers having affairs with pupils.
From a 28-year-old “Teacher of the Month” bedding someone “around 10 years younger than her”, to another teacher "buying her 14-year-old student lover a gun for his birthday", the alleged cases are coming in from all around the world.
And with that, we decided to investigate what causes someone to throw away their entire life and career to do something that comes with a long prison sentence and, usually, a life on the Sex Offenders' Register.
READ MORE: 'Teacher of the Month,' 28, had sex with student 'at least 10 years younger than her'
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star, counselling psychologist Dr Becky Spelman, founder at Private Therapy Clinic, breaks it down to six main reasons – power dynamics, emotional vulnerability, emotional connections, lack of judgement, personal dissatisfaction and psychological issues.
She said: “Teachers hold positions of authority and influence over their students, which can create an imbalance of power and in certain cases, this power dynamic can be exploited by individuals seeking control or validation.
“They may experience emotional vulnerabilities in their personal lives, which could make them more susceptible to seeking attention, intimacy, or validation outside their committed relationship.
“They also spend a significant amount of time with their students, building relationships based on trust and mentorship.
“In some cases, these relationships can evolve into emotional connections that cross professional boundaries – they may demonstrate poor judgment or have a lack of moral values that lead them to engage in inappropriate relationships, disregarding the potential consequences.
-
Paedo teacher's love bubble burst as her secret 'romps' with girlfriend exposed
“Marital dissatisfaction or personal issues within the teacher's relationship could potentially contribute to seeking validation or fulfilment from a student, though this is not a justification for their actions.”
On psychological issues, Dr Spelman explains the actions of those committing the crime could have “personality disorders” or unresolved trauma, which can leader to their judgment being impaired as well as significant boundary violations.
However, she does point out that regardless of the reasons why, the teacher involved is “responsible for their own actions”.
Another issue is the long-term impact on the underage student engaged in the sexual act.
-
Female substitute teacher, 43, jailed for romps with male student aged just 15
Recently, we reported how one pupil felt “weird” after having sex with his teacher – but what impact could this have on future sexual relationships?
Dr Spelman explains: “Engaging in a sexual encounter with a teacher can have significant and potentially long-lasting impacts on a student, regardless of their age. Any sexual relationship between a teacher and a student is abusive, as it involves a power imbalance and a violation of trust.
“For a student aged between 15-17, who is still in the process of developing their understanding of healthy relationships and their own sexuality, such an encounter can have several negative consequences.
-
Ex-teacher puts up sexy billboards of herself all around London – and won't back down
“They may experience confusion, guilt, shame, or feelings of betrayal, which can impact their emotional well-being and future relationships.
“Inappropriate relationships with teachers can disrupt a student's understanding of appropriate boundaries, consent, and healthy relationships.
“It can lead to confusion about what is acceptable behaviour and create difficulties in forming healthy relationships in the future. “
-
Inside trial of sex-mad prison officer trial who had 'love like never before' with lag
Future trust issues, as well as an impact on their own self-esteem and “self worth”, will also more often than not "become an issue in the long term”.
For anyone caught up in a situation such as this, Dr Spelman urges them to seek professional help such as therapy as it can be instrumental in addressing the “emotional and psychological consequences” and guiding them towards healthy recovery and future relationships.
To get more stories from Daily Star delivered straight to your inbox sign up to one of our free newsletters here.
- Students
- Exclusives
- Sexuality
- Police
- Prison News
Source: Read Full Article