The Flemish School Association conducted the survey on sexual misconduct among more than 11,000 students. The large majority of the students surveyed (78 percent) indicate that they have never experienced sexual misconduct at school or at an internship.
On the other hand, 7 percent of the students surveyed say that they have already been the victim of sexual misconduct by a student. In the survey, 3 percent indicated that they had been a victim of a teacher. The percentages are higher for third-grade girls: 9 percent (by a student) and 6 percent (by a teacher) respectively.
“Some schools manage to create a warm atmosphere in which students automatically go to confidential counselors if they become victims,” the School Association writes in its report. “But not all schools reach this level. It is also not easy to go to the management with a message or complaint, especially when it concerns teachers. After all, teachers have a certain position of power, such as assessing tests. Students are also often met with disbelief when they want to file a complaint.”