חוויותיהן של יועצות ערביות המתמודדות עם חשיפה של פגיעה מינית בילדים בעת תפקידן

Educational counselors play a central role in identifying and responding to cases ofchild sexual abuse (CSA) and in promoting students’ well-being and sense of safety inschools. This study examines the experiences of Arab educational counselors copingwith disclosures of child sexual abuse in the course of their professional work. Fourteen Arab counselors working in elementary schools and with substantialexperience in addressing CSA cases participated in in-depth interviews. Thematiccontent analysis identified three main themes: (1) encounters with socio-culturalattitudes that minimize or silence sexual abuse; (2) the development of personal andprofessional coping strategies in relation to ʿayb (social shame); and (3) counselors’roles as agents of change in challenging taboos and prejudice within the school andcommunity. The findings highlight the counselors’ unique position at the intersectionof cultural and professional worlds, enabling them to adopt a broad perspective and toinitiate meaningful change in school responses to child sexual abuse. The studyconcludes with recommendations for culturally sensitive counselor training tostrengthen professional practice in this field.