Student victimization by educational staff in Israel

Objectives: This study examines the relationships between physical, emotional, and sexual victimization of school students by educational staff with a number of variables describing the student (gender, age, and relationship with teachers) and the school (the socioeconomic status (SES) of the students' families and school's neighborhood, school level, and ethnic affiliation). Method: The study is based on a nationally representative sample of 17,465 students in grades 4-11 in 319 schools across Israel, who completed questionnaires during class. In addition, data were obtained on SES of students' families and the school's neighborhood. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was used to examine the relationships. Results: Almost a third of the students reported being emotionally maltreated by school staff, and almost a quarter of primary and junior high students and a fifth of high school students were physically victimized by school staff. Almost 8% of secondary school students reported being sexually maltreated by school staff. The most vulnerable students were boys, Arab children, and children in schools in low SES neighborhoods. Conclusion: The study shows that students in Israel are exposed to high levels of maltreatment by educational staff, but not all students are equally likely to be victimized by school staff.