Sexual violence prevention is missing in teacher education: Perspectives of teacher candidates on prevention education

Abstract

This article derives from part of a larger study on sexual violence prevention in teacher education that analyses the narratives of fifteen teacher candidates in an Ontario university. It begins by providing a rationale for the research, which engages emerging teachers as key stakeholders in prevention education. Narrative inquiry was conducted to understand the experiences of teacher candidates who were troubled by the programme's lack of education and training on sexuality education and sexual violence prevention. Teacher candidates reflected that their first education about consent and sexual violence occurred in a postsecondary rather than an elementary or secondary school context. As part of the teacher certification programme, participants felt entitled to learn about sexuality education methodologies and sexual violence prevention education. As emerging teachers, they expressed the desire to know how to teach young people about sex and consent, healthy relationships, boundaries, and the sociopolitical contexts of sexual violence, as well as how to sensitively respond to disclosure. Most pointedly, participants understood the power that effective sexuality education by trained teachers may have in reducing victimisation, thereby contributing to educational equity. Findings are discussed in relation to the literature on feminist understandings of sexuality education and sexual violence prevention.