Sexual Assault & Rape / Question
Published: March 1, 2004
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I am 15 and was raped by my teacher. He told me not to tell. But now I am pregnant, what do I do?
Signed: Pregnant & Raped By A Teacher
Dear Pregnant & Raped By A Teacher,
We are so sorry to hear what has happened to you. You need to talk to a trusted adult ASAP - talk to your mother, doctor, school nurse or counselor and let them know what happened. TeenHealthFX does NOT recommend talking specifically to the teacher involved because he is the one involved and has already told you not to tell. What your teacher did is not only very wrong, but it is illegal (and that is why he told you not to tell). Your pregnancy makes a bad situation even worse - it is important for you to realize that none of this is your fault!
You need help and support to deal with this painful and confusing situation. Also, you need to be under a physicians care for your pregnancy (and to know the options regarding your pregnancy like abortion, adoption or keeping the child). You need to make your parents aware of what is happening. This can be very difficult, but you will need their support to confront this situation. They will probably be angry with the teacher and your school for violating your trust and your body. If you cannot confide in them right away, you need to talk to a trusted adult like an aunt, a police officer, guidance counselor/school nurse or your doctor. It is very important to tell someone.
Again, what happened is not right and will not go away with time. You can also call the child protective service agency in your area; the number here in New Jersey for the Division for Youth and Family Services (DYFS) is 800.792.8610. If you live outside of this area, you can find the number for child protective services listed inside the front cover of the phone book. You can also log onto ChildHelpUSA to find local services.
Your teacher will be investigated and may be arrested and charged with a crime. It is important to remember that any consequences he faces are a result of his own actions. You are the victim here - he took complete advantage of you and he needs to be held accountable for his actions.
Again, it is important for you to remember that you have done nothing wrong. At some point you may start to have feelings about what has happened and you may have a hard time understanding. It is a necessity for you to seek treatment from a therapist to sort out your emotions rather then trying to deal with them on your own or just trying to forget them.
If you would like more information on this topic you can contact, Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAIN), 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), 24 hours, 7days a week. If you would like help finding a therapist is northern New Jersey call the Access Center from Atlantic Behavioral Health at 888.247.1400
Signed: TeenHealthFX
In the 
