WASHINGTON — Between 6% and 10% of public-school children across the country have been sexually abused or harassed by school employees. Many more incidents go unreported. So says the author of a draft report commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education.

The draft report coincidentally came out soon after the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops released two studies on sex abuse in the Church. Some commentators and Church apologists have pointed out that sex abuse is more widespread in the society at large than in the priesthood.

“Why aren't [students] reporting” sex abuse? asked Charol Shakeshaft, who authored the study, titled “Educator Misconduct: A Synthesis of Existing Literature.”

“They think they won't be believed,” she said. “They're probably right-other kids who've gone there haven't been believed, they don't know how to report it, they don't know whom to report it to or they're too ashamed. There's a whole list of reasons,” said Shake-shaft, a professor of educational policies at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.

The U.S. Department of Education commissioned the study based on a provision in the No Child Left Behind Act, signed into law by President Bush in January 2002.

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