Sexual harassment not being tackled effectively in schools, MPs warn

‘Widespread’ sexual harassment and sexual violence is not being tackled effectively in English schools, according to a report from the Women and Equalities Committee.

The report found that 71 per cent of all 16-18 year old boys and girls have heard terms such as ‘slut’ or ‘slag used towards girls at school on a regular basis, with 29 per cent of 16-18 year of girls saying that had experienced unwanted sexual touching at school.

Additionally, 59 per cent of girls and young women aged 13-21 questioned in 2014 said they had faced some form of sexual harassment at school or college in the past year.

The Committee found an ‘alarming inconsistency in how schools deal with sexual harassment and violence’ and criticised a lack of guidance and support to help teachers tackle the problem.

It also suggested that neither Ofsted nor the Department for Education currently has a coherent plan to tackle the issue and monitor the scale of the problem and has urged the government to use the new Education Bill to ensure every school takes appropriate action to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and sexual violence.

The Committee recommends that Ofsted and the Independent Schools Inspectorate should assess schools on how well they are recording, monitoring, preventing and responding to incidents, as well as take steps to ensure that every child at primary and secondary school has access to high quality, age-appropriate relationships and sex education by making sex and relationships education (SRE) a statutory subject.

Maria Miller, Women and Equalities Committee chair, said: "Our inquiry has revealed a concerning picture. We have heard girls talk about sexual bullying and abuse as an expected part of their everyday life; with teachers accepting sexual harassment as ‘just banter’; and parents struggling to know how they can best support their children.

It is difficult to explain why any school would allow girls to be subjected to sexual harassment and violent behaviour that has been outlawed in the adult workplace. The evidence shows it is undermining the confidence of young women. Failing to reinforce what is acceptable behaviour could well be fuelling the ‘lad culture' that the government has already identified as a problem in colleges and universities.”

She added: “The government must take a lead and make it clear that sexual harassment in schools is completely unacceptable and support schools, teachers, parents and young people to tackle this widespread problem.”