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| The government has come under attack for not doing enough to ensure that schools are adequately protecting children from sexual harassment and sexual violence. | The government has come under attack for not doing enough to ensure that schools are adequately protecting children from sexual harassment and sexual violence. |
| A recent report by the women and equalities committee revealed “shocking” levels of sexual violence and harassment in English schools, which MPs concluded were not being tackled effectively. In its response to the report, published on Tuesday, the government promised a “holistic” school-based approach to help schools develop their own codes of practice and the establishment of a new advisory group to the Department for Education. | A recent report by the women and equalities committee revealed “shocking” levels of sexual violence and harassment in English schools, which MPs concluded were not being tackled effectively. In its response to the report, published on Tuesday, the government promised a “holistic” school-based approach to help schools develop their own codes of practice and the establishment of a new advisory group to the Department for Education. |
| But its pledges have fallen short of the report’s call for a statutory obligation on schools to prevent and tackle sexual violence and harassment. It also sidestepped the committee’s calls for compulsory and up-to-date sex and relationship education, stating that those arrangements were under review. | But its pledges have fallen short of the report’s call for a statutory obligation on schools to prevent and tackle sexual violence and harassment. It also sidestepped the committee’s calls for compulsory and up-to-date sex and relationship education, stating that those arrangements were under review. |
| MPs on the committee and campaigners who gave evidence said there had been some welcome steps by government to understand the severity of the problem, but the response did not go far enough. Committee chair Maria Miller said: “The scale of the problem of sexual harassment in schools demands a robust and urgent response from those who take responsibility for our children’s safety when they are at school. | MPs on the committee and campaigners who gave evidence said there had been some welcome steps by government to understand the severity of the problem, but the response did not go far enough. Committee chair Maria Miller said: “The scale of the problem of sexual harassment in schools demands a robust and urgent response from those who take responsibility for our children’s safety when they are at school. |
| “We will continue to scrutinise action in this area and work with others to hold those responsible to account for any failure to ensure that all our children are safe and can thrive at school. In particular, the government needs to prioritise action to ensure sex and relationship education reflects the realities of the 21st century rather than the pre-smartphone age when guidance was last updated.” | “We will continue to scrutinise action in this area and work with others to hold those responsible to account for any failure to ensure that all our children are safe and can thrive at school. In particular, the government needs to prioritise action to ensure sex and relationship education reflects the realities of the 21st century rather than the pre-smartphone age when guidance was last updated.” |
| The report said 29% of 16 to 18-year-old girls had experienced unwanted sexual touching at school; 71% of all 16 to 18-year-old pupils had heard words like “slut” or “slag” aimed at girls in school on a regular basis; and that 59% of girls and young women aged from 13 to 21 had faced some form of sexual harassment at school or college in the past year. | The report said 29% of 16 to 18-year-old girls had experienced unwanted sexual touching at school; 71% of all 16 to 18-year-old pupils had heard words like “slut” or “slag” aimed at girls in school on a regular basis; and that 59% of girls and young women aged from 13 to 21 had faced some form of sexual harassment at school or college in the past year. |
| Miller said the committee wanted to see “more concrete ways to change a culture which you and I would not find acceptable in the workplace but expect children to accept in school.” | Miller said the committee wanted to see “more concrete ways to change a culture which you and I would not find acceptable in the workplace but expect children to accept in school.” |
| She said the compulsory sex education in place was “at best patchy” and said schools needed to have a clear legal duty to stop sexual harassment or violence. | She said the compulsory sex education in place was “at best patchy” and said schools needed to have a clear legal duty to stop sexual harassment or violence. |
| “It’s verbal abuse, being called a slut or a whore, lifting girls skirts in school, slapping their bums, inappropriate sexual touching,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “This isn’t something that happens infrequently in some place, it’s happening regularly - two-thirds of girls say they face this problem. | “It’s verbal abuse, being called a slut or a whore, lifting girls skirts in school, slapping their bums, inappropriate sexual touching,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “This isn’t something that happens infrequently in some place, it’s happening regularly - two-thirds of girls say they face this problem. |
| “Students tell us that teachers don’t always recognise the pernicious effect of some of this sexualised behaviour.” | “Students tell us that teachers don’t always recognise the pernicious effect of some of this sexualised behaviour.” |
| Commenting on the government response, Rachel Krys, co-director of End Violence Against Women, said: “The evidence given to this inquiry showed the risk girls and young women face in our schools and the committee made strong recommendations to government on action it can and should take urgently. | Commenting on the government response, Rachel Krys, co-director of End Violence Against Women, said: “The evidence given to this inquiry showed the risk girls and young women face in our schools and the committee made strong recommendations to government on action it can and should take urgently. |
| “That is why we are so disappointed that the response by the government is so weak. They are refusing to instruct schools to take urgent action, leaving it to individual schools to set up their own codes of practice and amend policies. | “That is why we are so disappointed that the response by the government is so weak. They are refusing to instruct schools to take urgent action, leaving it to individual schools to set up their own codes of practice and amend policies. |
| “Our children are being exposed to hardcore porn on their smartphones, the police have recorded hundreds of rapes in schools every year, and thousands of girls across the country are being exposed to extreme levels of sexual harassment, the like of which we have mostly eradicated in decent workplaces.” | “Our children are being exposed to hardcore porn on their smartphones, the police have recorded hundreds of rapes in schools every year, and thousands of girls across the country are being exposed to extreme levels of sexual harassment, the like of which we have mostly eradicated in decent workplaces.” |
| Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), welcomed the government’s response, but added: “Parents should be certain that when they send their child to school they are sending them to a safe and supportive environment where they will not be subjected to sexual harassment or violence. | Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), welcomed the government’s response, but added: “Parents should be certain that when they send their child to school they are sending them to a safe and supportive environment where they will not be subjected to sexual harassment or violence. |
| “ATL strongly believes that mandatory age-appropriate sex and relationship education, taught by qualified teachers in timetabled PSHE [personal, social, health, education] lessons, will help create that environment. These lessons must be taught in all schools, and academies and free schools should not be able to opt out.” | “ATL strongly believes that mandatory age-appropriate sex and relationship education, taught by qualified teachers in timetabled PSHE [personal, social, health, education] lessons, will help create that environment. These lessons must be taught in all schools, and academies and free schools should not be able to opt out.” |
| The committee will hold a follow-up inquiry on the government’s response to its report and will examine what progress has been made in tackling sexual harassment and sexual violence in schools. It also plans to question the education secretary, Justine Greening, in January. | The committee will hold a follow-up inquiry on the government’s response to its report and will examine what progress has been made in tackling sexual harassment and sexual violence in schools. It also plans to question the education secretary, Justine Greening, in January. |