Sexual Abuse in Schools - A solution скачать в хорошем качестве

Sexual Abuse in Schools - A solution

Tim Clark's recommendations and analysis - Review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges Ofsted 10 June 2021 Report comes only a couple of weeks after an NASUWT/Radio 4 questionnaire in which almost one third of teachers reported having witnessed peer on peer sexual abuse and almost one in ten saw it on a weekly basis. Certainly, the Ofsted Reports’ findings are shocking. Over 90% of girls and over 70% of boys stated that sexual name calling was common, whilst 88% of girls and 49% of boys said that sending explicit videos and pictures was also commonplace. Perhaps most worrying, is that 80% of girls and 40% of boys felt under pressure to provide such images themselves. Indeed, some children maintained that sexual harassment is so commonplace ins schools that they see little point in reporting it. They also feel that RSE (Relationships and Sex Education, compulsory in all secondary schools since 2020) offers too little to late. Teachers are no more positive, feeling ill-equipped and ill at ease delivering the subject. Whilst we should be worried by these revelations, let us also remember that only about one quarter of perpetrators of sexual abuse are under 18, i.e. could be in school, and only 1.3% of permanent exclusions are for sexual misconduct. Worryingly, however, the latter could of course mean that most harassment goes under the radar, not least as many pupils are unwilling to report it for a whole host of reasons – fear, embarrassment, guilt etc. The Report, quite rightly, therefore, advises schools to “assume” sexual harassment goes on, even without specific concrete evidence. So, what is to be done? Firstly, staff and pupils need to fully understand precisely what is, sexual harassment. [The statutory guidance, “Keeping Children Safe in Education”, makes it clear that it is a legal duty of every member of staff to try and keep all children safe.] The Report, sensibly, identifies a continuum of issues which start with the one-off inappropriate comment through to incidents which are deemed problematic, abusive or coercive, through to full sexual violence. Clearly, there is an escalation in seriousness from the intended “joke” through to sexting, upskirting to coercion. The DfE guidance on sexual violence and harassment (May 2018) encourages staff not to dismiss sexual comments as “banter”, “just having a laugh” or “boys being boys”, but the one-off inappropriate comment is obviously very different from a coercive, physical act and the two must be dealt with proportionately and appropriately. The DfE guidance provides a good definition of sexual harassment: unwanted sexual conduct which, “violates a child’s dignity” and makes a child feel, “intimidated, degraded or humiliated”. Knowledge and understanding clearly make a good starting point. Secondly, we need to urgently and significantly improve the delivery of RSE lessons, for which staff need proper training. Until the latter happens, RSE will remain largely ineffective and both unpopular and undervalued by pupils and staff. RSE lessons must include showing clearly what is acceptable or unacceptable in a friendship and relationship, and must also be clear about the law. Whilst many youngsters have a vague notion of the concept of “consent”, very few realise that the sending of an indecent image of a person under 18, even of themselves, is illegal, and to send one of another person without their consent could lead to the perpetrator being placed on the Sex Offenders Register. Next, where incidents do occur, schools must be prepared to use disciplinary sanctions. Punishing something sends out a clear message that the behaviour is wrong, as well as proving publicly that a school will protect its pupils. The fact that much “sexting” happens outside of school should not, if it impacts on the school or its pupils, prevent disciplinary action being taken. The statutory guidance on exclusions confirms that, “actions outside of school can be considered grounds for exclusion”, whilst the guidance also reminds Heads that, “they must have regard for the interests of other pupils [and adults] at the school”. Finally, and most difficult to achieve, we must create a school environment in which pupils feel safe and comfortable enough to report and discuss matters of harassment, but also, to create an environment where such incidents are as least likely to occur as possible. We must teach respect for all, and that any actions which cause upset, humiliation or intimidation are bullying, are wrong and will not be tolerated. Sexual bullying is totally unacceptable, as is racial or homophobic bullying, but so too is bullying because children are big or small, rich or poor, clever or not clever, because they are weak, different or because of the colour of their hair. Respect for all must be both the answer and the goal.