Duty of care. Sexual harrassment in schools.

[SiriusStar]

I have followed a few threads about sexual harrassment and it is something I can get really riled about.

There is a whole area of sexual harrassment that happens in secondary schools by pupils against pupils that goes unrecognised by most. It is not discussed. When I get my NUT union magazine I don't find articles about it.

I have heard too many things that I cannot believe go unchallenged or properly dealt with.

Management seem to want to sweep it under the rug, out of sight and let the idea that it is acceptable continue.

It's not even just boys harrassing girls. Boys getting into fights because other boys have tried to put their finger up another's arse.

To my mind, sexual harrassment and assault should be dealt with very seriously. It worries me that parents and schools don't get the police involved and whether or not the school inform parents about incidents that they know about or whether they rely on the children telling their parents.

Some of the things I hear from teaching friends make me shake my head in dis belief and leave me and them feeling helpless.

I understand that we don't want to label kids early as sex offenders but surely we do them a dis-service by letting them "get away" with the behaviour. The managment are also failing in their duty of care to the victims.

We send them to school in the hope they will be safe. I feel extremelty cross about this. I want it talked about and proper advice given to schools and parents with how to deal with this. The more we whisper, the more we condone.

[HerBeatitude]

I can't find anything to argue about in your OP.

If it were racial harrassment, they'd deal with it. It's because it's sexual harrassment and a) people are uptight about sexual matters and b) the victims are mostly girls, so they don't matter as they are expected to put up with sexual harrassment until menopause anyway, so they may as well get used to it young.

[AuroraMrs]

I have a daughter who was sexually abused over a period of time by an older girl, both at home and at school. The police were involved but unfortunately there was no evidence. My daughter still has to go to the same school as this girl. This was a couple of years ago, my daughter stopped going to school but has gradually, with CBT, medication, counselling etc. built up her attendance. The school were supportive at first but now really don't seem bothered about helping her. Her main problem now is getting out of the car and into school, once in she is generally ok. Now they seem too busy, no one available etc. I'm trying to find out if the school have a 'duty of care' or are we reliant on their goodwill to try and support her to get in to school. She was only 12 when this all started.

[edam]

Good grief, Aurora, that's horrible. Your poor dd.

Sirius, I agree, it's appalling and should be taken as seriously as racism.

[atthecarwash]

aurora how awful. Any chance you could send her to a different school?

[princessparty]

Boys getting into fights about putting fingers up each other's arses!!!!!!!
Is it an approved school???

[WhatsWrongWithYou]

CAB have some info on here. It does touch on duty of care on the part of the school; might be worth dropping in to see if there's anything you can do.

I find this all shocking; one of DS1's friends was recently laughing about how a group of them had pulled some 'annoying' kid's trousers down and nothing was done by the school. This is an expensive private school which has swingeing punishments for swearing in the adjoining street .