Sexual Harassment

1 in 3 girls has been groped at school – but right now, sexual harassment is often dismissed by teachers as ‘banter’. Francesca, a former teacher, has started a campaign for this kind of abuse to be taken seriously.

A group of MPs have just come up with plan to tackle sexual harassment. It covers basics like making sure schools report sexual harassment and teach students about how unacceptable it is. But if we want the government to make this happen, we need to prove the public want this too. A huge petition could do the trick.

Here’s what Francesca says:

“Sexual harassment in our schools is a huge problem. When I was teaching, I often heard boys talk about how girls were ‘asking for it’ and who saw no problem with cat-calling and wolf-whistling.

The classroom is the perfect setting in which to tackle, and put an end to, the toxic behaviours that impact girls every day. But unless it’s the priority of all schools, it’ll always get put to the bottom of the list”.

School isn’t just a place to sit your exams. It’s where we learn how to be adults, and what behavior is and isn’t appropriate. Ignoring sexual harassment in schools could have dangerous knock on effects. If we want to tackle sexual violence against women in society, than tackling it in the classroom is just common sense.

If you think sexual harassment should be taken seriously in schools then please sign the petition now:

https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/harassment-in-schools