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One in four teachers has experienced sexual harassment at secondary schools

Sexual harassment and sexism are widespread in schools, with staff being the target of physical advances, inappropriate comments and offensive remarks, according to new findings published by UNISON.

A survey of more than 2,000 workers conducted in partnership with UK Feminista found that one in ten (10%) female secondary school support staff say they have been sexually harassed, mainly by male students but also by their male colleagues.

Incidents included a male student attempting to kiss a female staff member and push her head into his crotch, and boys attempting to touch or slap a female staff member’s bottom. In another response, a principal told a female colleague, “Stand here and put on a pretty face, I’ll do the talking.”

A teaching assistant spoke of “boys pushing and holding girls to kiss them, playing games called ‘rape touch’ and making comments about girls’ bodies,” while a science technician reported a teenager who was brought to tears by her middle-aged teacher who said it was not possible to be “beautiful and smart at the same time.”

About one-seventh (15%) of school staff – including teaching assistants, technicians, lunch supervisors and administrative staff – reported experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace in the past five years. In secondary schools, this figure rose to one-quarter (25%).

Schoolgirl. (Getty Images)Schoolgirl. (Getty Images)

15% of respondents witnessed sexual harassment at school. (Getty Images)

While the verbal abuse was mainly perpetrated by male students against female classmates, it was also directed against female teaching staff. In some incidents, male teachers behaved inappropriately towards their female colleagues.

However, two in five (42%) employees who witnessed incidents of abuse did not report them because they felt it was “pointless.” Reasons cited included fear that the incidents would be “brushed off” or that raising concerns could damage their careers.

In addition to real-life harassment, sexist online content was another major issue highlighted in the survey, with nearly a quarter of school staff (24%) witnessing students discussing sexist online content.

More than half (51%) of these staff believed they had noticed changes in students’ behaviour as a result of viewing this content, particularly in terms of sexist language and behaviour by boys towards female staff and students.

A third (34%) of school staff have heard sexist language at school in the past five years, while more than one in 14 (7%) respondents said they experience sexist comments at school on a daily basis. The misogynistic language was used most frequently between students, but also by staff and occasionally even by parents.

A teacher comforts a student. (Getty Images)A teacher comforts a student. (Getty Images)

The survey discussed cases of sexism and harassment affecting both students and staff. (Getty Images)

One in seven (15%) respondents reported being exposed to sexist language in the past five years. The use of derogatory feminine terms by students was reported as widespread, with female staff exposed to sexualised, objectifying and threatening or intimidating language.

A quarter (25%) of respondents had witnessed gender stereotypes at their school in the last five years, and 5% witnessed them on a daily basis.

A total of 18% of respondents said they had experienced gender stereotypes at their school in the last five years. These were often expressed in the roles that staff were expected to perform. For men, these were manual tasks, while for women, these were nursing, cleaning and catering tasks.

UNISON General Secretary Christina McAnea commented on the findings: “Parents will be horrified to learn that their children are being taught in such a toxic environment. The danger is that pupils will retain the language and behaviour they learn at a young age even when they grow up and go out into the wider world.

“Male staff with such outdated attitudes need to think carefully about how they treat colleagues and students. They need to abandon such highly inappropriate behavior immediately.”

Teacher angry. (Getty Images)Teacher angry. (Getty Images)

One in seven (15%) respondents said sexist language had been used against them in the past five years. (Getty Images)

McAnea urged parents to help schools solve the problem.

“Parents also have to take responsibility,” she continues. “Sexist and degrading words have no place in modern classrooms or teachers’ rooms.”

“The role of misogynistic influencers cannot be overstated. A solution must be found before this worrying problem gets out of control.”

UK Feminista deputy director Nina Humphries added that it was “deeply worrying that misogyny is so normalised in schools”.

“This fuels violence against women and girls and limits the ambitions of all young people. The survey findings are further evidence that sexism and sexual harassment are widespread in the UK education system. Staff and students alike face this unacceptable behaviour. More must be done to make schools and colleges safer.”

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