PEER ON PEER SEXUAL ABUSE and/or HARRASMENT

PEER ON PEER SEXUAL ABUSE AND HARASSMENT

This helpline provides both children and adults who are potential victims of sexual abuse in schools with the appropriate support and advice. This includes how to contact the police and report crimes if they wish. The helpline also provides support to parents and professionals. See section 7 on our safeguarding policy for our procedures. 

Peer on peer sexual abuse and harassment is not acceptable and not tolerated. Sexual harassment refers to unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that occurs online or offline. Sexual harassment violates a pupil’s dignity and makes them feel intimidated, degraded or humiliated, and can create a hostile, sexualised or offensive environment. If left unchallenged, sexual harassment can create an atmosphere that normalises inappropriate behaviour and may lead to sexual violence.

Sexual harassment could include:

• Sexual comments.
• Sexual “jokes” and taunting.
• Physical behaviour, such as deliberately brushing against another pupil
• Online sexual harassment, including non-consensual sharing of images and videos and consensual sharing of sexual images and videos (often known as sexting), inappropriate comments on social media, exploitation, coercion and threats.