A poll conducted by Unison, in collaboration with UK Feminista, has revealed that sexual harassment is still rampant in UK schools.
Female support staff who were victims of inappropriate sexual comments and physical harassment by male pupils and colleagues responded to the survey.
The survey revealed troubling statistics, with one in 10 secondary school staff experiencing sexual harassment, and a quarter witnessing such behaviour in the past five years. Across all school stages, 7% of staff reported being victims of sexual harassment.
In one incident shared, a female learning support assistant in Hertfordshire faced a disturbing situation where a pupil made inappropriate advances.
Another account from a teaching assistant in Wales disclosed how students used vulgar language to embarrass staff members.
The issue extends to male students harassing female classmates, as described by a teaching assistant in the south-west.
More instances involved male staff members, including head teachers, exhibiting inappropriate behaviour towards their female colleagues.
One respondent shared a concerning incident where a headmaster sent a text to a staff member requesting photos of her breast enhancement surgery results.
Unfortunately, 42% of staff who witnessed such abusive behaviour chose not to report it, feeling that doing so would be futile.
Unison has urged authorities to ensure that staff and pupils are protected from damaging sexist attitudes, language and behaviour.
“Staff need to know how to address these issues and that they will be taken seriously when they report their concerns,” the report states.
“Parents will be horrified to learn their children are being taught in such toxic environments.
“The danger is that language and behaviour learned at an early age stay with pupils as they become adults and go out into the wider world”, the Unison general secretary, Christina McAnea, said.
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