Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Fifth Report - Attitudes towards women and girls in educational settings
Women and Equalities Committee
HC 331
Published 5 July 2023
Recommendations
1
Accepted
Para 16
Ensure all schools recognise sexual harassment seriousness and receive funding for effective safeguarding.
Recommendation
Sexual harassment and sexual violence continues to be a scourge in our schools, with many girls and women feeling powerless. The issues are longstanding and warnings have been frequent, including from our predecessor Committee. It is saddening that it took …
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Government Response Summary
The government states that updated statutory guidance (Keeping Children Safe in Education) already makes it explicit that schools should understand and prepare for sexual harassment, and that funding is available through core school budgets which have been significantly increased.
Government Equalities Office
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9
Accepted
Ensure teachers receive adequate funding and time to deliver RSHE effectively.
Recommendation
Schools and teachers should have the knowledge and materials to raise awareness of what sexual harassment and sexual violence looks like, address inappropriate language and behaviour, and challenge stereotypical views of sex and masculinity. In too many cases, they lack …
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Government Response Summary
The Department has already funded a £3 million support package for RSHE, including teacher training, and Oak National Academy provides and develops free online curriculum materials and resources for schools.
Government Equalities Office
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Conclusions (4)
3
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 18
The Government has updated the statutory Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance to include tackling peer-on-peer sexual harassment and sexual violence. This is a positive step to ensure that schools better protect children and young people from harmful sexual behaviour. However, schools need the appropriate time and money to implement …
Government Response Summary
The government asserts that funding for schools to implement the Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance and provide training is available through existing core schools funding, noting that the overall education budget is at its highest level.
5
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 26
The Online Safety Bill is a landmark piece of legislation with the potential to significantly tackle violence against women and girls, in part through the regulation of online pornography. It presents an opportunity to address issues such as boys cyberflashing hardcore pornographic images at girls, the Airdropping of nude images …
Government Response Summary
The government states that existing Keeping Children Safe in Education and Behaviour in Schools guidance already provides information on online safety. Crucially, the Department is producing new guidance to support head teachers in banning mobile phones in schools, and highlights that the Online Safety Bill will also support these efforts.
10
Conclusion
Accepted
We welcome the Office for Student’s (OfS) commitment to a prevalence survey of sexual harassment and sexual abuse in the university sector. This would overcome the reluctance of some universities to do this work due to fears of reputational damage. The OfS should ensure that the survey captures students’ experiences …
Government Response Summary
The OfS is piloting a survey on sexual harassment and abuse with 13 universities, and a full survey in 2024 will include students' experiences both on and off campus.
11
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 60
It is disgraceful that universities in England have used non-disclosure agreements to silence victims of sexual harassment and violence. Given the number of universities still to commit to banning the use of NDAs, we are pleased to see the Government endorse legislative proposals to prevent this abhorrent practice. Universities need …
Government Response Summary
The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act, which received Royal Assent in May 2023, will include a ban on the use of non-disclosure agreements in sexual harassment cases in universities, effective 2024. For whistleblowing, the Office for Students already requires universities to have a complaints process, and whistleblowers can report to the Independent Adjudicator.