Dulwich College reports pupils to police for ‘abuse’
A TOP public school has reported some of its pupils to police after being caught up in the wave of allegations of ‘rape culture’ rocking many of the country’s most exclusive institutions.
Dulwich College, which charges £44,346 a year for boarders, told parents that ‘a small number of individuals have come forward naming their abusers’ following the publication of an open letter that branded the school ‘a breeding ground for sexual predators’.
It is just one of a series of top institutions, including Highgate and Latymer Upper schools in London, to be named in an anonymous online dossier of alleged abuse on a website called Everyone’s Invited.
One account said: ‘I was held down and had my top and bra taken off by a group of Dulwich College boys who only gave my clothes back ten minutes later as I cried and screamed’, while others are even more distressing.
Dulwich Master Dr Joseph Spence yesterday wrote to inform parents that the college had ‘either disciplined those pupils [guilty of wrongdoing] or, where there has been an allegation of criminal behaviour, passed the case on to the police’. He added: ‘We understand why victims of harassment or abuse may not wish to be named or to name perpetrators, but we welcome the opportunity to deal with specific cases.’
In the letter, seen by MailOnline, Dr Spence wrote that he ‘condemns unreservedly the behaviours and attitudes reported in the open letter’ and vowed to ‘challenge’ any such behaviour.
Dulwich College was founded in south- east London in 1619. Its alumni include Sir Ernest Shackleton and P G Wodehouse.
In its first comment on the scandal, the Independent Schools Council (ISC) said some of its members were reporting incidents to the police where appropriate.
Chief executive Julie Robinson said: ‘We know that schools are deeply concerned and taking this issue very seriously.
‘They are listening to those who have spoken out and encouraging anyone else who has suffered or been affected by such incidents of abuse to get in touch so they too can be heard and supported.’
Some schools ‘ have already announced they are commissioning external, independent reviews in a range of areas including policies, procedures, training and curriculum, and are also revisiting their peer- on-peer abuse procedures’, Mrs Robinson added. ‘ As well as looking at new measures and approaches that can be introduced, schools are of course acutely aware of their responsibilities in relation to the recent testimonies published on Everyone’s Invited.
‘While it is challenging for schools to act effectively on anonymised allegations, they are making referrals to external agencies where appropriate, including reporting incidents to the local authority and the police.’
The Independent Schools Inspectorate, which acts as an equivalent to watchdog Ofsted for many of the named schools, said: ‘We constantly reflect on how our inspections can give pupils a range of opportunities to speak and share. Recent events have emphasised to us the importance of continually reviewing our methods of doing this.’
Last night the Metropolitan Police said it had received two ‘allegations of non-recent sexual assault’ from Dulwich College. No arrests have been made. The school was contacted for comment.
‘Breeding ground for predators’