Why school gender wars must end, by top head

THE head of a leading private school last night called for an end to ‘gender wars’ in the wake of thousands of allegations of sex abuse.

More than 11,000 testimonies have now been uploaded to the Everyone’s Invited website, which compiles reports of sexual abuse in schools.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has condemned the alleged assaults as ‘shocking’ and suggested any schools implicated could face government measures.

Jane Lunnon, the new head of the £20,000-a-year Alleyn’s School in Dulwich, south- east London, suggested the solution should see young men become ‘ part of the conversation’.

‘A gender war helps no one, and pitting girls against boys or “othering” the opposite gender is no solution,’ she told The Times.

‘Our young people must learn how to tackle these things head on; how to listen to each other generously and with respect, and how to express their concerns and their hopes openly together.’

Schools have been accused of trivialising sexual violence by boys, with official figures showing the number of pupils suspended for it has almost halved in a decade.

There were 1,866 suspensions for sexual misconduct last year – a 44 per cent decrease on the 3,350 of ten years ago. Exclusions also fell.

Natalie Collins, an expert in addressing male violence and author of Out Of Control, said: ‘These figures are very worrying. Anyone working in schools will be aware that significant numbers of boys are sexually harming girls, with increased access to pornography part of this.

‘That there has been a significant fall in suspensions and expulsions for sexually harmful behaviour is an indicator that schools are failing to recognise and respond appropriately to boys’ sexual harassment and assault of girls.

‘For girls, this may mean having to move school or endure the trauma of sitting in lessons or assemblies with a boy who has raped or otherwise sexually abused them.’

A Department for Education spokesman said last night: ‘Where schools are failing to meet strict safeguarding standards, the Department for Education will not hesitate to take action.’

‘Very worrying figures’