Response to the Department for Education review into sexual abuse in education settings

The Department for Education has announced a review into sexual abuse in education settings and an ‘Abuse in Education’ Helpline.

Liz Thompson, Director of External Relations at SafeLives says:

"The experiences on Everyone’s Invited are painful to read – our thoughts are with every survivor of abuse who has spoken out. 

"We welcome the Government’s review and the new NSPCC helpline, but there’s so much more that needs to happen.  We know abuse occurs in many teenage relationships and young people don’t always know what is abuse.

"The RSE and Health curriculum in schools currently doesn’t take a trauma-informed approach and there’s too little time or training to support teachers to have those conversations and respond to disclosures.  

"We need to build on interventions which use peer-led learning and external specialist organisations to find new ways to talk to young people – both those who are harmed and those who harm – and help them talk to each other.  

"It’s beyond time to draw the line through abusive behaviour. Everyone should feel safe at home, at school and in public."