Calls for training for ALL schools in Lancashire to tackle sexual assaults

It's after a damning report from Oftsed found last week that it's becoming "normalised" in some schools.

A damning report from Oftsed found last week that it's becoming "normalised" in some schools.
Author: Hannah MakepeacePublished 17th Jun 2021

A Charity is calling for ALL schools across Lancashire to introduce training for teachers so they can tackle sexual assaults.

It's after a damning report from Oftsed found last week that it's becoming "normalised" in some schools.

Yes Matters UK wants schools to play a big part in preventing it, and to create an app for students to learn more about it.

Gemma Aitchison founded the charity after her sister was sexually assaulted and murdered in Blackpool in 2013 after believing she was going for a job interview at a hotel, she said: "Until girls are re-humanised and seen as people, instead of seen as sexual objects, we're going to see this attitude that they are disposable like objects are.

"It needs to really be addressed, and we need to give teachers the tools to actually deal with it, rather than just things like 'boys will be boys'.

"What's going to happen is you're going to have some young people that have been groomed into thinking things are normal, and they're going to be sat in a classroom realising that it's not normal that it's not okay, and the teacher is going to be the person they're going to talk to about that.

"So the teacher is going to have to be able to deal with that disclosure.

"Young people who are suffering trauma because of things like, witnessing domestic abuse or child sexual abuse, the teacher's going to have to know how young people with trauma behave and how they can support them with that.

"If they don't know anything about that stuff that could really impact the recovery of that young person into their adult life."