More than half of girls in UK sexually harassed in school

UK: A new report has revealed that more than 50 percent of girls in British schools and colleges have been sexually harassed, calling for sex education to be provided for all children in primary and secondary schools.

A parliamentary committee report stated that sexual bullying had become an expected part of girls' daily lives.
According to the report, it found evidence that almost a third of 16 to 18-year-olds had experienced unwanted sexual touching at school.

Speaking to the Thomson Reuters Foundation, Katie Russell of Rape Crisis, a charity organization that works with survivors of sexual abuse said;

"Surely no one who reads or hears these striking statistics today could now deny how serious ... this problem is."

Young people told the parliamentary committee that sexual harassment complaints would often be forgotten, with no action taken.

The lawmaker who chaired the committee, Maria Miller from the ruling Conservative party, said that the report found out that teachers often accepted sexual harassment as "just banter".

Almost three quarters of 16-18 year old students claimed they heard terms such as "slut" been used towards girls on a regular basis.

Miller, criticised Britain's education department for having no "no coherent plan" to tackle the issue.

A government spokesperson said the department would consider the committee's report's recommendations.

"Schools should be safe places and fortunately crime is rare, but no young person should suffer harassment or violence," said the spokesperson.