A ‘masculinity crisis’ is brewing in UK schools, union says

A 5,000-strong poll by the NASUWT teachers’ union tracks a rising trend in misogyny directed at female teachers in recent years. Photograph: David Jones/PA

Teachers’ leaders have said a “masculinity crisis” is fermenting in schools across the UK, with misogynistic abuse of female staff on the increase, leaving victims “traumatised”, “demeaned” and “humiliated”.

Almost a quarter of female teachers who took part in a union survey said they have been the target of misogyny from a pupil over the past 12 months – the highest proportion in the last four years of surveys.