Sexual harassment of girls is a scourge at schools in England, say MPs

The report said some schools were failing to promote gender equality or acknowledge the problem of violence against women and girls. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA

Sexual harassment of girls is “a scourge” in England’s schools, according to MPs, who have called for a government-led strategy to focus on boys who are failing to engage with relationship and sex education.

MPs on the women and equalities committee said in a report that there should be training for all teachers to help them hold conversations with boys and young men about sexual harassment and gender-based violence, in a way that challenges prevailing gender norms and ideas of masculinity.