The new report by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), published at the start of March, has found that institutions often prioritise their reputation over the protection of children from sexual abuse. The inquiry panel examined issues at 13 boarding schools in England and Wales, and a further 8 which have closed.
Despite progress in regards to safeguarding, testimonies on the Everyone’s Invited website show that sexual abuse and harassment between peers remain prevalent in schools. Many schools actively discourage reporting the crimes, or headteachers do not believe that their staff could have committed them. Prof Alexis Jay, the inquiry chair, said that “poor leadership frequently left staff unaware of how to respond to concerns about sexual abuse or too afraid of potential consequences to act”.
Often times the aggressor’s “power and influence”, as in the case of the convicted sex offender Michael Brewer, the former director of music at Chetham’s School of Music who sexually abused a former student, makes pupils more vulnerable and stands in their way of reporting. Furthermore, the reputation of the teacher and school are often seen as more important than the victims.
The IICSA report recommends setting nationally accredited standards and levels of safeguarding training in schools, and wants boarding schools to face regulatory consequences if they fail to inform the inspectorate of child sexual abuse allegations. The key to change is reporting crimes, known or suspected, to the authorities.