Harry academy alarming tweet

We received similarly cryptic text messages from our DC's primary school back in the summer term. I contacted the school and asked them to be more specific about the sort of vigilance they were encouraging. Subsequent messages have been a bit clearer.

I imagine the reason Harris Academy's tweet only mentioned girls is because it's girls (mostly aged 11-13) who have been assaulted in this series of attacks. The majority of attacks have taken place against girls on their way to school in the Lewisham and Greenwich area.

The MET Police appeal is here:
news.met.police.uk/news/appeal-following-linked-sexual-assaults-272535

What I would take from that Tweet is that over the last two months there have been attacks on girls / young women, in the mornings.

And I would think that until
The attacker is caught girls walking in pairs or groups will be less of a target for this particular attacker than those who are alone.

And I would ensure my Dd made such arrangements wherever possible.

I have just rec'd an email from school regarding an attack on a school child at 7.45am yesterday in Eltham. They quoted their letter from the police: "The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 50 years of age, light blonde hair, quite tall, wearing a grey jacket and a hat. The description is similar to the suspect from the linked series of sexual assaults currently being investigated. CCTV is currently being checked in the area and house to house enquiries are being made to try and trace any witnesses. Officers have been tasked to increase patrols in the area. CID at Greenwich and Lewisham are aware of this latest incident as part of our joint investigation strategy.

A month ago I spoke to a local policeman on the street who confirmed there had been many recent incidents in the Lewisham/Greenwhich area and as far out as Beckenham and Chislehurst/Petts Wood. He told me they were looking for two men - one white, blond and the other ethnic (this one was flashing at school children in wooded areas).

Harris should have emailed a letter to parents. Whaz, I would suggest you phone Harris and tell them to email a letter and to also speak to their students in assembly if they have not already done so.

It's mixed. It's probably in relation to it being specifically school girls on their way to and from school being targetted by the sex attacker in the Telegraph article. The advice they've given isn't very useful though. I've seen other schools advise people to if possible travel with others and choose busy roads rather than quiet ones.

Just checking - is this an all-girls school, or with split girls / boys campuses? Otherwise I can't see any justification for this.

I cam on to say that mugging rates are much higher for teenage boys, but others have beaten me to it. If there are also boys at this school, the message, statistically, should be directed to them. Unlesss teenage boys glow in the dark or something and I've missed seeing it.

I hate a pet hate of communicates that scaremonger without proving useful advice.

Two of my children’s schools have put out such communications. They only did it once because I contacted them and since then they have been more measured, more specific and much more practical.

I agree the tweet is bad whaz. If they were concerned because of these attacks they could have referenced them and suggested all children (no need to say just girls) travel to school with a friend.

Have Harris Academy checked the stats on teen assaults in public places? Because I’m pretty sure that it’s not the girls who are most likely to be victims. Young males are serveral times more likely to be the victims of assault or murder in public.

I don’t really see what is wrong with asking girls to stay safe, giving good advice about this, especially if girls have been attacked. One would hope they were talking about walking in darkness in assemblies to reinforce the point. I would like to think the boys were advised too.

At my DDs university, the girls were warned not to walk alone back from the city centre to the hall of residence and always get a cab with a group of friends. That’s a fair warning as far as I am concerned. Be aware and take precautions!

whaz

Hopefully someone will be able to say what has been put in place.

You can't just tweet putting it on the female students.

What choice do they have anyway

Cut and paste Particularly at this time of year, we advise that female students avoid walking to school alone or walking home alone. There have been a number of incidents over the last two months (mostly in the morning) in the borough. Our message: be streetwise, be alert, be safe.

Could be to do with this, I am not sure they have caught the attacker yet: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/18/police-hunting-serial-sex-attacker-targeting-schoolgirls-south/

Statistically young men are more at risk of attack.

I don’t like the tone of the tweet, not just for the victim blaming, but because it contains no useful information. If there had been a spate of attacks against girls in the area and they were suggesting traveling in groups on foot where possible I can see the sense. If it’s just “women beware because if you don’t you deserve what you get” then that’s really not on.

Seriously?

My 16yo dd walks every evening from the local bus station to the train station. There's a very deserted, seldom used short cut. I've told her not to use it when it's dark. She's 5ft nothing. Is she at more risk of being raped/mugged than a 16yo boy? I would say so. Am I a bad parent for telling her not to use the short cut unless she's with someone? Should I be more right on and tell her she can do anything the boys can?

How are the kids and parents going to feel about this there is literally zero choice for most.

You can't just say what they said then offer zero solution to the problem.

And yes address it to all students at least.

That seems so iffy. Do boys never get mugged?

Maybe because it is dark butreally they should be saying in their safety message All pupils should walk together not mentioning girls

Why not email the school direct and ask if the tweet was a general safety one or is the school acting on specific intelligence from the police?

Do they just mean because of dark mornings?