Please tell me what you think about this letter sent home by DCs school

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Sent to all parents at DCs secondary school:
'Dear Parent/ Guardian/ Carer
As part of our continuing work with schools and other partners, aimed at helping safeguard young people, we would like to take this opportunity to remind you that your children can be at risk whenever they attend parties where alcohol is freely available. Some people with a sexual predatory nature can seek to take advantage whenever they find youngsters who are at all vulnerable in those circumstances. We urge you to remind your children to take reasonable steps and use common sense to keep themselves and their friends safe; and encourage them to talk to you.

This isn't an issue for any one community or area. It can affect all young people, and with summer approaching, and celebrations at the end of the exam period, children are ever keener to get out and about. we thought it would be useful to remind you of some potential risks they could face, alongside the many obvious positive activities and opportunities available to them.
Sincerely

(signed) Chief Inspector X Headteacher Y
'
So, sensible warning, or outrageous victim blaming?

Sensible warning if applied to all children.

I would have no problems with a letter like this. I think some parents could do with a wake-up call, TBH.

It is just a pretty factual warning.

Everyone who drinks to absolute excess is more vulnerable from a lot of things!

So nobody thinks the bit about "people of a sexually predatory nature" will make boys think "I'm not gay- this is nothing to do with me?" Rather than making them think about both the risk that they might be targeted by criminals while drunk and the risk that they might themselves behave in ways that they woildn't while sober?

No Hakluyt, not since the letter has been sent to the parents asking them to remind their children about these things.

I don't think I know any parents of boys (I have 3 myself), who think only gay boys get sexually assaulted.

If the letter covered every single possible way a drunken teenager could get into trouble, no only would be be hugely patronising to the parents but it would be about 900 pages long.

No I dont think that women can take advantage of boys just the same and be predatory i dont think this letter is about the rapist hiding in bushes

*not only would it be hugely patronising etc

I really must learn how to use 1 of these.

So you think the warning about "people of a sexually predatory nature" applies to boys as well as girls?

Yes.

And that most parents of boys won't get to that bit and say "oh, this doesn't apply to me" and bin it?

Yes I do

No. although parents of both might go pfft and bin it anywat

Um, what area do you live in? The 'one community' thing, do you live in Rotherham or Rochdale?

Oh for goodness sake Hakluyt if parents start binning letters because just one part of it doesn't apply to them and their kids, there is no hope.

"We urge you to remind your children to take reasonable steps and use common sense to keep themselves and their friends safe; and encourage them to talk to you."

The letter also says this ^^

It's not all about sexual predators.

People of a predatory nature could mean theiir peers too

Cyril Smith, Lord Janner. But nobody assaults little boys, oh no, no.

''People of a sexually predatory nature'' does apply to boys as well as girls.
A mother of two, in her twenties, regularly slept with teenaged boys from the local area, my brother included, a few weeks shy of his 16th birthday.

I think it's trying hard not to victim-blame, by pointing out that predators exist rather than implying that a drunk teenager in a miniskirt is somehow irresistible.

Agree with pps that vulnerability to violence or theft could have been expressed more explicitly though.

So you think the warning about "people of a sexually predatory nature" applies to boys as well as girls.

Absolutely, as does the bit about "talking to your children". Male rape and sexual assault happens.

Violence
Theft
Swimming
Sunburn
Dehydration
Road traffic
Sexual assault/rape
Falling over
Choking on vomit
Alcohol poisoning

The list would be endless if they made one, which is why they've just given an example while prompting parents to have a conversation about alcohol and safety in general.

Hakluyt I think you're assuming that other people are as thick as you are. It's basic knowledge that sex attacks are based on the twisted desires of the people committing them. Not victims sexuality. It's just basic logic. I actually find your view that all men think only gay people get sexually assaulted or raped offensive, moronic and deeply untrue.

That was a sensible letter. No victim blaming at all!

Knowledge is power. Children should know what reasonable precautions they can take to keep themselves safe - both in real life and online. They should be aware, without being terrified, that there ARE people in the world, even in nice close-knit villages, who DO want to hurt them! And that these people can often seem nice and charming, because they are good actors, good liars, and happy to play the long game to worm their way into your life!

Mine are not at the age for alcohol at parties yet but I have already talked to them about spiking drinks/not leaving drinks unattended, never getting in a car with a driver who has been drinking (or one who is showing off to friends) and other issues.

It is good that the school are reminding parents and maybe prompting some to have that talk, sooner rather than later. The number of my DDs friends who have completely public fb profiles, shows that some paretns either have no idea what their DC are up to, or don't care, or are at best incredibly naive.

Of course it applies to both sexes, that's why it's been written in the way it has! And after all the sex abuse scandals of recent years, anyone who thinks rape and rental assault only happen to girls, or even straight boys, they're being dim. Anyone who's unlucky enough can be a victim. Sensible letter from the school.

'Rental assault' = sexual assault