Sexual violence in school. Trigger Warning: suicide

[PurgatoryOfPotholes]

Some of you may have seen the tragic death of Samina, a 12 year old girl at secondary school.

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/outpouring-love-angel-12-after-20815859

It has been alleged that she died by suicide after someone raped her at school.

twitter.com/DrJessTaylor/status/1407354464483352583?s=19

Last time I saw statistics on this, it seemed that an average of one rape was committed a day in UK schools, and that was some years back.

To judge by the Everyone's Invited initiative, the problem has only got worse.

What can we do about this? School should be safe for our girls.

I don't think there are any simple answers. It requires a whole societal shift. A good start would be a zero tolerance policy on sexism and misogyny - no bra snapping in corridors or sexual jokes. Teaching boys that girls are human, and not something you have a right to treat however you like.

It's no wonder girls want to opt out of being girls with all of this shit they have to deal with.

I have been shocked at how routine girls today think bra-strap snapping is. I told a teenage girl once that it was sexual harassment and totally unacceptable in a workplace or a school and she just stared at me in confusion.

I don't think there are any simple answers. It requires a whole societal shift. A good start would be a zero tolerance policy on sexism and misogyny - no bra snapping in corridors or sexual jokes. Teaching boys that girls are human, and not something you have a right to treat however you like.

Yes I completely agree. Our whole culture minimises this disrespect towards women and girls.

It is in fact what is meant by "creating a hostile environment" for girls, as per the Equality Act.

RIP Samina

12 years old.
In modern Britain.

Yes , girls have to be taught that they are entitled to boundaries and they will be backed up when they use them. However, boys have to be taught too. They have to know what is acceptable behaviour and what is not and it has to start long before the testosterone kicks in.

Semina Apologies

Hell, I've just realised I misspelt her name.

RIP Semina. I am so sorry what you were subjected to in life.

That poor girl. She must have been so tormented. This is why Ofsted need to stop the victim blaming and start actively helping schools eradicate sexism.

Poor girl.

Too many girls endure sexism and that sets them up for a lifetime of abuse.

This is so so awful. Her poor family. I can't imagine what her poor parents are imagining she experienced in order for her to take her own life.

This has too stop. One is too many. We already know children commit suicide due to bullying.

I suppose her rapist will never be face any consequences.

(I would say allegedly but I don't want to undermine the crimes against Semina. I think we all know what happened here.)

for Semena and her family.

It's unbearable.

That poor poor girl. Thought and prayers for her family.
There was an incident at Dd school where a boy got a girl in a cupboard and groped her. He was back in school the next day. Outrageous. He should have been immediately expelled IMO.

@334bu

Yes , girls have to be taught that they are entitled to boundaries and they will be backed up when they use them. However, boys have to be taught too. They have to know what is acceptable behaviour and what is not and it has to start long before the testosterone kicks in.

Yes agree. But schools have to take action every time otherwise there's no point teaching girls this. And schools are up against societal norms and the ever evolving ways in which we socialise our girls not to have boundaries.

I think schools need to audit for sexism (and racism and ableism) and then commit to change taking a zero tolerance approach to sexual harassment. But the greater change needs to come from society. Everywhere we turn is the implicit and explicit suggestion that women are objects for male use. And the men that do "use" women as they please are tolerated, accepted, sometimes lauded and applauded. Virtually never prosecuted or ostracised.

@Mogloveseggs

That poor poor girl. Thought and prayers for her family. There was an incident at Dd school where a boy got a girl in a cupboard and groped her. He was back in school the next day. Outrageous. He should have been immediately expelled IMO.

Not just expelled. If an adult did this to another adult, it would be a police matter. Same should apply here.

Poor girl, I can’t imagine what her family is going through, what she went through.

I think incidents at school need to be systematically referred to the police. Anything that is physical, sexual harassment or assault needs to be referred immediately. The message being sent to kids is it doesn’t really matter. It’s giving a free pass to sexual abuse.

Awful case, and shocking that none of the reporting has mentioned the rape and harassment campaign against her.

I suppose her rapist will never be face any consequences.

I agree. Almost no chance. Plus him and his family will be slagging off this poor girl and her family and painting her a liar and him as the victim.

Agree with Roomonb.
Utterly tragic.

This routine harrassment of girls starts in reception at primary school. Schools do nothing and boys are trained to treat girls in this way and girls are trained to suck it up.
I'm so angry.

The message being sent to kids is it doesn’t really matter. It’s giving a free pass to sexual abuse.

And yet somehow, when they reach adulthood, they are somehow meant to suddenly start behaving appropriately.

That poor poor girl and her poor family. I don't even know what to say, I'm just speechless.

Copied from the mothers Facebook page -

Apart from posting my beautiful daughter Semina passed away this is the hardest post I have to post.....I'm doing this post to put people who have speculated and gossiped about my daughter in their place so there will be no misunderstanding as this is why Semina is in heaven and not here with me and her family now. Semina was raped at the age of 12 by a boy from her school,for months he groomed her in secret even though he had a girlfriend (who is still by his side) . Semina was traumatised and cut herself to bits, his girlfriend had her jumped from behind twice and videod it all kicking her to the ground while she screamed in pain. The police let her down and Rafy was jumped and threatened, my family and home where terrorised by these 2 evil families. Semina Could not take anymore of the bullying on line she received daily and the fact that this boy took her innocence away from her at the age of 12.....she took her life . She had a slow death from Tuesday till Saturday she was awake till Friday before she was put in a coma and then she had her first heart attack, she survived another 2, she was a fighter. One thing she did say before she went into a comma was ' when am I going back to school?' I said as soon as your better beautiful Semina replied with I'm not going back while that boy is there I don't want to see him. Unfortunately and very angry the last words my baby said to me before they put her in a coma was ** is a rapist and he raped me. The doctors and nurses at Alder Hey who were working on her 24 7 cried in disbelief. The boys mother has repeatedly said ( girls take their own lifes all the time) she is in denial and protecting a rapist who actually has done it before. she is beyond evil like her son and his girlfriend and family........they do not care at the damage they have done and responsibility for a little girl of 12 to take her own life due to the actions of their children. RIP SEMINA I WILL SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE GETTING JUSTICE FOR FOR.

I hope there is police involvement (although it will undoubtedly come to nothing) and hope there is some physical evidence of this assault to prosecute with.

Yes he should. I was just talking about the schools reaction as it was so shocking to me.