Inspection: More reports of abuse and discrimination
The number of reports of sexual abuse and discrimination in schools increased last school year compared to a year earlier. A total of 134 reports of sexual abuse were made last school year and 57 reports were received by the inspectorate about discrimination.
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That makes the Education Inspectorate known today. This concerns reports made in primary education, secondary education, secondary vocational education, higher education and special education.
Reducing
According to the inspection, the number of reports of sexual abuse was only higher in 2003 and 2005 than last school year. "The number of reports was highest in 2005, when we reported 164 reports," the inspectorate said. Compared to the previous school year, in 2016/2017, the number of reports of sexual abuse increased from 106 to 134 in 2017/2018. "It is not possible to reduce the number," writes the inspectorate.
Sexual abuse involves assault, unwanted nuisance touch and fornication with abusive authority or an undesirable relationship between a teacher and a student. In almost half of the reports, 48 percent, the suspect is 'a person in charge of duties'. With sixty reports in secondary education, the most signals about sexual abuse were received by the inspectorate.
The inspectorate also looked at whether '#Metoo' - the movement that emerged in 2017 in which people on social media shared the hashtag to show they had experienced sexual harassment or abuse - led to a higher number of reports of sexual harassment. or abuse. The inspectorate did not see an increase, but kept a blow to the arm. 'We don't know how many reports of sexual violence we had registered during this period without the #MeToo movement.'
Discrimination
An increase can also be seen in the discrimination category: from 28 in 2016/2017 to 57 reports in 2017/2018. The reports increased especially in primary education. According to the inspectorate, discrimination based on a migration background in particular increased sharply. Fewer reports were about discrimination based on faith.
Parents, students, school leaders, teachers, counselors and administrators can report a suspicion of sexual harassment, sexual abuse, psychological and physical violence or discrimination and radicalization. Last school year, a total of 1937 reports were received across all categories. That is 6 percent less than in 2016/2017. The number of reports decreased, especially in the category of psychological violence. And part of the drop is due to a change in the home sitter procedure.
Worrying
The inspectorate calls the increase in the two categories 'worrisome'. The confidential inspectors also see that the 'complexity, intensity and urgency' of the reports is increasing. Moreover, not all complaints procedures in schools are easy to understand or not transparent for parents.
