Letters - Monday, June 14, 2021

For some time now, the incidents of sexual harassment in our schools, state and private, has been on the rise. It is shocking and deeply disturbing.

Children as young as nine are being targeted by boys in their school.

Girls have told OFSTED inspectors that so common has it become they no longer bother reporting it to their teachers.

Those that do report it say little or nothing is done and the boys involved get off scot free.

A girl who was raped by a boy at her school received no help from her headteacher.

Harassment takes the form of demanding explicit nude photos, threats if girls refuse, and pornographic photos placed on social media.

Girls are being asked for nude photos by numerous boys in one night alone.

They are also being sent explicit photos and videos of males and subjected to vile sexist comments.

Schools are turning a blind eye to all this for fear of ruining the school’s reputation. Private schools also fear loss of income.

This shocking OFSTED report lifts the lid on a growing habit in our schools of girls being subjected to intolerable male behaviour.

It is also yet another indictment of the dangers of ghastly social media.

Unsurprisingly, the failure to deal with the problem has led to identical behaviour in our colleges and universities.

So serious has the problem become that many sources are demanding a public enquiry.

It is outrageous that such behaviour has become normalised in our schools.

It is equally outrageous that school heads are failing to adopt a robust policy to eradicate it and severely punish the male culprits.

Dr Barry Clayton

Thornton Cleveleys

HEALTH

Exercise hope and some self control

I am growing more and more tired, as a relative of front line staff, of messages I see posted on the website or on the letters page complaining about a) the lack of police on the street and b) how difficult it is to get a GP appointment.

Do you have the slightest grasp of the austerity cuts since David Cameron got into power or the workload of police now that more than 20,000 jobs have been cut, many have taken early retirement and many have just left the profession?

Boris Johnson is being economical with the truth, in my opinion, when he says the numbers promised in their manifesto have been met.

Do you have any grasp of how GP surgeries are trying to protect you with phone-in appointments?

Or just what is involved in the vaccine rollout that Matt Hancock, Nadhim Zahawi and Johnson take credit for when it is the very people they were going to give an insulting pay rise of one per cent to who have made it a success? Them and those volunteers.

All it requires if you have a minor problem is to use your pharmacy as an alternative or carry out some self-care.

There are simple ways to keep your mental health in equilibrium.

I sometimes wonder how some would have coped with the Second World War.

All you’ve got to do is maintain social distance, wear a mask, be sensible about who you mix with and exercise a bit of self-control and hope.

Terry Maunder

address supplied

SOCIETY

We must rethink law and order

I read in the paper that an American nun had stolen an awful lot of money to pay for her gambling habit. We read of street violence on an almost daily basis and fail to understand why our country has sunk so low.

One of the main reasons is TV. Avertising betting used to be a ‘no, no’ but now it tempts people to dream of riches so they feel betting is a route to wealth.

Likewise we, and that includes youngsters, see violence portrayed in TV programmes and, of course, the young see it as a way to be dominant so copy such behaviour. We no longer see police officers on our streets. Things will only get worse until we have a government prepared to rethink its law and order priorities.

Peter Hyde

address supplied

APPEAL

Get involved in Diabetes Week

There are 4.9 million people living with diabetes in the UK, and 13.6 million people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

It is a serious, relentless condition which, regardless of type, can bring with it many challenges.

Everyone experiences diabetes differently and, this Diabetes Week (June 14-20), we’ll be telling people’s #DiabetesStories from all corners of the UK.

There are lots of ways people can get involved, from designing posters to organising community events. There will also be plenty of activity on Diabetes UK’s social media channels. You’ll find more information at diabetes.org.uk.

So, let’s come together this Diabetes Week and tell our #DiabetesStories – to help raise awareness of what life with diabetes is really like, and show other people living with diabetes that they’re not alone.

Clare Howarth

Diabetes UK

Thanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 for your first month. Try us today by clicking here