Everyone's Invited list includes 8 Reading schools

The website Everyone's Invited allows current and former pupils to post their harrowing testimonies about their experiences of 'rape culture'.

It comes after Ofsted visited schools across the country on the Government's recommendation after more than 15,000 testimonies of sexual assault, harassment and rape were shared on a website, named "Everyone's Invited", since March 8 this year.

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It was set up in June 2020 by a young woman, Soma Sara, who began discussing her experiences of rape culture on her Instagram account and people resonated with her posts.

The website has also released the names of the schools mentioned in the testimonies, "to continue to expose the prevalence of rape culture across all of society", and the list stands at almost 3,000 schools so far.

Worryingly, there are 8 schools in Reading on the Everyone's Invited list.

These are: Battle Primary School, Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School, Highdown School and Sixth Form Center, Kendrick Grammar School, Reading School, St Joseph's College, The Abbey School and Reading Blue Coat School.

The Ofsted review discovered older teens (aged 16 and above) were more likely to say that sexual harassment and violence, including online, between peers was prevalent than younger students were.

Ofsted inspectors were told that boys are sharing “nudes” among themselves like a “collection game” on platforms such as WhatsApp and Snapchat, while some girls have experienced “unwanted touching in school corridors”.

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Amanda Spielman, chief inspector of schools said: “There are very definitely the same issues bleeding down into primary schools from the top down.”

She added that the access to smartphones, social media and online porn over the past decade were “exacerbating factors”.

Ofsted is calling on school and college leaders to develop a culture where all kinds of sexual harassment are recognised and addressed, including with sanctions when appropriate.

It adds that the time should be allocated in the RSHE curriculum for topics that young people find difficult, such as consent and sharing explicit images.

The Reading Chronicle contacted all schools mentioned for a comment and the council's education department, Brighter Futures for Children in Reading responded on their behalf.

A spokesman said: "Any form of sexual abuse is, of course, unacceptable and we share the government’s concerns about incidents reported on the Everyone’s Invited website throughout the UK.

"Incidents involving other students would normally be dealt with under school behaviour procedures and not necessarily referred to social care. Of course, any reports of sexual abuse or harassment in a school in Reading received by BFfC would be treated extremely seriously."

Some schools did come back to us with their own statements responding to the allegations of sexual abuse.

Andrew Colpus, headmaster at St Joseph’s College, said: “As a school we recognise the deeply troubling nature of young people’s experiences and the role schools, parents, government and others now need to play to address these issues.

"Although St Joseph’s is named on the Everyone’s Invited website, there are no details as to whether the allegation is from or about a pupil at St Joseph’s, or whether this relates to one or more current pupils or former pupils. However, we wish to pledge our support to any person who has ever undergone such an experience in any school or elsewhere. We support their bravery in coming forward with openness and honesty. We stand with them and against the culture they call out."

Reading School said they share the government's concerns over testimonies of sexual abuse and harassment reported on the Everyone's Invited website.

The school said: "Any form of sexual abuse is, of course, unacceptable and we share the government’s concerns about incidents reported on the Everyone’s Invited website throughout the UK.

"Incidents involving other students would normally be dealt with under school behaviour procedures and not necessarily referred to social care. Of course, any reports of sexual abuse or harassment in a school in Reading received by BFfC would be treated extremely seriously."

Reading Blue Coat School said they addressed students in an assembly, encouraging students to be open and no suffer in silence.

The school told the Chronicle: “At a recent assembly, our Headmaster, Mr Pete Thomas spoke to students about the growing number of stories emerging from the ‘Everyone’s invited’ website. In his address, Mr Thomas was keen to encourage a sense of openness with our students, but at the same time made it clear that any words or actions which undermine the value of one another and, in particular, of women must be challenged.

"The issues raised by ‘Everyone’s invited’ are not just an issue for independent schools, or even schools in general, but for our society."