Young boys "accessing hardcore pornography online creates a rape culture among schoolchildren" Luton council warned

“Safeguarding is a complex area,” Independent chairman and scrutineer for Luton Safeguarding Children Partnership Alan Caton told the borough council’s scrutiny children’s services review group.

“There are many facets to that,” he suggested, while presenting the partnership’s annual report for 2023/24. “It’s becoming more complex because plenty of issues affect families and children as they grow up, and several agencies are dealing with them.

“Having a system to help share information is something people, including me, have been calling for over many years. There are things happening which recognise this is an ongoing national problem.”

The partnership’s main objective is to ensure itself, arrangements locally and relevant agencies act to protect young people from abuse and neglect, said a report to the review group.

“We do this by ensuring that children and young people in Luton are effectively safeguarded, properly supported and their lives improved by everyone working together.”

LBC corporate director for children, families and education Dheeraj Chibber explained: “We receive on average 3,000 to 4,000 contacts a month in Luton, raising concerns for a child.

“That provides a sense of the sheer volume of inquiries dealt with, and in the vast majority we respond, share information and act in a timely way to safeguard children. Even one life is a precious life, so we need to keep working hard to make it better.”

Asked about the national increase in the numbers of children being bullied and sexually abused, Mr Caton warned: “I’m concerned with the low level bullying, and I’m concerned about the sexism or rape culture in schools, if you like.

“Young girls are experiencing terrible sexism. There’s a culture of rape led by young boys accessing hardcore pornography on the internet.

“The Children’s Commissioner did a report a few years ago basically saying that 100 per cent of young boys are experiencing or viewing indecent pictures or pornographic images online.

“That reflects then on the way they treat girls in schools. There’s plenty of work we need to do in schools to educate our boys about how to behave effectively.

“Sadly, for so many girls and young women, we hear the male violence against women and girls is significant. We all have a responsibility to look at that.

“But I think it starts with the bullying and sexism, and the cultures which develop in schools,” he added. “I know there’s plenty going on in schools to combat some of that behaviour.

“It doesn’t bode well for our girls in school at the moment from what I hear about the way they’re experiencing sexism and those sort of things in school life.

“We continually need to consider that and ensure schools are doing what they can. We get good buy-in from education, but it’s acknowledged that’s a problem and all schools across the country are experiencing this.”