London police investigating nearly 6,000 claims of ‘misogyny, harassment, abuse and assault’ in U.K. schools
London’s police department say it’s looking into a number of allegations of sexual abuse in more than 100 schools in the city and across England, after a website set up by a young woman invited abuse survivors to share their story.
The website, Everyone’s Invited, is described as a “movement committed to eradicating rape culture.”
Founder Sama Sara began sharing her “personal experience [of] rape culture” on Instagram in June 2020. After receiving more than 300 similar accounts of abuse within a week, she decided to create the website, urging more people to do the same.
As of Saturday morning, the website had recorded more than 5,800 testimonies.
Earlier this month the Metropolitan Police Service released a statement saying that the department was aware of the website, and that officers were reviewing its content “to establish whether any victims of crime in London could be encouraged to report crimes to the police.”
Since then, the department said it received several reports of alleged abuse cases.
Officers also reached out to any schools that had been named on the website, “offering specialist support for any potential victims of sexual assaults.”
Detective Superintendent Mel Laremore, the force’s lead officer for rape and sexual offenses, told the BBC that more than 100 schools were named in the website, calling it “a national issue.”
The Associated Press reported that many of the allegations were linked to private schools, including some of U.K.’s most elite institutions.
On Thursday, officials at Highgate School in north London, a 456-year-old institution that charges fees of 21,600 pounds ($30,000) a year, announced it had launched an investigation into claims of sexual abuse.
The headmaster of a prestigious boys’ private school in south London, Dulwich College, said that he reported a number of his students to police, following allegations made by girls from nearby schools.
“We take all allegations of sexual assault very seriously,” Laremore said in a news release. “We understand the complex and varied reasons why many victim-survivors do not contact law enforcement, but I want to personally reassure anyone who needs our help that we are absolutely here for you.”
“It’s apparent some of the incidents referred to on this website may have occurred some years ago. Regardless of how long ago an offence took place, I would like to remind any victim-survivor that support is available for you should you wish to speak to us,” she added.
