Women teachers more likely to be attacked by pupils than male colleagues, says union

Female teachers in Scotland are far more likely to be attacked by pupils than their male counterparts, a survey has shown.

A report by NASUWT found nearly half (49%) of female teachers reported physical abuse or violence in the last 12 months, compared to 36% of their male counterparts.

The union’s Behaviour in Schools survey also found more than a quarter (27%) of female teachers reported being hit or punched in the last year – more than double the rate of male teachers at 13%.

A fifth (20%) of female teachers reported being kicked, compared to 8% of male teachers, while 37% of female teachers reported being shoved or barged by a pupil – as did 33% of male teachers.

More than one in 10 (12%) female teachers said they had been spat at, compared to 4% of male teachers.

While rates of verbal abuse were nearly the same, with 90% of male teachers and 89% of female teachers reporting such abuse over the past year, female teachers are more likely to experience it more often.

Some 18% of female teachers said they experienced physical violence several times a week, compared to just 6% of male teachers.

Similarly, 37% of female teachers reported being verbally abused several times a week on average, compared to 18% of male teachers.

Five per cent of female teachers reported experiencing sexual abuse from pupils, compared to 2% of male teachers. Female teachers reported sexism and misogyny as among the types of abuse they have been subjected to by pupils.

NASUWT is calling for ministers and employers to take greater action to support schools and tackle the “scourge” of misogyny and gender-based abuse directed at women teachers, which it said also affects female pupils.

This should include explicitly teaching pupils about misogyny and misogynistic attitudes and improving reporting procedures in schools to include incidents of sexual harassment and abuse, the union said.

Patrick Roach, NASUWT general secretary, said: “While no teacher should go to work and experience verbal or physical abuse from pupils, this data indicates that women teachers are at higher risk of facing violence.

“Undoubtedly misogynistic and sexist attitudes and ideologies account for some of the disparity between rates of violence and abuse being faced by male and female teachers.

NASUWT boss Patrick Roach said schools must take an anti-sexist approach in order to tackle violence (Andrew Milligan/PA). PA Media

“An anti-sexist approach to managing pupil behaviour must be recognised as central to bringing down levels of abuse and violence in our schools.

“Our research has found that sexual harassment and sexism towards both female teachers and pupils in schools is commonplace and that the majority of incidents fail to be reported or dealt with effectively.

“Tackling sexism and misogyny must be a priority for government and for schools. Until such behaviour is treated with the seriousness it deserves and seen as part of the spectrum of abuse plaguing our schools, women working in schools will continue to have their safety put at risk.”

Mike Corbett, NASUWT national official in Scotland, added: “Women members have reported appalling sexist and misogynistic abuse, which in some cases is also spilling over into physical violence against them.

“What women are experiencing in schools is a reflection of a wider societal culture in which violence and misogyny against women and girls is seeing a resurgence. This is why it cannot be left to schools alone to tackle this issue.

“As well as taking action to ensure every school has behaviour management policies in place and enacted which place effective sanctions on pupils who abuse staff, local authorities and the Scottish Government need to make schools a central plank of strategies to eradicate gender-based violence.”

The survey saw 476 teachers in Scotland, 326 of whom are women, respond online between January and February this year.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Violence or abusive behaviour in our schools is completely unacceptable.

“We all want our schools to be safe and consistent learning environments for teachers, wider staff and pupils alike.

“Last year the Scottish Government published guidance on responding to gender-based violence in schools, including instances where staff members are affected.

“This guidance was developed in partnership with our teaching trade unions, including the NASUWT.”