London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Apr 06, 2026

Pornography causing backward step in boys' respect for girls, say victims and teachers

Pornography causing backward step in boys' respect for girls, say victims and teachers

Messaging apps like Snapchat see girls sent abusive messages by boys of their age, and they feel unable to report them.

A woman who was sexually abused and raped as a child has waived her right to anonymity to speak out against the harmful affects of easily-accessible pornography.

Dandy Doherty says she was sexually abused at the age of 11 and raped at the age of 15 - and that her abusers were the same age as her.

She is one of many to contribute to the website Everyone's Invited, but she's waived her anonymity because she feels inaction by schools and parents has "trickled down" to create an abuse culture.

Everyone's Invited - testimonies uploaded to the site have prompted multiple police reports of abuse


More than 14,000 allegations have now been made by school pupils on the website, which is gathering testimonies of sexual violence and abuse.

"Consent needs to be talked about from very young age," says Dandy.

"Pornography needs to be talked about from a very young age.

"It's not inappropriate to talk to a 10-year-old about sex, it's inappropriate for a 10-year-old to be watching fake sex online and thinking that that's what's normal.

"That's the bad part. It shouldn't be uncomfortable to have this conversation."

"I was sexually assaulted, for the first time at 11 ,12, 13 by boys aged 11, and 12 and 13," she continues.

"I didn't say anything about that at the time, I didn't have the words for it. I didn't understand it.

"I didn't know that sexual assault was a thing - after I was raped, I looked it up."

On Thursday, the National Education Union (NEU) debated the issue at its virtual annual conference.

General secretary of the NEU Mary Bousted told Sky News the behaviour of schoolchildren has been "corrupted" and "gone back" due to social media and access to pornography.

She said: "It's become 'that's the way things are', and teachers in our service said they were unsure about how to deal with it and 'if I stopped and dealt with it all the time, I would never get any teaching done'.

"So, we need a national programme to help schools tackle this behaviour."

Dr Bousted added: "I think we've gone back in this respect.

"I think the way girls are treated on social media, I think the fact that so many boys watch porn, that really has corrupted the way boys and girls think about each other.

"It's lowered girls' expectations for how they should be treated by boys and its enabled too many boys to think that girls are just objects."


Pupils themselves are now asking questions about when behaviour crosses from natural sexual curiosity into abuse.

The landscape of interaction is ever-changing. Schools and parents are struggling to keep up with new forms of communication online.

A new Instagram account called Screen Grab Them invites victims to post abusive texts and Snapchats they have received, which show that all too often, the harassment is blatant.

The messages include threats of rape, often when a boy's advances are turned down.

There are also derogatory conversations.

In one, a girl is told: "Love I'm afraid to say it, but no-one is gonna rape u."

She replies asking: "Are you literally saying that I would be privileged for someone to rape me?"

He says: "No - you would be lucky."

Abusive messages of this kind are shared on many social media apps popular with youngsters


Ofsted has announced it will visit "a sample of schools and colleges where cases have been highlighted" as part of its emergency review.

Ofsted chief executive Amanda Spielman told Sky News: "I have such a big concern about the fact that so many of these young people have felt unable to tell their school what's been happening to them.

"We need to understand these disincentives to reporting because many of these schools think that they have good routes - people that children can trust who they can talk to - and yet somehow, it's not, it's not always adding up.

"So how do we make sure the pieces add up to something that gives young people the confidence to report and to talk about these things."

Young women like Dandy hope that by recounting their darkest childhood memories, tomorrow's children won't have to experience what they did.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Considers Deploying Aircraft Carrier for US Independence Day Celebrations Amid Renewed Transatlantic Focus
United Kingdom Moves to Attract AI Firm Anthropic Amid Tensions with US Defense Officials
RAF Intercepts Iranian Drones in Middle East to Defend Allied Security Interests
Labour Signals Shift on Foie Gras and Fur Restrictions to Advance EU Trade Talks
Seven Arrested Near RAF Base as UK Authorities Respond to Protest Activity
Economic Pressures Mount as Analysts Warn UK Growth Is Being Constrained by Policy Burdens
UK Green Party’s Push for Church-State Separation Sparks Debate Over National Identity
Strategic Island Emerges as Growing Challenge for United States and United Kingdom Defense Planning
Pepsi Pulls Sponsorship from UK Festival Following Backlash Linked to Kanye West
Signs Emerge of Declining Enthusiasm for Social Media in the United Kingdom
Security Alert Raised Ahead of Meghan Markle’s Planned Visit to Australia
UK Food Halls Defy Hospitality Slowdown, Emerging as Bright Spot in Challenging Market
UK Sets Firm Conditions for Military Action, Insisting on Legal Mandate and Clear Strategy
UK Medicines Regulator Launches Probe into Peptide Clinics Over Health Claims
New North Sea Drilling Unlikely to Significantly Cut UK Gas Imports, Analysis Finds
Woman Linked to UK’s First All-Female Terror Plot Faces Deportation
Downed US Aircraft Over Iran Linked to Operations from UK Airfield
Two Men and Teen Detained in UK Following Attack on Jewish Charity Ambulance
UK Police Launch Inquiry After Firearms Left Unattended Outside Mayor’s Residence
Giuffre Family Calls on King Charles to Meet Epstein Survivors During US Visit
Amber Wind Warning Issued as Storm Dave Approaches Parts of the United Kingdom
Prince Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit Set to Draw Heightened Global Attention
UK Considers Entry Fees for Overseas Visitors at Major Museums Ahead of 2026 Travel Season
UK Prime Minister and Kuwait Crown Prince Coordinate Security Response After Regional Escalation
Calls Grow to Expand Fully Paid Maternity Leave for UK Teachers Amid Workforce Pressures
UK Secures Tariff-Free Access to US Market in Landmark Pharmaceuticals Agreement
Trump Projects Strength in Critique of UK Leadership and Naval Readiness
UK FinTech Setback as VibePay and Smartlayer Cease Operations Amid Funding Pressures
UK Leads Global Coalition of Over Forty Nations to Address Strait of Hormuz Crisis
UK Firms Urged to Accelerate Preparation as New Sustainability Reporting Rules Take Shape
UK Moves Rapid Sentry Air Defence System to Kuwait After Drone Strike Escalation
Transatlantic Relations Tested as UK Seeks Balance While Trump Reshapes Strategic Approach
Trump’s Strategic Pressure on UK Seen as Push for Stronger Alignment and Fairer Terms
UK Focuses on Trade Finance to Secure Critical Materials for Defence and Energy Sectors
Majority of UK Businesses Hit by Middle East Conflict While Confidence Holds Firm
UK Royal Navy Faces Renewed Scrutiny as Debate Intensifies Over Capability and Readiness
Reform UK Faces Mounting Distractions as Policy Agenda Struggles to Gain Traction
Investigation Launched Into Northern Cyprus IVF Clinics After UK Families Receive Incorrect Sperm
International Meeting Issues Unified Call to Safeguard Navigation Through Strait of Hormuz
Potential Strait of Hormuz Closure Raises Concerns Over UK Food and Medicine Supply Chains
UK Leads Coalition of Over Forty Nations Urging Iran to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
UK Secures Tariff-Free Access for Medicines in Landmark US Pharma Trade Agreement
King Charles III Invited to Address Joint Session of U.S. Congress in Rare Diplomatic Honor
Debate Grows Over Whether Expanded North Sea Drilling Can Reduce UK Energy Bills
UK Faces Heightened Risk of Jet Fuel Shortages, Airline Chief Warns
UK Ends Police Investigations into Lawful Social Media Posts After Review Finds Overreach
Abramovich Moves to Establish Charity for Frozen Chelsea Sale Proceeds Amid UK Dispute
Starmer Reaffirms NATO Commitment While Responding to Trump’s Strategic Critique
UK Aid Reductions Raise Fears of Severe Human Impact Across Parts of Africa
UK Signals Renewed Push for EU Cooperation as Iran Conflict Reshapes Security Landscape
×