Abingdon School pupils named in Everyone’s Invited testimonies

Abingdon School, where the full boarding fee for this academic year was £44,070, has been named in online testimonies.

Abuse victims across the country have been anonymously uploading their stories to the confessions site, Everyone’s Invited.

Some of those survivor testimonies have singled out the all-boys school.

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One statement read: “Too many of my friends (including myself) have been sexually assaulted, harassed or objectified by Abingdon boys.

“I dated a boy in the year above me from there [Abingdon School] when I was 16 and felt manipulated and coerced into doing a majority of things with him.

“He pressured me into having sex in the back of his car in a public car park which, after a lot of fighting back, I was able to argue my way out of.

“His response was that I was being ‘frigid’.

“As someone with a younger family member at the school, I can already see his attitude towards girls his own age changing and that’s something really scary to watch.

“During my time at school I knew a lot of boys there who would encourage that sort of behaviour towards women and it’s made worse by the ‘lad culture’ and arrogant attitudes a majority seem to be supportive of.

“Change needs to come from within and it needs to be spearheaded by those in charge.”

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Another victim, who was 13 or 14 at the time, described events that would happen on a shared school bus.

The testimony read: “Because we were kids we would swap seats a lot and this boy sat next to me and was chatting.

“He then asked if he could stroke my leg to ‘see how recently I shaved’ and I actually don’t remember if I said yes or no, but I was uncomfortable and he did it.

“Then he grabbed my hand and held it round the seat handle moving it up and down telling me ‘this is a d**k’.

“I don’t blame the boy, I do however blame the adults in his life who failed to educate him.

“I feel lucky all that happened to me was some stupid pranks but I’ve heard stories of worse things, mostly on the school bus.”

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Michael Windsor, headmaster at the school, said the school promotes a ‘culture of mutual respect’ and that specific allegations regarding students would be investigated.

He said: “Abingdon School promotes a culture of mutual respect and equality and we celebrate diversity.

“We foster strong messages of respect throughout our everyday school lives, through our PSHCE course, assemblies, chapel talks, lectures and discussions.

“As headmaster, I addressed the school in a recent assembly in which I focused on sexual harassment and our mutual responsibility to call out poor behaviour.

Abingdon School headmaster Michael Windsor.

“I also reflected on this in a blog to the wider school community which can be found on our website.

“We have a very clear policy on discipline and behaviour which all the students and their families are aware of.

“There is a copy of the policy on the website and students are frequently reminded of the high standards that are expected of them.

“Any specific allegations regarding our students will be investigated and reported to the appropriate authorities.

“Poor behaviour, in whatever form, is not acceptable and will result in disciplinary action.”

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In light of the testimonials submitted on the Everyone’s Invited website, a new helpline has been commissioned by the Department for Education.

The dedicated and confidential NSPCC helpline is helping to provide support and guidance to victims of sexual abuse in schools.

NSPCC chief executive officer Peter Wanless said: “The testimonies being shared through Everyone’s Invited are extremely upsetting and underline the urgent need to tackle violence against girls.

“At least a third of sexual offences against children are committed by other young people and that must be addressed.

“All children should be able to grow up in a safe community that is free from sexual violence, where their rights are respected.”

Contact the helpline, by calling 0800 136 663. Alternatively, email help@nspcc.org.uk