'Girls far stronger, resilient and feistier than we think'
Head of the Girls' Day School Trust (GDST) Cheryl Giovannoni
An education chief believes schoolgirls are 'far stronger, resilient and feistier' than people think - and they know how to cope with sexting and predatory boys.
Head of the Girls' Day School Trust (GDST) Cheryl Giovannoni said British girls should not be wrapped up in cotton wool and that parents and teachers do not need to be overly protective.
Earlier this year new data revealed that police have taken action against thousands of under-18s as they tackle a ‘sexting’ epidemic amongst British youth.
In the past four years almost 3,500 investigations into sexting by children have been opened by 25 police forces, according to figures provided to The Times under the Freedom of Information Act.
And hitting out at the portrayal of girls as 'victims', Ms Giovannoni told the GDST's annual conference: 'I believe that many girls are far stronger, resilient, opinionated and feisty than they are given credit for.
'There's a huge amount our schools do every day to create and celebrate that empowerment.
'We know how girls learn, what they need to thrive, how they are best supported and encouraged. That's our business - the business of teaching girls to be the very best they can be.
'I believe that many girls are far stronger, resilient, opinionated and feisty than they are given credit for.'
Children used a variety of social media platforms to share the images, with Facebook and Snapchat the most common.
Norfolk police have investigated 1,097 cases of sexting since 2013-14.
Essex has dealt with 431 cases, while Suffolk has dealt with 300 and South Yorkshire with 394.
Children as young as seven have been investigated by police for sending sexual images on their phones or online (file photo)
In most cases, no action was taken, and of the cases for which an outcome was recorded, 49 led to cautions, 51 to charges and 179 to ‘community resolutions’ in which the offender apologised or paid compensation.
The police forces involved said the increasing number of sexting cases reflect improved recording and reporting, and that more victims now feel able to make a complaint.
Several police forces are heavily engaged in raising awareness about the dangers of sexting, explaining to children that it could have ‘life-changing impacts’ and that once images are sent ‘you lose control of what happens next’.