The scale of abuse against children – in schools, in their own homes and now in football clubs – has become so apparent that sooner or later we are going to have to take our heads out of the sand and acknowledge that it is endemic in our society. Now is not the time to waver over whether sex and relationships education should be part of the curriculum in schools (MPs join calls for Greening to improve sex education, 1 December). Children need to learn what is appropriate and acceptable behaviour and what to do if they are victims of abuse in any form. They need the language and the confidence to be able to stand up for themselves. The current scandal alongside the growing exposure to violent and explicit images online is evidence that respect for other human beings cannot be taken for granted, and so children need effective education in this area. Why is Justine Greening dragging her feet?

Fiona Carnie

Parent Councils UK

• The biggest denial about sexual abuse is the gender of abusers. 99% are men. Why? And why are more than 90% of prisoners, dictators, terrorists and murderers male? Most men are not killers and abusers, but most killers and abusers are male. What is wrong with these men? “Simple education” is not enough. The answers lie deep in history and psychology, but to date no one has had the courage to challenge and explain the mindset that causes so many men, women and children to need protection from other human beings. Now that it is men from football who are coming forward alleging sexual abuse, it can no longer be seen as a problem for girls and women only, and perhaps men may now begin to ask these questions and want answers themselves.

Sue Pearson

Totnes, Devon

• Most studies consistently place the UK within the top 10 worst countries in the world for child sexual abuse. In 2000, figures released by Scotland Yard highlighted that more than one in every 200 adults are “paedophiles”. However, with approximately 85,000 women and 12,000 men raped every year within the UK, 1.4 million women and 700,000 men suffering domestic abuse, and only this year, ONS figures suggesting that 567,000 women and 102,000 men had suffered “sexual assault by rape or penetration” as minors, don’t we now need to take a hard look at ourselves?.

Paul Dodenhoff

Leyland, Lancashire

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