Problems in schools are more than 'clumsy flirting that gets out of hand'

Schoolboys need to have lessons in feminism to help teach them out to treat women, Labour claims.

Compulsory sex education classes should be held in all schools to tackle the rise of sexist abuse fuelled by internet porn, Yvette Cooper said.

The shadow home secretary warned a culture is spreading in schools where girls are subject to verbal abuse and have their shirts undone and skirts lifted by boys who do not respect them.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said compulsory sex education classes should be held in all schools to tackle the rise of sexist abuse fuelled by internet porn

Schools, colleges and universities are to be consulted on changes in rules – or the law – which are needed to tackle the problem.

Labour warns too many boys believe abuse is ‘normal’ and it is fuelling a culture of violence against women and girls.

Ms Cooper insisted the problems being played out in classrooms today are more than the ‘hormonal mix of over-excited boys, irritated girls, and clumsy flirting that gets a bit out of hand’.

Writing in the Independent, she said the problems are getting worse, with growing levels of abuse and harassment of young women and girls.

The National Union of Students is also worried about a trend of jokes about rape and ‘innocent’ groping on campuses.

Online abuse and the use of 'revenge porn' are on the rise, while 21 per cent of rapists are under 24, Labour says

Labour would introduce compulsory sex and relationship education into schools, which would include ‘teaching zero tolerance of violence in relationships’.

Ms Cooper added: ‘For years we have talked about the importance of empowering our daughters, giving them the confidence to challenge abuse and bringing them up as feminists.

‘If we are going to achieve a real-step change in tackling violence against women, we need our sons growing up as confident feminists too.’

She added that ‘violence and viciousness’ towards women have been tolerated for too long.

If we are going to achieve a real-step change in tackling violence against women, we need our sons growing up as confident feminists too

Labour pointed to figures showing that 21 per cent of rapists and over a quarter of domestic violence perpetrators are under 24.

Ms Cooper added: 'So called "revenge porn" is growing making young lives a misery when an ex posts their half naked photos or stalks them online.'

She recalled one teacher describing how teenage girls face vile verbal abuse on a daily basis.

Girls are 'heckled if they dare to speak in class, their shirts forcibly undone, their skirts lifted and held by groups of boys'.

She added: 'It would be easy and, let’s be honest, more comfortable, to dismiss this as a one off. Or the inevitable, temporary, rite of teenage passage.

'After all, we all remember that hormonal mix of over-excited boys, irritated girls, and clumsy flirting that gets a bit out of hand.