At GLP Solicitors, we are committed to standing with victims of crime especially the most vulnerable in our society. A recent exposé by The Times, based on powerful evidence from the charity Everyone’s Invited, has uncovered a disturbing reality: rape culture is now deeply embedded in our primary schools.
Over 1,664 schools across the UK have been named in testimonies describing shocking abuse, harassment, and sexual violence often between children as young as five and eleven. These are not isolated incidents. This is a nationwide safeguarding crisis that demands an urgent and unified response.
“What we’re seeing is heart-breaking, but it is also legally actionable,” says Steven Astley, Partner at GLP Solicitors.
“We’ve represented survivors of abuse for decades, but hearing these kinds of stories coming from children in Year 1 or Year 2, it’s devastating. These young victims are often voiceless. That’s where we step in. At GLP, we will ensure that their voices are heard, believed, and backed by legal protection.”
A Hidden Epidemic of Child-on-Child Abuse
Soma Sara, founder of Everyone’s Invited, highlights the overwhelming wave of child-on-child sexual abuse now coming to light. Fuelled by online exposure to violent pornography, toxic influencers, and unregulated digital spaces, children are mimicking harmful behaviours they barely understand, often before they reach secondary school.
And while schools are doing their best, the reality is that many feel unprepared. According to the report, 80% of primary teachers say they don’t have the training or tools to respond to these situations.
Steven Astley echoes this concern:
“Our legal system has not fully caught up with the scale and complexity of child-on-child sexual harm, particularly in the digital age. But that doesn’t mean victims must go unsupported. Whether the abuse happens in school, online, or in peer settings, the law can and must respond. Families need to know they have legal remedies available and we’re here to guide them.”
Parents Must Know Their Rights and So Must Schools
At GLP Solicitors, we work closely with families, schools, and local authorities to pursue justice. We offer:
- Legal support for criminal injury applications, where the child has been harmed physically or mentally;
- Civil claims for damages in cases where institutional negligence played a role;
- Confidential legal advice for parents concerned about their child’s situation.
“Too many parents blame themselves or feel overwhelmed when their child has been harmed,” says Astley.
“Our message is simple: this is not your fault. You are not alone. And you do not have to face the system alone either.”
The Law Must Evolve with the Digital Age
Sara warns that online culture is rapidly outpacing current safeguards. Just one smartphone in a class can give 30 children access to violent, misogynistic content. The internet is not just a risk factor — it has become a primary educator in shaping children’s views on intimacy, gender, and power.
Astley calls for more robust digital regulation and compulsory, age-appropriate education:
“We need legislative reform that reflects the realities of the digital world our children live in. That means better online safety laws, real accountability for platforms, and clear national guidance for schools. But education is equally crucial — children deserve to understand respect, boundaries, and consent long before they’re exposed to harm.”
The Cost of Silence
The Everyone’s Invited report is a warning we can’t ignore. If we remain silent, we risk a generation growing up numb to violence, disconnected from healthy relationships, and unable to process their trauma.
GLP Solicitors is already working with survivors who experienced abuse as children and are only now beginning to speak out as adults.
“We’re seeing long-term trauma from abuse that happened decades ago,” says Astley.
“But if we act now as parents, teachers, lawyers, and citizens — we can spare today’s children that same fate. The cost of inaction is simply too high.”
If You or Your Child Has Been Affected, We’re Here to Help
Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or concerned carer, if a child in your life has been affected by abuse, please don’t wait. GLP Solicitors offers confidential, compassionate legal support with specialist expertise in child and victim representation.
“Justice is not just about courts — it’s about dignity, healing, and protection.”— Steven Astley, Partner, GLP Solicitors
At GLP Solicitors, we will continue to fight for survivors and push for meaningful reform. We believe no child should be left to suffer in silence and no family should face this battle alone.
GLP Solicitors — Protecting the vulnerable. Pursuing justice. Standing with survivors.
