Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Dulwich College is a 'breeding ground for sexual predators'

Dulwich College is today accused of being a “breeding ground for sexual predators” in an open letter organised by a former schoolboy that contains more than 100 anonymous accounts of assault, harassment and sharing intimate photos online.The letter, written by Samuel Schulenburg, 19, a former pupil at the south London private school, said “experiences of assault, revenge pornography and slut shaming were exacerbated by ... young men who ... laughed at stories of sexual violence”.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/dulwich-college-turns-boys-into-sexual-abusers-former-pupil-claims-vv8s6nxpx

I went to that school, so am scared that my name will be brought up in any investigation :afraid:

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

BarMade

Firstly, it is important to state that the behaviour (assault, harassment, sharing intimate photos online, revenge pornography and slut shaming) is disgusting behaviour. There is no excuse for the distress and upset that is caused by those that perpetrate it.

Secondly, it is important to acknowledge that some people do not appreciate the harm that they cause through their behaviour (be that because of lack of empathy, or because they suffer processing difficulties, or because they have been damaged to such an extent themselves that they see the behaviour as normal).

Thirdly, if a person is not within the categories in the second point, and is mature enough to realise the harm done (and the potential consequences for both themselves and their victims), then the person should consider ways in which to tackle the issues caused- this may begin with acknowledging the action which was harmful (to themselves, the victims, and the public at large), then attempt to rectify the issue (if some damage limitation can be achieved, for example, by removing pictures or comments online, making apologies to the people involved- without trying to justify actions, condemning similar actions by others), then lead by example to call on others to not do as they did and model better behaviours.

Fourthly, It is important to know that those behaviours can not be undone so perpetrators must listen to victims regarding how they can help, and act upon what they hear.

Finally, every experience is a learning one- so learn from it.

Reply 2

Napp

Several of my cousins went here, cant say they come across as perverts or rapists. Then again, given this is the word of but one disaffected former pupil who is speaking from the past we should treat his opinion as just that, an opinion.
To be frank i doubt its much worse than any other school, this being a problem in almost every single one. Especially when it comes to sending nudes around, kids generally just dont think of the 3rd order effects of this (such as their friends further sharing them) nor that its illegal.
I'd be careful in ascribing too much to this anyway though, not to diminish the effect of being a victim of such things has on someones life, but these are the actions of children and that should be kept in mind.

Reply 3

Joleee

OP would you be able to copy and paste the whole article into your op so that those of us without a subscription can read it? :smile:

Reply 4

Joleee

Original post by DiddyDec

In the meantime :h:

Spoiler

brilliant - thank you! :smile:

Reply 5

Hallouminatus

Similar stories coming out of several other private schools: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/c000d75a-8c16-11eb-a1a3-928d43a3bbc1?shareToken=a81fa5fea8898f75dced6354b15fd919

Reply 6

Napp

Original post by Hallouminatus

Similar stories coming out of several other private schools: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/c000d75a-8c16-11eb-a1a3-928d43a3bbc1?shareToken=a81fa5fea8898f75dced6354b15fd919

I wonder why the focus on private schools? Its not like state schools are any better. Having been to both i can happily attest they were exactly the same, bar some nuance.

Reply 7

username4986690

Original post by Napp

I wonder why the focus on private schools? Its not like state schools are any better. Having been to both i can happily attest they were exactly the same, bar some nuance.

I would imagine because private school have a tendency to cover things up for PR purposes, state schools don't quite have that same imperative.

Reply 8

Cheese Bits

I wonder if this will be the tip of the iceberg. We've been through this with the church and football clubs.

Dulwich have now got the police involved.

Reply 9

username5675736

I went to a private school and whilst there didn't appear to be a wider problem of that sort of behaviour, there were what you could call the grassroots of that behaviour in some people. And other isolated incidents.

Reply 10

egerton59

Why should be afraid unless you've harassed or assaulted girls yourself??

Reply 11

egerton59

Original post by Napp

I wonder why the focus on private schools? Its not like state schools are any better. Having been to both i can happily attest they were exactly the same, bar some nuance.

There's a culture of entitlement at private schools which encourages boys to think that they can get away with anything.

Reply 12

Drewski

Original post by GodAtum

If you're scared, it's because you engaged in that kind of behaviour.

Reply 13

GodAtum

All I'll say is I'm scared of my past coming back to haunt me.

Reply 14

Napp

Original post by egerton59

There's a culture of entitlement at private schools which encourages boys to think that they can get away with anything.

Not really, at the public schools possibly, but most people i met at private schools were as down to earth as any at state schools.
Then again, given you just lumped tens of thousands of students into some ridiculous trope, well.

Reply 15

BarMade

No I strongly disagree that this a private school issue. Sexual assault and assault in general happens at all types of schools. However, those schools that do not deal with it should be hauled over the coals. My sons went to a private school where there was an incident of a senior school boy distributing sexual images of his girlfriend. They quite rightly expelled him. That is how it should be dealt with. If you abuse your position of privilege then you deserve to be stripped of it.

Reply 16

nulli tertius

Original post by BarMade

May I mention two relevant distinctions between private and state schools.

Firstly state schools often have a much more embedded bureaucratic culture. Bureaucracy comes with pluses and minuses but it helps school leadership where allegations are made to deal with them correctly rather than informally and inadequately.

There are very few state boys schools remaining. Many of the independent schools implicated are not fully coeducational. I am not going to psycho-analyse the differences between pupils in single sex and mixed schools. I am not qualified to do so. However, in a single sex school it inevitably means that any victim is an outsider to the school community and any inappropriate behaviour before there is a victim is “out of school” behaviour. In mixed state schools inappropriate behaviour is invariably directed at a member of the perpetrator’s school community.