Rape including statutory rape needs to be educated in schools.

Rejected 16 signatures

What the petition asks

It should be necessary to teach children about rape culture and the true meaning of rape and consent from a young age. Many don’t understand that “no” means no, and early education can prevent sexual violence before it happens.

1 in 4
women
have been raped or sexually assaulted since the age of 16
1 in 6
children
have been sexually abused
1 in 18
men
have been raped or sexually assaulted since the age of 16

And survivors face long waits for their cases to reach a courtroom
After being reported to the police, adult rape cases take an average of 2 years to complete in court – with many taking far longer.

Why it was rejected

The UK Government or Parliament was already taking the action it asked for.

We cannot accept your petition, as there is already an expectation in secondary school that the issue of consent is taught. Please see this website for more information:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education/relationships-and-sex-education-rse-secondary

You could submit a new petition explaining how the current guidance should change.

Timeline

24 Oct 2025	Petition opened for signatures
28 Nov 2025	Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 16

Status Rejected

Rejected 28 Nov 2025

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