Teachers 'upskirted' and 'downbloused' by pupils in class, union warns

Female teachers are being "upskirted" and "downbloused" by pupils in class and schools are failing to properly protect staff, a union has warned.

Teaching unions are reporting an increase in teenagers taking photographs under teachers' skirts or down their tops.

Images taken covertly are later emerging on social media platforms such as Snapchat, they have reported, with some victims later suffering depression.

Sion Amlyn, of the NASUWT union, said women teachers were not being protected properly.

He said: "Quite disturbingly there's an increase in the practice of upskirting or downblousing by pupils on teachers and that has a detrimental affect on the wellbeing of our members.

Sion Amlyn, NASUWT union

"They suffer from depression, they don't want to go back to work again and in our mind, more needs to be done to tackle this kind of practice.

"Schools are trying. There are mechanisms in schools to tackle this, but I don't think they are being used properly or adequately enough."

The union said that almost one in five teachers (19 per cent) claimed to have had "adverse" comments made about them by pupils and parents on social media.

There is currently no law against upskirting in England and Wales - with victims only able to seek justice under other laws. 

Prime Minister Theresa May is intending to bring in a new law later this year that would see anyone guilty of upskirting facing a potential two-year jail term.