SHOCKING levels of sexual harassment of secondary school pupils in Scotland has been revealed in a new report by academics.

A study led by the University of Glasgow found that in the last three months almost one-third of 13 to 17-year-olds had suffered sexual harassment — including unwanted touching — at school or on their way there.

Harassment also included sexual jokes and comments and suggestions of being gay or lesbian in a derogatory way.

The study of 638 pupils found a “strong association” between being a victim and a perpetrator of sexual harassment, with a fifth of those reporting they had been a victim of personally invasive harassment — such as unwanted touching — saying they had also been a perpetrator of this.

Boys were more likely to be perpetrators than girls, but there were few gender differences in terms of how likely boys or girls were to be victims of harassment.

Lead author Kirstin Mitchell, professor of social science and public health at the University of Glasgow, said: “Sexual harassment is common, and often seen as normal among teenagers at school.”

She said that the report “highlights the uncertainties which teenagers may feel around whether many behaviours generally regarded as representing sexual harassment are acceptable or not.”

Scottish Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “There is absolutely no place for harassment or abuse of any form – whether in the workplace, schools, in the home or in society.

“We are determined to ensure children receive high-quality relationships, sexual health and parenthood education in schools as an integral part of the health and wellbeing of the school curriculum in Scotland.”