Push for driving instructor safeguards aims to protect vulnerable teens
The Emergency Stop campaign from Fear Free wants driving instructors to be recognised as positions of trust
Fear Free are a charity working to break the cycle of domestic abuse and sexual violence. Their latest campaign 'Emergency Stop' is calling for driving instructors to be legally recognised as positions of trust under the Sexual Offences Act (2003).
This would make it illegal for them to engage in sexual activity with a 16 or 17 year old in their care.
Teachers, faith leaders and sports coaches are included in this law but right now, driving instructors and private tutors are not.
Fear Free are working with Drive Change to urgently reform this law to help protect young people.
In addition, they say all driving instructors should receive mandatory safeguarding training and an independent complaints body needs to be put in place for the driving instructor industry.
Debbie Beadle is the CEO of Fear Free. She said the campaign began here in Gloucestershire.
''We had a case of a young person who was taking driving in lessons and her instructor abused her sexually and then eventually stalked her. He was actually prosecuted for stalking.''
''We at the time, did a bit of media about it and then from that, lots and lots of people came forward saying that they had had similar experiences. There was two quite high profile cases in Gloucestershire.''
She said, ''We identified actually that this was a massive gap in terms of safeguarding people when they're driving.''
Debbie spoke about how the circumstances of driving lessons can leave young people vulnerable.
''You have a driving instructor who is alone with someone in the car, someone under 18, often. They have their phone number, their address, they have quite a lot of information about somebody.''
She added, ''There's a real power dynamic there because, most people want to learn to drive because it gives them access to job opportunities, travel and things like that.''
The change in the law aims to protect driving instructors as well.
Debbie said, ''We've spoken to driving instructors who are also appalled about this and about what's happening in their profession and really want to do something about it.
They recognise that they themselves are potentially leaving themselves vulnerable to also being in difficult situations.''
Fear Free plan to take their petition to Number 10 and continue their work to ensure that learning to drive is a safe experience for everyone.