Campaigners have called for a ban of 'sexy schoolgirl outfits' in a new petition.
The feminist group citied a 2018 statistic that claimed 35 per cent of school age girls reported having been sexually harassed while travelling to and from school, according to Plan International UK.
The North London Radical Feminists launched their petition earlier this month, claiming costumes contribute towards the sexual harassment of girls as young as eight.
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It has received more than 1,000 signatures so far, including Telford Councillor Rae Evans who said: "Our young people are growing up in an environment where it appears to be acceptable to sexualise girls and abuse women."
The petition comes after Plan International UK said 51 per cent of girls in the UK have experienced public sexual harassment since June 2020.
The group directly called out two adult retailers, LoveHoney and Harmony Store for selling 'school uniform-themed' items. Harmony stocks items marketing as 'Obsessive School Girl Costume' and 'Dreamgirl Teachers Pet Costume,' whilst LoveHoney sells several school uniform-style products with pleated tartan skirts and models wearing ties and knee high socks.
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The petition, which is being shared with the hashtag #MyUniformIsNotYourCostume, reads: "How can we possibly create a safer world for young girls and women if we treat the clothing they wear to school as a sexual costume?
"This is why we are calling on UK sex shops and lingerie suppliers to halt the selling of school uniform or school uniform inspired costumes.
"Our young women should be able to travel safely to and from school, not feel at risk because their school uniform is deemed by many to be a target for harassment.
"Our young women should be able to feel pride in their school uniforms, not feel as though wearing these puts them at risk of abuse due to unwanted links to pornography or sexual roleplay."
The petition claims LoveHoney had 28 items stocked under 'adult student' and questioned what students wear a uniform when they are adults.
While the website appears to have since removed any reference to that term, many of the customers reviewing the items on the site call them 'sexy schoolgirl outfit' in their reviews.
A representative for the North London Radical Feminists said: "It's an indignity that girls grow up in a culture that sexually exploits their image. It's time to stop dissociating their fetishisation from the real abuse they face. Our petition aims to disrupt this complacency.
"We've seen plenty of sites replace the term 'Sexy Schoolgirl' with euphemistic language like 'Adult Student'. I've never heard of adults wearing school uniform to university.
"This phrase is an attempt to hide the uncomfortable reality of the roleplay. Mainstream retailers do not sell 'sexy schoolboy' outfits.
"These costumes exclusively supply the demand for the sexualisation of girls.
"It's not as if these 'fantasies' are bought and sold in a vacuum. The supply of these costumes feeds demand and vice versa.
"This cycle depends on the harmful commodification of girls' education for the sexual gratification of adults."
A representative for Harmony Store said: "We have read the petition launched by the NLRF, we have listened and we are currently reviewing the 'Fantasy Wear' product lines."
LoveHoney have been contacted for comment.
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