Police will begin new sessions in Renfrewshire secondary schools in November to challenge gender stereotypes and raise awareness of violence against women and girls.
The plans were outlined as councillors considered a 37.1% rise in recorded sexual crimes.
Police recorded 244 sexual crimes between 1st April and 31st August 2026, compared with 178 during the same period last year.
The figures and school plans were discussed at Renfrewshire Council’s Police and Fire and Rescue Scrutiny Sub-Committee on Tuesday, 27th October 2026.
Officers said the school sessions would help young people build respectful relationships and safely challenge harmful behaviour.
The written report identifies increased reporting of older offences as a major factor in the rise in recorded sexual crime. More than one in four recorded offences happened more than a year before they were reported.
Police also highlighted increases in the sharing of sexual images and other offences committed online.
A recently appointed campus officer at West College Scotland is helping students understand non-consensual image sharing, online sexual blackmail and other online crimes.
During questions, officers stressed the lasting impact that having an image shared online could have on a young person, as well as the consequences for those responsible.
They said work with education staff was intended to prevent offences and reduce the number of victims.
Police also warned that online sexual blackmail and romance-related offences could affect vulnerable adults.
The crime figures are provisional Police Scotland management information, rather than official statistics.