Last week, the UK Parliament’s Women and Equalities Committee launched an enquiry into sexual harassment and sexual violence in UK schools.
The enquiry aims to:
- Establish the scale of the problem.
- Understand the impact of sexual harassment in schools.
- Consider what can be done to reduce levels of sexual harassment and sexual violence in schools
- Consider what schools can do to support students to deal better with the online elements of this problem
Though the inquiry won’t publish its findings for some time, here’s what we already know about sexual violence in for young people in the UK’s school system.
A study by EVAW in 2010 showed that sexual bullying and harassment happen on a massive scale in UK schools.
Almost a third of girls in the UK experience unwanted sexual touching at school.
28% of 16 to 18-year-olds say they’ve seen sexual pictures on mobile phones at school a few times a month or more.
In research carried out by the NSPCC in 2009, 1 in 3 teenage girls were found to have experienced sexual violence from a boyfriend.
The British Crime Survey established in 1996 that it’s young women aged 16-24 who are at highest risk of domestic violence– a finding that has been reiterated frequently by more recent research.
The fact is that many young people are experiencing sexual violence at school and in their intimate relationships. So what can we do about it?
We all know that the impact of domestic and sexual violence can have far-reaching consequences for the survivor, no matter what age they may be.
We also know that in order to help survivors of abuse to recognise that their relationships are unhealthy, education is the key.
First, it’s important to let young people know that the sexual violence and abuse they may experience isn’t ‘normal’– it’s illegal, and that they have a right to speak out about it.
Second, it’s key to help survivors of sexual violence and abuse rebuild their self-esteem and confidence in an age-appropriate way.
Equation run projects in schools across Nottingham city and county which do just that.
We aim to equip young men and women with knowledge about healthy and respectful relationships, and help them understand not only their rights but their responsibilities towards their partner.
We also provide training to teachers and other members of school staff, to enable them to understand the causes and effects of domestic violence in order to properly support the young people they work with.
You can read more about sexual violence in schools in survivors’ own words here.
You can also get in touch with us to find out more about the work we carry out in schools.
Email: info@equation.org.uk
Phone: 0115 9623 237
Post: Equation, 2 First Avenue, Nottingham, NG7 6JL