Schools: It’s About Time things changed

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Updates

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Girls and young women are facing sexual harassment and assault on an alarming scale. Almost a third of girls surveyed by EVAW don’t feel safe from sexual harassment in school, and 80% of girls think schools need to do more to tackle this, and support young people’s sex and relationships education. 

Almost every girl I know has witnessed or experienced some form of sexual harassment

– Young person from EVAW’s focus group

Schools are failing in their duties to keep girls safe – causing girls untold harm and teaching boys that violence against women and girls is a normal and acceptable part of life. The impact of this inaction is devastating. 

Online misogynist influencers promoting violence against women and girls and their worrying impact on boys and young men’s attitudes and behaviour. Schools and colleges are often left to deal with the aftermath of this. Addressing this issue in schools has never been more urgent.

A lot of systems in schools are so invalidating and completely downplay experiences of sexual harassment and assault

– Young person from EVAW’s focus group

Black girls and others who are marginalised are at the sharp edge of this abuse, with racism and other forms of discrimination compounding the abuse they face.

Girls deserve better. Schools, teachers, and the government must do better. 

We successfully campaigned for Relationships and Sex Education to be mandatory in schools – but this is just the beginning of the change needed. Schools need to go much further and take proactive action to create a culture in which girls are safe and can thrive.

Together we are powerful! Join our call to schools and help us end gender-based violence in education and beyond.