Why is this education needed?
Do your pupils know that sharing intimate photos of someone without their consent is a form of gender-based violence?
Do they know that victim blaming and slut shaming might seem harmless but are actually bedrock attitudes feeding gender-based violence?
Our pupils are experiencing gender-based violence on a daily basis, often without even realising it. A Brook study of university students found that of the 56% of students who reported experiencing unwanted sexual behaviours, only 15% of them realised it counted as sexual harassment. So while it continues to be a pervasive and multifaceted threat, our pupils are not equipped to recognise gender-based violence, let alone tackle or challenge it.
At Bold Voices we contextualise these forms of gender-based and sexual violence within wider gender inequality and support pupils in understanding that seemingly harmless attitudes and beliefs form a culture that normalises, and even glorifies, this violence.
If you’re looking to understand this a little more take a look through our toolkits, including What is a culture of gender-based violence?
What even is gender-BASED violence?
We appreciate that terms such as ‘gender-based’ or ‘sexual’ violence can be challenging and daunting, particularly when it comes to discussions with pupils. The reality is that young people are not shielded from these issues and they are experiencing forms of gender-based violence every day - in school, on the streets, at university, in their relationships and increasingly online.
Keeping our young people safe and healthy means ensuring they have the right spaces for learning about and discussing these issues.
