As part of International Day for the
Elimination of Violence Against Women, the National Education
Union (NEU) has launched It's Not OK, a new
toolkit to prevent sexism and sexual harassment in schools and
colleges. The toolkit is a response to research and concerns from
members that sexism and sexual harassment is far too common an
occurrence in schools. The resources are designed to support
schools in understanding what a whole school approach to
preventing sexual harassment looks like and tips for working with
students and protecting the rights of
professionals.
Kevin Courtney, Joint General
Secretary of the National Education
Union, said: “Sexual
harassment has become so normalised in schools that it means for
many girls, they don’t feel there is anything they can do about
it, and that needs to change.
“The NEU’s research
It's Just
Everywhere showed
that over a third (37%) of female students at mixed-sex schools
have experienced some form of sexual harassment at school, and
almost a quarter (24%) of female students at mixed-sex schools
have been subjected to unwanted physical touching of a sexual
nature while at school. Teachers don't feel adequately trained or
supported to take action and that situation needs to
change.
“The It's Not OK toolkit will help schools to address sexual
harassment and to plan how teachers and staff can take a whole
school approach to gender equality and sexist, homophobic and
transphobic stereotypes. Hundreds of individual schools are doing
a great job addressing sexist attitudes, but it’s hard because
the curriculum is so packed and the exam data pressures
weigh heavily on schools. It's time to give teachers more
support, training and opportunity to focus on the social and
emotional aspects of learning, so issues like this can be
tackled.”
Girlguiding Advocate, Katie,
16, said: “The NEU’s
new toolkit to prevent sexism and sexual harassment couldn’t be
more welcome. Girlguiding’s own research also shows the magnitude
of sexual harassment in schools – 67% of girls have experienced
sexual harassment in school from other students. This year we
found that the fear of sexual harassment holds girls back at
school. These everyday experiences are real and so are the
barriers to education they create. A whole school approach that
addresses the root causes of sexual harassment – sexism and
gender stereotypes – is something we’ve been calling for and we
appeal to school leadersto take this opportunity to set in motion
real change.”
Professor EJ Renold, Professor
in Childhood Studies at the School of Social Sciences, Cardiff
University, said: “Children and young people’s experiences
of gendered and sexual harassment in schools has reached a
tipping point. Too many students are trying to address the
problem by themselves.
“The NEU’s toolkit has all the
ingredients to enable teachers to ‘empower, educate and
inspire’ young people to better understand and speak out on
issues that are too often overlooked or normalised. Openly
discussing sexism and sexual harassment within an inclusive,
reflective whole-school approach can really achieve
things. This toolkit can be part of the solution to support
schools in responding to the complex and intersectional ways in
which sexism and sexual harassment affects students and holds
them back.”
The toolkit is live here
https://neu.org.uk/end-sexism-sexual-harassment
Hashtag
#ItsNotOK
