Young people’s experiences of school responses to gender-based violence

Young survivors who took part in the Everyday Heroes consultation for the Equally Safe delivery plan in 2018, talked about the responses they received at school, what they felt schools needed to do to improve survivors’ experiences, and their trust in talking to schools about gender-based violence (GBV).

Many of the children and young people involved said school hadn’t felt like a safe place to disclose their experiences; there were examples of teachers asking lots of questions, standing up for the perpetrator, showing a lack of understanding of their experiences, feeling judged and stigmatised, excluding them, and having little respect for their privacy and confidentiality.

They wanted school staff to have more training and knowledge about GBV so that they could respond more appropriately and be better able to recognise potential signs of abuse. They also asked that schools took care around their confidentiality and didn’t share information inappropriately.

You can also read about the positive experience a young survivor called Ella had, including how her school supported her and the difference it made.

For more information on local support services for young people affected by GBV and how to make a referral, see our services for GBV page.