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A cross-party group of MPs on the Commons’ Women and Equalities Committee has called for a strategy to focus on male pupils who are failing to engage with relationship and sex education.
According to a study by the Commons’ Women and Equalities Committee, sexual harassment and abuse of female pupils and staff is a ‘scourge’ in British schools.
For this reason, the cross-party group of MPs is calling for a government-led strategy to focus on boys who are failing to engage with relationship and sex education (RSHE).
The inquiry, which also said that some institutions still aren’t acknowledging the problem of violence against women and girls, stresses that there should be training for all teachers to help them hold conversations with young men about sexual harassment and gender-based violence in a way that challenges prevailing gender norms and toxic masculinity.
They have additionally requested that RSHE be made compulsory up to the age of 18 in sixth forms and colleges, warning that without it students risk taking their first steps in the adult world ‘under-supported and less equipped to navigate potentially harmful and dangerous situations.’
Evidence currently suggests that the RSHE lessons being taught are ‘less applicable’ and engaging for boys.
We've published our report "Attitudes to women and girls in educational settings" as part of our work on preventing violence against women and girls
— Women & Equalities Committee (@Commonswomequ) July 4, 2023
On the back of revelations that negative attitudes towards women and girls were exacerbated by the pandemic – when children were studying remotely, often with unsupervised access to the internet – a review of the RHSE curriculum is under way.
It’s set to examine how easy access to pornography has ‘completely changed the culture in the playground’ and the ‘corrosive impact’ this is having.
‘Education is a powerful tool in combatting harmful attitudes towards women and girls and preventing violence,’ said committee chair, Caroline Nokes.
