Feminists have been raising the alarm in recent years about misogyny and its harm to young girls. This concern is particularly acute in student environments. Ofsted placed a large review of the sector in 2021. Together, they unlocked some shocking figures, with 92% of girls telling them that sexist name-calling was an unfortunate reality. Additionally, 88% of these girls reported that they or their friends had been sent explicit images or videos without asking for them. This alarming statistic points to an urgent need and a powerful opportunity to engage in more meaningful conversations about sexual abuse and harassment in our nation’s K-12 schools and colleges.
Jessica is an academic who studies the lived experience of young people. She recently worked with her colleagues on perhaps the largest participant study ever done, with over 600 participants. What their study ultimately discovered was even more alarming—a full 78% of people experienced some form of multiple harm. This ranged from misogynistic slurs, sexually harassing comments, and instances of image-based sexual abuse. That study found an unprecedented surge in harm amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Overwhelming 98.5% of respondents stated that their experiences with online and in-person harassment had increased.
The Need for Effective Relationships and Sex Education
Although relationships and sex education (RSE) is now mandatory in UK schools, the reality is often lacking. From case studies across the UK, many educators testify that not only is RSE badly resourced, but it is often considered a second-rate focus within the curriculum. Young people are in a difficult position. They aren’t sufficiently equipped to tackle the nuances of virtual interactions and the various forms of abuse they may experience.
Across the UK, politicians have been called on to do more to support and regulate quality-assured high-standard RSE. Important advocates Educational experts stress that without proper instruction on these topics, young people are left open to negative behaviors and mindsets. Jessica and her colleagues weren’t content to only analyze the data, so they began co-producing the lessons. These lessons address the problems of online and offline sexual harassment, abuse, and misogyny. These lessons are designed to help give their students the tools they need to identify and stand up against such discrimination.
Chiara is currently researching young women’s experiences online as part of her doctoral studies. She is particularly adamant about making sure that girls’ voices are part of the dialogue around misogyny and the manosphere. Her study builds on previous research regarding peer distribution of nudes in schools. It looks at the effects of toxic messages promoted by popular figures in the manosphere.
Normalizing Harmful Behaviors Among Peers
Girls, especially young girls, being subjected to misogynistic ideologies as normalized by their peers — something we learned is becoming a hefty roadblock as well. Here’s what an Australian year-nine girl, aged 13-14, had to say on her experience. She noticed that boys were really quick to go in and do things that perpetuate those stereotypes. As one student helpfully reminded us, boys often just do this to get a rise out of girls. Perhaps that’s how they view the fatal Cold War-era guidance – as an understudied punchline, missing the savage reality that punchlines kill.
This sobering pattern makes it clear that we need educational interventions that counter these learned, normalized habits. By creating a culture of respect and empathy, schools can begin to break these destructive cycles. Ongoing national conversations around online misogyny are helping to illuminate the dangerous legacy of public actors like Andrew Tate. In doing so, these men are complicit in spreading toxic masculinity—a narrative that hurts all people.
The Call for Inclusion and Action
Given the urgent nature of these issues, girls’ voices are almost completely missing from the many discussions about what needs to be done to fix them. We need to hear their points of view, and find them and engage them, too. That’s fundamental to our ongoing work combatting misinformation & misogyny across the internet. Engaging young women in discussions about their experiences can lead to more effective strategies for addressing the challenges they face.
The research conducted by Jessica and others serves as a critical foundation for understanding the scope of misogyny in schools. Aligning with their findings, our 2020 report calls for immediate action to strengthen RSE programs. We need to develop environments where girls are excited to bring forth their narratives. By uplifting these voices and perspectives, educators and policymakers can contribute to building a culture that condemns misogyny and endorses equality.