School culture and gender-based violence: What’s really happening and how we can make a change
Published: 1 March 2025
A blog from the Young People’s Advisory Group for the Equally Safe at School Evaluation (2023-2026) looking at school culture and gender-based violence.
Authors*: Macey Dempsey, Murdo Pope, Charlotte Franklin, Thomas Benedict Schmoll, Victoria Franklin.
*All authors are members of the Young People’s Advisory Group (YPAG) for the Equally Safe at School (ESAS) Evaluation (2023-2026). The YPAG decided on the focus of the blog and wrote the text during a YPAG meeting.
What is the problem we are looking at?
The issue we’ve decided to look at is the way our school culture often overlooks or downplays gender-based violence (GBV). Some of the main contributors to this problem are behaviours and attitudes like slut-shaming, "bro culture," and stereotyping, which make it easy for people to normalise or brush off real harm. Because of this, conversations about GBV can sometimes feel like just gossip instead of being taken seriously, and there’s this tendency for students to judge or intrude on each other’s personal lives. Even though a lot of students recognise these behaviours as wrong, they still continue as an “open secret” in school. This creates an environment where real issues go unaddressed, and boundaries around what’s acceptable often feel unclear.
Why does it matter?
Changing attitudes toward GBV is essential if we want a safe and respectful school environment. We think there is a lack of safety in schools due to harmful behaviours being ignored or normalised, which not only violates people’s rights but also impacts their ability to learn freely. If we leave negative attitudes unaddressed, they can escalate into more serious issues, so it’s important to deal with them early on and ‘nip them in the bud’. Schools also play a key role in preparing students for life beyond the school setting, where respect and empathy are essential. By addressing these issues now, schools can help us build the skills and values we’ll need in the real world.
What causes this problem?
The way students view GBV at our schools is complicated and influenced by both social and cultural factors. A lot of the time, both students and even some staff turn a blind eye to harmful behaviours, which gives the impression that these issues aren’t taken seriously. Social media and certain public figures, like Andrew Tate, also play a big part in spreading toxic ideas that some students accept without question. Younger students, in particular, are more likely to just follow the school culture or repeat the behaviours they see at home. Peer pressure intensifies this problem, as students are motivated to fit in rather than challenge negative behaviours. Social media further complicates matters, spreading bullying and negative messages quickly, while the school’s ability to monitor what happens online is limited. This creates a blurry line of responsibility, where harmful behaviours online can easily spill into real school life. Older students, especially boys in the higher years, can sometimes also set poor examples, normalising attitudes that should be challenged, not copied.
What can be done about it?
Throughout secondary school, younger students, especially younger boys, tend to look up to the older years, copying their behaviour. To prevent them from picking up harmful behaviours, it’s important to set clear rules and consequences that all students, including the older years actually follow, which could encourage others to do the same. Teachers also have a significant impact on student behaviour. When there is mutual respect between students and teachers, it can lead to better behaviour overall. If this respect is built, teachers could discuss topics like gender-based violence more effectively, as students may value their opinions more - especially compared to a teacher they don’t respect or like as much.
There is not one specific way of dealing with gender-based violence as it’s such a complex issue. However, making programmes like Equally Safe at School (ESAS) part of school culture from S1 could help inform everyone in schools about the topic and lead them to make better, more educated decisions. For this to happen, there would need to be grassroot efforts from the student body - like ESAS representatives talking at parents evenings or open nights to spread awareness.
Further information on the Equally safe at School programme: equallysafeatschool.org.uk
If you would like to contact the ESAS evaluation team, please email: sphsu-esas@glasgow.ac.uk
First published: 1 March 2025
