Recommendation 8

Engagement with boys and young men is crucial for tackling sexual harassment and sexual violence in educational settings. As part of the review of relationships, sex and health education (RSHE), the Department for Education and the Government Equalities Office should work together to develop a specific strategy for engaging with boys and young men in primary and secondary schools on the topics of sexual harassment and gender-based violence. The Government should lay that strategy before 34 Parliament by the end of 2023 alongside the review. The strategy should include the guidance and follow-up support the Department for Education will provide to primary and secondary school leaders to enable them to: – design and deliver an RSHE curriculum that places a greater focus on boys and young men; – access learning materials covering gender norms and gender equality. As a signatory to the Istanbul Convention, the Government has an international obligation to provide such materials. The Government should work with experts in education, academia and preventing violence against women and girls to create an online repository of evidence-based material; – provide support for students who experience all types of harmful sexual behaviour to come forward without fear of invalidation; and a safe, non-judgmental space for students who are responsible for ‘low level’ behaviours to reflect on and talk about their behaviour; – train all teachers how to engage with boys and young men in conversations that challenge prevailing gender norms, ideas of masculinity, and attitudes towards women and girls. The Government should also work with initial teacher training providers to include gender sensitive training as part of their offer. All training should be evidence-based.