Professor Jessica Ringrose began by highlighting the background of the longstanding issue of addressing the intersection of young people, mobile technology, and schooling. She expressed her desire for intervention on sexting back in 2011, noting the abstinence approach to sexting prevalent in policy, schools, and police.
In response to the previous research programme, the present report ‘Equipping Young People to Navigate Post-digital Sexual Violence’ had two key aims: 1) educate students about sexual and gender-based violence in a post-digital context, and 2) equip them with digital defence strategies to stay safe online and practices enabling effective activism to challenge sexual violence. Two student workshops were co-produced with project partner School of Sexuality Education (SSE), using creative and participatory pedagogies to enhance student engagement and learning. The student workshops were piloted with entire year groups of between 150 and 200 young people. The research team observed 53 of these workshops delivered by SSE facilitators to approximately 988 young people in eight diverse schools across England.
The project found a lack of adequate sex education on digital sexual violence, resistance to reporting due to victim-blaming, and a need for gender-inclusive content. The workshops were rated as highly effective by students, improving their knowledge and understanding of digital sexual violence and empowering young people to become active bystanders. Teachers also benefited from the intervention, with 95% reporting improved knowledge. Additionally, the project produced interactive resources, checklists, and support services for schools, parents, and young people, emphasizing the importance of trauma-informed responses. The presentation concludes with a call to listen to young people: “We need to listen to young people. We need to take their needs seriously. We need to find ways, like these types of interactive resources, to enable them to dialogue and have a voice and participate.”
In the Q&A section, various aspects related to addressing sexism and sexual harassment in schools were discussed. The attendants and speakers acknowledged the challenges, including conservative pushback, the need for a whole-school approach, and the importance of creating a safe environment for disclosures. The need for collaboration between academics, practitioners, and various sectors to initiate more change in the sector was also highlighted.
Blog author: Sitian Chen
Feminist Educational Engagement Lab 