Nearly one in five girls do not feel safe at school

A new survey reveals 19% of girls and young women said they did not feel safe in school, with girls and young women of colour less likely to feel safe at school than their white counterparts (65% compared with 70%). The survey by the Girlguiding charity also revealed stark regional differences, with 22% of girls and young women in the north aged 11 to 16 blaming fear of sexual harassment for holding them back at school. The figure was 16% in London and the south. Similarly, 26% in the north of England said gender stereotyping was holding them back at school, compared with 18% in London and the south. The problem was particularly acute among LGBTQ+ girls and young women, with 37% complaining about gender stereotyping at school. Girlguiding’s chief executive, Angela Salt, said: “It is shocking how many girls and young women, some as young as 11 years old, don’t feel safe at school, on social media or out in public. Our research shows just how common discrimination, stereotyping and sexism is in our society and how unsurprisingly this creates barriers to happiness, confidence, and success.”
Source: The Guardian