Australia Times

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Thursday, May 22, 2025

Calls for Comprehensive Gender-Based Violence Education in Schools

Anti-violence advocates emphasize the need for ongoing investment in respectful relationships education to combat gender-based violence in Australian schools.
Advocates against gender-based violence are pressing for increased governmental investment in educational initiatives aimed at addressing the issue within school environments.

Our Watch, an organization focused on preventing violence against women, has published a blueprint advocating for the systemic implementation of respectful relationships education across schools.

Research conducted over more than a decade underscores a critical situation: 40 percent of 16 to 17-year-olds have reported experiencing sexual harassment in educational settings.

Furthermore, nearly 25 percent of young women aged 18 to 24 have encountered image-based abuse, with girls being twice as likely as boys to feel pressured or coerced into sexting.

In light of these statistics, Our Watch is urging both federal and state governments to prioritize comprehensive and consistent funding for a 'whole-of-school' approach to education on respectful relationships, as opposed to sporadic programs or singular lessons.

An illustrative case can be found at Yarrunga Primary School in Wangaratta, Victoria, which adopted respectful relationships education in 2019 and has since monitored behavioral incidents among its students.

The school reported a nearly 50 percent reduction in anti-social behaviors over the course of a year, decreasing incidents from 114 to 61, according to acting principal Michael Jenkins.

Jenkins highlighted that the program fosters emotional literacy and intelligence, equipping students with skills to navigate relationships amicably.

CEO of Our Watch, Patty Kinnersly, stressed the timeliness of the blueprint’s release, noting alarming trends in gendered violence within Australian educational settings.

Kinnersly remarked on the frequency with which troubling incidents occur, such as young men distributing deepfake pornography of female peers or female educators resigning due to safety concerns.

As young people increasingly encounter harmful messages surrounding sex and relationships, they have expressed a desire for more comprehensive information and support.

Kinnersly underscored the importance of engaging the entire community in efforts to end violence against women, emphasizing the necessity of equipping young individuals with clear information about healthy relationships, consent, and challenging existing gender stereotypes.

The initiative calls for a sustained commitment to a whole-of-school approach, which encompasses long-term planning, strong leadership, and continuous funding to effectively address the systemic issues of gender-based violence in educational environments.
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