Misogyny to be discussed in secondary school curriculum from September
Following reports of extreme abuse, secondary school children in England will discuss misogyny as part of the curriculum starting in September.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Schoolgirls from Tyneside have spoken out about the extreme misogyny they face at school and online, including threats of rape, sexist insults and aggressive behaviour. They have made a short film about their experiences and sent it to the Prime Minister, ahead of changes to the secondary school curriculum in England.
The film, which the girls made with the help of specialist teacher Sue Davison, shows them sharing the derogatory names they have been called. Many of the comments are too explicit to broadcast, but they include threats of violence disguised as banter. One girl described being disturbed after a rape list was made by boys at her school. The girls said the abuse left them feeling worthless and frightened.
From September, secondary pupils in England will be taught how to recognise misogyny as part of the curriculum. The government says this is part of its commitment to tackling violence against women and girls. The new guidance will also cover sexist and misogynistic influencers on social media, something the girls believe is needed.
Domestic abuse charities have warned that when extreme views become normalised, they can leak into early relationships. They say they are seeing young women who recognise they have been abused in their first intimate relationships, sometimes at the age of 13 or 14. One charity worker said it was sad that nobody was passing down the message that this is not right.
Experts say the problem is not just about a minority of boys, but also about the pressure on boys to conform to masculine expectations. Dr Alex Blower, a researcher and founder of Boys Impact, said that a lack of a positive narrative for boys and young men has left a void that online content creators have filled. He said these creators have their own ideas about successful manhood that may not align with what parents want.
The girls behind the film hope it will be used as a conversation starter in schools. They want the Prime Minister to share it with schools around the country.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC News | BBC One |
|---|---|---|
| A rape list was made by boys at the school. | ||
| Domestic abuse charities warned that normalised extreme views can lead to 13-year-old girls being raped by 13-year-old boys. | ||
| From September, secondary pupils will be taught to recognise misogyny as part of the curriculum, as part of a government commitment to tackling violence against women and girls. | ||
| Sexist and misogynistic influencers on social media will be covered in the new guidance. | ||
| Teenage girls sent a campaign video to the Prime Minister about extreme misogyny at school, including a rape list, and the government said it is introducing changes from September to help teachers challenge misogyny. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This channel provided an in-depth discussion with experts, focusing on the psychological impact on girls and the societal factors driving misogyny, including the role of online influencers and the lack of positive narratives for boys. It also highlighted the need for a whole-school approach to challenge misogyny.
- “those girls are fierce and they are determined that other girls won't face the kind of things that they've had to face.”
- “we've seen nefarious online actors and content creators who have their own ideas surrounding what successful manhood looks like”
This channel focused on the specific experiences of the girls, including the rape list, and the government's curriculum change. It also included a warning from domestic abuse charities. The tone is a straightforward news report with direct quotes from the girls.
- “Well, there was a rape list that was made just boys ordering girls who like want to rape the most”
- “from September secondary pupils will be taught how to recognize Misogyny as part of the curriculum”
This is a signed version of the BBC News at Six report, with content identical to the BBC ONE West report. It emphasises the girls' experiences and the curriculum change, with a focus on the emotional impact and the need for action.
- “Well, there was a rape list that was made, just boys ordering girls who want to rape the most and then the least want to rape.”
- “from September, secondary pupils will be taught how to recognise misogyny as part of the curriculum”
This channel highlighted the first-time nature of the curriculum change and also noted that many boys are uncomfortable with the behaviour. It included the girls' hope that the PM will share the film with schools, and gave a slightly broader context with the weather and other news.
- “From September secondary school children in England will discuss the issue of Misogyny as part of the curriculum for the first time”
- “There are huge numbers of boys who do not take part of this and are really made uncomfortable by it”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.