Rape Culture Exists At Over 1,600 Primary Schools Across Ireland And UK, Research Shows
Rape Culture Exists At Over 1,600 Primary Schools Across Ireland And UK, Research Shows
Text: Izzy Copestake
Trigger Warning: contains content some readers may find distressing.
A new report from Everyone’s Invited has uncovered alarming evidence of rape culture in primary schools across the UK and Ireland. The investigation, which names 1,664 schools, many of which are on the island of Ireland, includes testimonies from children and adults. Experiences of sexual harassment, misogynistic bullying, groping, inappropriate touching and even rape and forced penetration have been reported on the site, both from other children and teachers. One testimony includes a victim as young as 5 years old.
Everyone’s Invited is an anti-rape movement and a charity based in the UK dedicated to exposing and eradicating rape culture with “empathy, compassion and understanding.” The organisation collects anonymous testimonies from survivors, and has collected 52,372 to date. Everyone’s Invited is also an organisation which advocates for survivors in interactions with government, institutions and key stakeholders. The recent report focussed only on primary schools, and the list of schools mentioned features a large number from across the island of Ireland.
The study revealed that almost 50% of children under seven are already displaying misogynistic behaviour, with 52.85% of those who reported experiencing misogyny in primary school saying they encountered it before the age of seven. Teachers involved in the study also expressed deep concern over their ability to address these issues, with 80% reporting that they feel ill-equipped to manage these challenges.
The report also highlights that 62% of girls and 69% of boys experience body shame at alarmingly young ages, underscoring the early impact of harmful gender norms.
Advocates are calling for the introduction of Relationship and Sexual Education at earlier stages, noting that 53% of teachers believe it should begin in nursery or reception. The report makes a stark appeal for urgent reform, warning that “children do not create rape culture; they inherit it,” and emphasising that “children’s innocence is often lost not because of the education they receive but because of the experiences they are exposed to prematurely.”
The report lays bare a troubling reality: rape culture is not an abstract adult issue, but a pervasive threat beginning in the early years of education.
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