Why do we need to talk about consent and gender-based violence prevention in schools?

According to the United Nations,“Gender-based violence (GBV) refers to harmful acts directed at an individual or a group of individuals based on their gender. It is rooted in gender inequality, the abuse of power and harmful norms”. The term is primarily used to underscore the fact that structural, gender-based power differentials place marginalized genders at risk for multiple forms of violence. 

Examples of acts that can constitute gender-based violence include: 

“Gender-Based Violence is a reality in Ontario. It is present in every city and community across the province and impacts the lives of friends, family members and colleagues” (Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centre, n.d.). The following are some key facts regarding gender-based violence in Canada:

• One in three girls or women will experience sexual violence inside or outside of an intimate relationship (Statistics Canada, 2019).
• One in six boys or men have experienced sexual assault or sexual abuse (1in6, 2020).
• One in two transgender people will experience sexual violence. Trans people are the targets of specifically directed gender-based violence. According to the Trans PULSE Project, 20% of trans people surveyed had been physically or sexually assaulted for being trans, and another 34% had been verbally threatened or harassed (Trans PULSE Project, 2015). It is important to remember that data on trans and/or non-binary people remains under-researched and under-reported and that these statistics may not fully represent the lived realities of this group.  
• 70% of trans youth in Canada have experienced sexual harassment (Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres, n.d.).  
• Bisexual women are twice as likely to experience sexual violence in their lives than heterosexual women (Statistics Canada, 2020).
• Girls and women with disabilities are four times more likely than girls and women without disabilities to experience gender-based violence (Statistics Canada, 2017).
• Indigenous women are three times more likely than other women to experience all forms of violence (Statistics Canada, 2019).
• Less than 10% of sexual assaults are reported to police (Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres, n.d.).  
• Over 80% of sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim knows (Statistics Canada, 2017).

The Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women & Children stresses the importance of the role of the bystander in situations involving gender-based violence.

"Community norms and bystander attitudes have been identified as aspects of society that condone interpersonal violence. Bystanders can perpetuate these attitudes and community norms by doing nothing or by supporting or ignoring perpetrator behaviour, or they can make the situation better by intervening in pro-social ways (McMahon & Banyard, 2012)” (Straatman, 2013).

Bystanders play an important role in gender-based violence prevention by noticing situations that can escalate, by safely and appropriately intervening, and by supporting the victim. Focusing on the actions of bystanders is an approach that engages the community in proactive ways to address the behaviour of others and changes social behaviours that might otherwise be considered “normal” in a group or society.

Educators play a key role in gender-based violence prevention by providing students at different ages and stages of their students' knowledge and understanding in this topic area with learning experiences that engage them in thoughtful conversations about gender-based violence, the role of bystanders, and strategies for intervening in situations involving gender-based violence. Educators can empower students to become advocates for preventing and ending gender-based violence within their schools and communities.

---

References