VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
The warning signs
Violence against
concerns and they, along with the major opposition
parties, have recently made several promises to improve
women and girls
the current system. The lobby was the first step in trying
to ensure that the government and the main political
parties follow through with their commitments.
is a very sensitive
another strand of amnesty’s work in schools
concerns the international context of violence against
subject and tricky
women and girls.
In 2008, an amnesty report on Safer Schools
to broach in the classroom.
revealed that:
• half of school girls in Malawi said they had been
Amnesty International’s
touched in a sexual manner “without permission,
by either their teachers or fellow school boys”.
• In afghanistan, burning down girls’ schools has
Heather Harvey argues
become increasingly common. at least 172 violent
attacks on schools took place in the first six months
that it is an essential issue to
of 2006.
• More than 80 per cent of girls in public schools in
discuss and offers her advice
the US aged from 12 to 16 have experienced some
form of sexual harassment.
• around 14,000 school girls in Tanzania were
expelled from school between 2003 and 2006
WaReNeSS Of violence because they were pregnant.
a
against women is very low, yet • half of Zimbabwean junior secondary girls reported
the facts show that this problem unsolicited contact on the way to school by
is commonplace in the UK and strangers.
across the world. The statistics here • In Latin america, sexual harassment in schools
in the UK are startling. has been found to be widespread in the Dominican
Take rape for example. In the Republic, honduras, Guatemala, Mexico,
UK there are on average 50,000 rapes each year. to take its message of “Stop violence against Women” defining violence against women, and also a series Nicaragua, and Panama.
according to an amnesty International poll in 2005, into schools and challenge areas of the law that are of activities looking at the gender issues related to Meanwhile, stoning and lashings are common place
only four per cent of people thought there were more exacerbating the problem. language, stereotyping and socialised inequalities. throughout the Middle east. and women continue to
than 10,000 rapes in the UK each year. To this end, amnesty has produced a wide range In addition to our women’s rights resources, we be burnt as witches in certain parts of africa and South
The poll also revealed that a third of people thought of materials to help and encourage teachers to tackle have produced a film clip on violence against women east asia.
a woman was “to blame” for rape if they had “flirted”; the issue. and a lesson plan on trafficking. all of these resources amnesty’s youth groups have been instrumental
a quarter thought they were to blame if they had worn This includes our popular and comprehensive can be downloaded for free from the amnesty website. in showing support for a number of women’s rights
“sexy clothing”; and a third if she was drunk. The figures women’s rights resources for teachers. These free however, it is important to stress that violence organisations based in these countries.
were more or less the same for men and women. resources tackle a number of themes that can be taught against women remains a sensitive and controversial WOZa (Women of Zimbabwe arise) is one such
If such perceptions are allowed to go unchallenged across the curriculum in subjects such as PShe, issue and as such it is important to create a safe and group. WOZa was formed in 2003 to provide women
then there can be little hope of seeing the number of english and citizenship. comfortable environment within the classroom when with a united voice, encourage them to stand up for their
rapes in this country decrease. for example, there are activities looking at the discussing the topic. Both the Department for Children, rights and freedoms, and to empower female leadership
Which is why amnesty International is determined historical context of claiming women’s rights, resources Schools and families (DCSf) – through Teachernet – in the community. Its members have been repeatedly
and the Citizenship foundation have excellent guidance arrested, harassed and severely beaten in police custody
Notes and jottings
available online. for exercising the right to peaceful protest.
Meanwhile, amnesty’s 650-plus youth groups in By showing your solidarity with groups like WOZa,
the UK, most of which are based in secondary schools, you can raise their international profile and significantly
have taken the campaign to their hearts. earlier this reduce the daily threats they face, while at the same
The importance of knowledge
month, amnesty Youth Groups from across the country time make a difference to women and girls across the
participated in a mass lobby of parliament. world.
The lobby was part of a concerted push to overturn violence against women is a global problem. and we
I have long been uneasy – no, actually quite and insist that they acquit themselves only with a legal requirement put in place by this government at amnesty firmly hope that encouraging pupils to look
worried – about the now almost universal view that blank sheets of paper and a fountain pen in three that has left a number of women trapped in a cycle of at the issue will not only help those directly affected, but
pupils should “direct their own learning” and that we hours when they need to show what they can do. violence. will also help to make a fundamental difference to the
should be teaching them research skills and, some he said that computer-based exams with internet The “No Recourse” requirement stops certain groups attitudes of tomorrow’s youngsters here in the UK. SecEd
would argue, not much else. access would be the normal way of examining of people from accessing state funds. Those affected
Switch to the kitchen table in the elkin household students throughout europe within a very few years. include international students, temporary workers, • Heather Harvey is Amnesty International’s Stop
over supper one evening this week. Someone I’d Well, I can see his point and perhaps there should visitors, trafficked women and girls, and women who Violence Against Women campaign manager.
interviewed had just told me that St albans has a be a “research component” in the way we examine have entered the UK on valid visas as either a spouse
special link with Magna Carta which had baffled me, 16 and 18-year-olds. But for goodness sake let’s tell or a long-term partner. The problem occurs if these
Further information
so I asked my other half what he knew about it. Not them things as well so that they have a body of women become victims of domestic violence. • for amnesty’s resources, visit www.amnesty.org.
a lot with regard to St albans, as it turned out. factual knowledge as a starting point. Refuges often need housing benefit to cover uk/education (follow the women’s rights link).
But we both knew instantly that it was accommodation costs and income support to cover • for the guidance from the DCSf, visit www.
signed by King John at Runnymede in So one in four 14-year-olds “missed basic subsistence while women recover. teachernet.gov.uk and search for “teaching about
1215 – because of course we’d been the target” in english this year The no recourse to public funds requirement forbids controversial issues”.
taught that in our respective schools. although results were slightly up these women from getting either, leaving them with • for the guidance from the Citizenship foundation,
The fofo (f*ck off and find out) on 2008. What does this actually a stark choice of staying in the abuse or becoming visit www.citizenshipfoundation.org.uk and search
method of education had not yet mean apart from 129,400 students destitute. for “Controversial Issues: Guidance for Schools”.
been invented. falling below level 5? In one case, amnesty became aware of a woman • for more on the No Recourse campaign, visit
Surely it is the role of teachers Surely it is simply that some who was doused in petrol and threatened to be burnt www.amnesty.org.uk/norecourse
to tell students things? Teachers are person in authority (the astronomer alive – she had nowhere to turn. • for more on WOZa, visit www.amnesty.org.uk/
supposed to know more about most Royal perhaps, to quote WS Gilbert The government has begun to listen to amnesty’s woza
things than their charges – although making a waspish point about arbitrary
I’ve never minded admitting I don’t decisions) plucked a target out of the
know something when I don’t because it air with scant reference to what these
Where to go for help
makes a useful point about finding out and 14-year-olds can do, should be able
Teachers have a hugely important role to play in tackling
lifelong learning, but that shouldn’t be to do, or how they’re taught – and
domestic violence. The signs can be evident very early
the main way we teach in my view. chucked the teenagers randomly
(and yes, I did a bit of research and against it to stand or fall.
on, but there remains the quandary of knowing when to
discovered that St albans was one of Then there is hand-wringing or
intervene. However, the bottom line is very simple – there
the five charter towns where Magna cheering, depending which newspaper is no justification for domestic violence.
Carta was first granted). or government publication you read.
For more guidance, you can contact the domestic
all this came to mind when I heard It would make far more sense to
violence helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit the website
on Radio 4 that a small group of schools teach reading properly at key stage 3,
in Copenhagen are the first in europe to with plenty of emphasis on extensive daily
at www.nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk, which
pioneer exams for teenagers based entirely practice (books, magazines, newspapers,
has a section specifically for teachers.
on research. website pages, food packets, football manuals In addition, forced marriages continue to be a problem
Pupils have computers and full access to the – anything) so that all students build up real
and it is an area teachers often turn to Amnesty for advice
internet in their exams. They are set a question reading stamina and can read effortlessly and fast.
on. The Foreign Office has very thorough advice on the
which involves finding information and processing Once they can “read” – as opposed to stumble
it rather than recalling it, and they have to do it in through a page of print if pushed – we shall have real
topic and in the first instance we would advise teachers
a limited time. The only thing they are not allowed literacy. But it would take a real change in attitude
to look there. The website is www.fco.gov.uk (follow the
to do is to communicate with each other directly or right the way through the system and an army of link for information for professionals or search for “forced
electronically and there are invigilators patrolling to dedicated teaching assistants and volunteers to do it.
marriages”). They can also be reached for confidential
check. I hope Michael Gove is listening, because this is a
advice by dialling 020 7008 0151. The NSPCC also has a
Stop Violence Against
a spokesman for the project argued (in perfect way his lot could really make a difference.
english of course) that the internet and technology
helpline for forced marriages, which is 0800 0967719.
Women: Archie Panjabi of
Bend it Like Beckham is
are now so fundamental to everyday life that it is • Susan Elkin is a freelance education journalist and
There are further resources on domestic violence and
among the supporters of
ridiculous to take it all away from school students former teacher. related issues available from www.teachrelationships.org.uk Amnesty’s campaign
12 SecEd • November 19 2009
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