GirlGuiding Survey.
This week The GirlGuiding Charity published their annual survey of girls’ experiences and the findings are concerning if not predictable especially in the way that gilr s move through the world:
- 68% of the girls and young women aged 11-21 said that they had changed their behaviour to avoid being sexually harassed.
- 32% of girls changed what they wanted to wear for the same reason;
- 56% said they felt unsafe travelling by themselves and, depressingly,
- 31% avoided taking public transport alone.
Amanda Azeez, the acting chief executive of Girlguiding, said: “Although a lot of progress has been made in creating an equal world, reading these stark findings makes us realise that in some areas, like the treatment and behaviour that girls’ face, things sadly haven’t changed at all”.
“Girls are not being treated equally and are consistently made to feel like they’re not enough. This is not only affecting their mental health but stopping them from being themselves.
This research is enlightening as well as largely disappointing, but it doesn’t really get to the heart of the issue – male behaviours. Men and boys are the cause of the majority of these issues and it’s something that I’ve been working on or a number of years. Ensuring boys don’t feel attacked and marginalised I’ve developed ‘We Are All Culture’ a workshop session which allows boys to explore their roles in the world, consider their leadership skills and presence and how their strengths can be used to curate cultures that are safe for all to live within.
If we can help, let us know.