Northern Ireland Women Share School Experiences of Misogyny

Women in Northern Ireland are shedding light on the pervasive misogyny they encountered during their school years. This discussion follows the UK Government’s recent announcement of a £20 million initiative aimed at training teachers to recognize early signs of inappropriate behavior in boys. The strategy aims to halve the rate of violence against women and girls within the next decade.

The Northern Ireland Strategy Framework also underscores the need for comprehensive education on misogyny and consent for both boys and girls. In interviews with Belfast Live, several young women recounted their experiences, emphasizing the urgent need for educational reforms.

Caitlyn*, who left school over a decade ago, vividly recalls how normalized misogyny felt among her peers. She reflected, “Boys in school would touch us all the time, and it was totally normalised to the point that when I was younger, I never thought of it as something negative.” She described incidents where male students were reported for inappropriate behavior but faced no consequences, particularly if they excelled in sports. “Nothing was done with it, because they were talented sports players,” she claimed.

Caitlyn noted that these behaviors often continued into adulthood, with several former classmates later convicted of various assaults, including sexual assault and voyeurism. The perception of male athletes as “sporting prodigies destined for greatness” fostered an environment of entitlement and impunity.

Another former student, Saoirse*, shared an incident from her secondary school in Belfast where a girl was sexually assaulted on campus. Instead of addressing the boy’s actions, the school administration reportedly asked the victim to leave for her own safety. “The boy was allowed to return to school to study for his A levels, despite not meeting the required GCSE points tally,” she stated.

Saoirse believes that education on consent could have altered outcomes in these situations. “Any sort of education on healthy relationships would have made it easier to understand what was going on with your friends’ relationships and your own,” she explained. She highlighted the dangerous dynamics where reporting inappropriate behavior could lead to further victimization by peers.

Orla*, who has recently completed her A levels, also expressed concern about the culture of misogyny in her school. She described how female staff members were often treated disrespectfully, with one new teacher leaving due to mistreatment. “Boys would physically intimidate her,” she recalled.

Despite consent being included in the curriculum, Orla noted that her teacher felt uncomfortable discussing it, resulting in inadequate education on the topic. She stressed that without proper instruction, young men could carry harmful attitudes into adulthood. “By the time they’re leaving school, these aren’t boys anymore, they’re men,” she emphasized.

A 2023 report by the Education and Training Inspectorate revealed that nearly half of schools in Northern Ireland provide little to no education on sexual consent. In April 2024, the Northern Ireland Assembly passed a motion to mandate compulsory, high-quality relationship and sexual education that is both inclusive and age-appropriate.

Eoín Tennyson of the Alliance Party remarked on the necessity of modernizing educational content, stating, “Many students graduate without ever having learned about consent, abuse, or the elements of a healthy relationship.” SDLP MLA Cara Hunter echoed this sentiment, highlighting how such education could empower young people and promote a culture of consent.

Advocates for better relationship and sexual education, such as Boyd Sleator from Northern Ireland Humanists, emphasize the importance of addressing misogyny early in education. “We need to prioritize these things in education, like how we approach relationships and move young boys away from misogynistic behavior early on,” he stated.

As discussions around the future of education in Northern Ireland continue, many are hopeful that a newly mandated curriculum will equip the next generation with the knowledge to foster respectful relationships and combat misogyny effectively.

*The names of the women interviewed have been changed to protect their identities.