Republika Srbija MINISTARSTVO PROSVETE,

NAUKE I TEHNOLOŠKOG RAZVOJA

Preliminary research results on gender-based violence

in schools

Integrated Response to Violence against Women in Serbia

• United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) • UN Development Program (UNDP) • UN Agency for Gender Equality (UN Women)

School without violence

• Unit for Violence Prevention, Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Republic of Serbia

• UNICEF, Office in Serbia • Institute for Psychology, Philosophy Faculty, University in Belgrade

Research team

Center for Gender and Politics, Faculty of Political Science, University in Belgrade

• Jelena Ćeriman, B.A., sociologist, researcher

• Ksenija Perišić, B.A., psychologist, researcher

• Nađa Duhaček, M.A., women’s studies, researcher

• Marina Bogdanović, B.A., consultant

• Daša Duhaček, PhD, coordinator

• Goal: to explore gender-based violence (GBV) in elementary schools and high schools in Serbia

• Research participants: male and female students, 4th grade elementary school to 4th year high school, as well as teachers and psychologists and pedagogues

• Data collection: 50 schools (35 elementary schools and 15 high schools)

• A total of 24 982 questionnaires were filled out.

Number of research participants

Male Female Total

Teachers 721 1816 2537

Psychology/Pedagogy Service

10 71 81

Students in elementary schools

6920 6689 13609

Students in high schools 4736 4019 8755

Total 12387 12595 24982

Structure of the sample

Results

• Gender-based violence (GBV) has now been

documented in elementary schools and high schools in Serbia

• 69 % of elementary school students and 74 % of high

school students stated that they have experienced some form of GBV since the beginning of the 2013/2014 school year.

Elementary school

Grade Total

IV V VI VII VIII

Number of students.

1341 1595 1769 1966 1869 8540

% in grade 53% 61% 70% 79% 83% 69%

High school Grade Total

I II III IV

Number of

students 1484 1664 1621 1388 6157

% in grade 69% 74% 77% 77% 74%

Students who have experienced at least one form of GBV

23 19

11

44

6

34

23

40

Taking clothes off by force Encroachment of privacy Physical sexual harassment Vulgar bodily movement

Boys Girls

Prevalence of specific forms of GBV, elementary school, in %

16 18

40

19

43

5

21

51

14

39

Taking clothes off byforce

Encroachment of privacy Sexual objectification Exposed to pornography Vulgar bodily movement

Young men Young women

Prevalence of specific forms of GBV, in high schools, in%

Gender of those who perpetrate GBV

• When students were asked about their experience of GBV, they were also asked about the gender and age of perpetrators (male or female, peers or teachers).

• Boys constitute the majority of those who perpatrated GBV against other boys and girls alike.

Reporting GBV to emplyees of elementary schools

Verbal GBV physical sexual harassment

Never 83%

Once or twice 14%

3 or more times 3%

Never 71%

Once or twice 23%

3 or more times

6%

Reporting GBV to emplyees of elementary schools

Verbal GBV physical sexual harassment

Never 82%

Once or twice 16%

3 or more times 2%

Never 91%

Once or twice 8%

3 or more times 1%

19 8

44

9

64 69 60

27

11.5

5

18

8

16 12

16

21

Violence in romantic relationship Sexual harassment Blaming the victim of sexualharassments

Violence against homosexualpersons

agree - boys undecided boys agree – girls undecided - girls

Attitudes toward GBV, students of 6th, 7th and 8th grade, elementary schools

Attitudes toward GBV, students of 6th, 7th and 8th grade,

elementary schools • More than 60% of students blame the victim of sexual

harassment. • 60% of boys and 27% of girls justify violence against

homosexual persons. • 44% of boys find that sexual harassment of girls is

acceptable. • Close to 1 in 5 (19%) boys think that there are situations

when a boyfriend can slap his girlfriend.

Where do we go from here?

• 77 % of elementary school students and 69% of high school students think that these topics (gender roles, gender equality, GBV prevention) should be discussed in school.

• 75% of elementary school emplyees and 68% of high school employees stated that they are interested in attending further training regarding gender roles, gender equality, GBV prevention.

We are grateful to: • Teachers, psychologists and pedagogues • Women’s feminist nongovernmental organizations

• Unit for Violence Prevention, Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Republic of Serbia

• UNICEF Office in Serbia • Institute for Psychology, Philosophy Faculty, University

in Belgrade