SVRI & UNGEI. (2024). Prevention of sexual violence in education settings: A white paper by Sexual Violence Research Initiative and UN Girls’ Education Initiative. SVRI & UNGEI.

Abstract

This paper shines a light on sexual violence in education settings. It covers forced, non-consensual or exploitative sexual acts perpetrated in, around or related to an education setting. Sexual violence can be perpetrated by teachers, staff, students, parents, and others in the education setting and the target, victim or survivor can also be a person in any of these categories. While sexual violence against children and young people is already a less-researched area of work, this focus on education settings is even less common. Yet, by all accounts, its prevalence is high and not being addressed fast enough. This paper presents available evidence including from global, regional, and national data sets, the persisting gaps in evidence and what has been found to work to prevent sexual violence in education settings. It aims to inform education, gender equality, child rights and gender-based violence (GBV) sectors.