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
