Pornography is not the answer (it isn't even the right question): reflections from practice in tackling sexual harassment and harmful sexualised behaviours in response to Everyone's Invited and the Online Safety Bill

Jonny Hunt

Institute of Applied Social Research (IASR)

Research Output:

Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding

Chapter

Peer-review

Abstract

This chapter reflects on the issues of sexual harassment and harmful sexualised behaviours in schools, as highlighted by the Everyone's Invited Campaign and the subsequent Ofsted report. It challenges the response from some commentators to blame these behaviours as being the result of young people's exposure to online pornography and the influence of social media. Instead, drawing upon direct practice experiences during the summer of 2021, this chapter presents alternative answers that promote the voice of young people. This includes examining the potential negative impact of shame-based approaches and discourse that frame pornography as a problem, whilst ignoring broader the inequality of gendered social scripts present in wider society and experienced by young people in school. There is a discussion of gaps within relationship and sex education. Finally, the chapter concludes with a discussion of how increasingly young people are using digital platforms to claim their rights and to challenge those in authority when their concerns are left unanswered.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output:

Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding

Chapter

Peer-review

Host publication Subtitle

Conceptualisations, Experiences and Responses

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 271-295 (25 pages)

Publication milestones

Published - 24/02/2024

Publication status

Published - 24/02/2024

Publisher

Springer, Japan, India, Australia, Germany, United States, United Arab Emirates, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, China, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Brazil, France, Singapore