NotesFAQContact Us
Collection
Advanced
Search Tips
Back to results
ERIC Number: ED610693
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Jan
Pages: 27
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Gender-Based Violence in Primary Schools: Jamaica. Echidna Global Scholar Alumni Brief Series
Kennedy, Dasmine
Center for Universal Education at The Brookings Institution
School-related gender-based violence (SRGBV) refers to "acts of sexual, physical, or psychological violence inflicted on children in and around schools because of stereotypes and roles or norms attributed to or expected of them because of their sex or gendered identity. It also refers to the differences between girls' and boys' experience of and vulnerabilities to violence" (Greene et al. 2013, 5). A recent report published by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) expressed significant concerns about the protective environment that the Jamaican state has created to reduce children's vulnerability to violence (CAPRI and UNICEF 2018). It further states that 68 of every 100,000 Jamaican children are victims of violence, even in spaces that should be safe--one of which is school. Traditionally, the voices of victims, often girls, have been silenced and policy considered without the proper context to protect the victims. It is against this background that focus was given to obtaining and documenting girls' and boys' voices on gender-based violence in Jamaican primary schools, in the hope of informing further policy decisions. This study is part of a larger cross-country study of SRGBV in primary schools, including Jamaica, Kenya, Malawi, and Nigeria. The "common study" held three specific research objectives: (1) Establish the prevalence of and possible factors leading to SRGBV; (2) Determine country response options to the challenges posed by SRGBV; and (3) Identify possible interventions toward minimizing SRGBV. The research applied a mixed methods design (Creswell 2013), including quantitative surveys, qualitative focus group discussions, and a desk review targeting primary school-age girls and boys (10-13 years) as well as educators in selected primary-level institutions, including guidance counselors, principals, and teachers. The study revealed that primary-level students are exposed to GBV and that boys and girls are equally susceptible, although girls are the most targeted. The prevalence of sexual GBV among girls and boys in Jamaican primary schools is relatively low, but sexual harassment via social media has become prominent. Although the prevalence is relatively low, the requisite intervention required to reduce aspects of SRGBV must be implemented with a sense of purpose to keep the numbers low or eradicated totally. [There are three other reports in this series: Kenya (ED614132), Nigeria (ED610741), and Malawi (ED614033).]
Center for Universal Education at The Brookings Institution. 1775 Massachusettes Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-797-6048; Fax: 202-797-2970; e-mail: cue@brookings.edu; Web site: http://www.brookings.edu/about/centers/universal-education
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Brookings Institution, Center for Universal Education
Identifiers - Location: Jamaica
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A