NEWS: Young people endure widespread sexual harassment - report; ASTI call for research on Junior Cert Irish

Young people endure widespread sexual harassment - report

UP to 80 per cent of adolescents experience sexual harassment in a 12 month period, with a quarter reporting sexual violence.

These are among shocking findings contained in a report: Storm and Stress: An Exploration of Sexual Harassment Amongst Adolescents commissioned by Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI).

The study focused on the previous 12-month period of the young peoples’ lives. The research comprised of data from 599 adolescents who completed a questionnaire, interviews with 93 adolescents, and interviews with 21 youth workers.

occurred within their peer community • 100% All of the youth workers who participated in the study stated that they had witnessed sexual harassment with levels varying from verbal to extreme forms of sexual harassment • 57% of youth workers experienced sexual harassment from adolescents while at work • 68% of LGBT+ participants experienced serious sexual harassment compared with 20% of the whole population • 47% did not know how to report sexual harassment within their school

Some of the headline findings are: • 80% disclosed being subjected to some form of sexual harassment • 24% disclosed that they were subjected to physical or extreme forms of sexual harassment • 83% witnessed some form of sexual harassment • 28% witnessed physical or extreme forms of sexual harassment • 78% participants said harassment

Clíona Saidléar, executive director of the RCNI said in the Irish Times that the report closed a data gap and showed "the sheer scale of the prevalence and the severity of the experiences of adolescents with sexual violence. "Those same adolescents have told us they want and believe change is possible. We need to help them create that safer world for the generations coming behind them".

ASTI call for research on Junior Cert Irish

IN a submission to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Irish language, the Gaeltacht and Irish-speaking communities, ASTI has called for research into implementation of the 'T1 agus T2' programme before it's extended to the senior cycle.

The union says that in feedback to an ASTI survey and seminar: "a strong message came from Gaeilge teachers was that, in the absence of research on the implementation of the T1 agus T2 at junior cycle, they are not supportive of introducing this model at senior cycle. This perhaps the strongest message ASTI received."

The submission says that a key strand of this research should focus on the range and coherence of the learning outcomes; differentiation in the classroom; and how to develop students’ communicative skills. As regards the latter, teachers still state that there is too much focus on the literature in the specification.