Bucks Youth Summit 2023 – Youth-led Conversation on Sexual Violence
Format
The Youth-led Conversation on Sexual Violence was hosted in a private meeting room at the Waterside Theatre behind the Mental Health conversation space.
The conversation space was hosted by Meg from Leaders Unlocked. Leaders Unlocked are an organisation that enables young people to have a stronger voice and influence over the issues that affect their lives, including education, policing, health, and justice. A young commissioner from one of Leaders’ Unlocked projects also helped to facilitate this conversation space.
Young people that chose to participate in this conversation space were welcomed and provided with information about Leaders Unlocked and their Student Commission on Sexual Violence project. They were shown a video called Shatter the Silence, which young people involved in the Student Commission created.
The young participants were then invited to share their thoughts on sexual violence through a standing debate activity, and they were invited to submit their ideas for addressing the issue at the end of the session. The standing debate topics varied between the sessions.
What did young people say?
You can read the report that Leaders Unlocked created by clicking the button below.
The key messages from each of the silent debate discussions will be added here soon.
Key messages
From conversation 1: Relationships, Health, and Sex Education
- Young people want more RSHE
- RSHE should be more inclusive of different sexualities. Participants stated that they only learn about heterosexual/male-female relationships.
- Participants felt that their schools often “bubble-wrap” information being provided through RSHE.
- Participants do not feel RSHE provides all of the information they need about sexual violence.
- Young people feel that conversations around consent, sex and healthy relationships should start as early as possible. Participants felt that topics such as consent, body autonomy and personal space should start very early, with the conversations gradually building on from that throughout schooling.
- Young people provided a 50/50 mixed response as to whether RSHE should be taught with all genders together or separately. Some suggested it might be best to split the groups but ensure all are learning the same information. Boys from a grammar school commented on not having the option to learn from girls, so it is important they are educated about their experience.
From conversation 2: Normalising conversations about consent and sexual violence
Coming soon!
From conversation 3: Sexual Violence reporting processes and safeguarding
Coming soon!
So What?
The content of the discussions in this conversation space and the participant’s ideas are being taken forward as part of the Student Commission on Sexual Violence 2023, allowing the participants to contribute their voices towards real change.