Rise
We are RISE, a young women’s group. Together we discuss our experiences of sexism, relationships and coercive control. We’re passionate about holding adults accountable for the support they give to young people.
Group
Rise
Organisation
Children 1st
Location
Paisley / Online / In person
Category
Educate
Output
Training & presentation on coercive control
Meeting Frequency
Weekly
We’ve made a PowerPoint presentation that we presented at the Children 1st Annual General Meeting and to the Edinburgh House of Chambers. Our presentation shows young people’s experiences of coercive control and how parents and schools should have reacted to disclosures. Specifically, it highlights the negative and sexualised attitudes some boys can have towards girls and how indifferent and disrespectful many teachers can be when you raise concerns.
We also created a training pack for teachers - “don’t get angry, get active!”. We believe that schools need to realise how harmful their responses can be, or nothing will change. It's so hard to disclose experiences of sexism, coercive control and sexual abuse - young people deserve to be treated with respect and action.
“If we want to make change, we have to get it from the source... people that experienced things that are really difficult. It's about them being able to facilitate change, and the change they want to see. I felt really proud, still do.” — Youth Worker
How we made it
When we met in person we came together in a big room and sat around a table together. At first we didn't know each other but started sharing our personal experiences. Sharing gave us ideas and made us feel more confident writing them down.
We’ve met with representatives from Education and Social Work. We encouraged them to be bold and brave and to introduce sexual discrimination policies in Schools that you would have in the workplace.
Co-designing as a group group meant we had to talk and listen - and it provided us with a feeling of being listened to and supported, in a non-judgemental space. When we’ve met with others to share our messages we’ve found they can be dismissive, or tokenistic. Now’s the time for adult’s to listen and to act for real change.
