Online abuse and harassment are “constant, corrosive and deeply embedded” for young people across the country, according to a Barnardo’s-commissioned poll of 4,000 young people in the UK about their experiences of online misogyny.
The results from thousands of 13- to 20-year-olds show how they experience misogyny online – over a quarter (28%) of girls in Scotland saying they’d been called degrading names online and five in seven (72%[1] ) boys are saying they believed they are expected to “act tough and not show emotion”.
The findings also highlight how online misogyny is having an impact on the lives of young people in the real world. More than a quarter (27%) of all young people in Scotland had seen a nude photo that had originally been sent privately and had been shared, while just over one in seven (15%) 13- to 15-year-olds across the UK as a whole had been asked to share a nude photo of themselves. Meanwhile, 17% of respondents in Scotland reported having received repeated messages after asking the sender to stop or ignoring them.
At the same time, boys in the Scotland felt unable to challenge their peers – with 18%[2] saying that their friends would not back them if they called out sexist comments, and about five in eight (62%1) of boys in Scotland said that people would think they are “boring” if they don’t join in with group “banter”.
Olly*, age 18 said: “As a young man, I see online misogyny every day. It sets the tone for how boys treat girls and how boys treat each other. There is pressure to laugh it off or stay silent, even when it crosses a line. Young men set the standard. Challenge it, shut it down, and back those who speak up. That is how we change what is accepted.”
Sarah, a Children’s Services Manager for a Barnardo’s Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence service, says: “A girl we supported was referred to the service after digitally manipulated – deepfake – images of her were created and circulated online. The images were shared through social media platforms, sometimes via fake accounts created to spread the abuse further. Incidents like this cause significant emotional impact including fear and distress.
“A culture of victim blaming can also lead to girls being concerned about how others perceive them, rather than seeing themselves as a victim of serious sexual abuse. This can sometimes leave them vulnerable to further abuse and exploitation – but with the right support, we do see girls begin to rebuild trust, confidence and find their voice.”
Barnardo’s says the children and young people they support are increasingly feeling the impact of misogynistic content online. 29% of Barnardo’s frontline practitioners said they were seeing more children affected by misogynistic content online, compared to the year before. 29% also said they were seeing an increase in child-on-child sexual abuse and/or children displaying problematic or harmful sexual behaviour, compared to the year before.
Michele Janes, Director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “Misogyny isn’t always loud or visible to many of us, but these findings show how constant, corrosive and deeply embedded it is in the lives of young people today both online and off. It shapes how boys and girls think about themselves, their worth and their relationships with others.
“Young people are telling us that the result can be harmful on all sides, from humiliation and sexualised abuse to feelings of shame and isolation. This is not inevitable – it is learned, and it can be challenged. That’s why we’re raising the alarm and we want young people’s experiences to be at the heart of conversations about how to tackle misogynistic content online.
“As a step in the right direction, we are calling on the government to turn Ofcom’s guidance for online services to improve the safety of women and girls online into a mandatory code of practice for tech companies to create safer digital platforms for all children and young people.”
Barnardo’s has been helping children, young people and families to be safer, happier, healthier and more hopeful for more than 150 years. Last year, the charity provided essential support to more than 350,000 children, parents and carers through more than 650 services and partnerships across the UK. In Scotland, Barnardo’s supported more than 12,000 children, young people, parents and carers through 150 services.
This vital work is only possible thanks to Barnardo’s partners and supporters. Together, the charity brings love, care and hope into children’s lives, so every child can feel like they belong. To donate, volunteer or fundraise for Barnardo’s, please visit: www.barnardos.org.uk/get-involved/raise-money.
[1] “Strongly Agree” and “Somewhat Agree” answers combined.
[1] “Strongly Disagree” and “Somewhat Disagree” answers combined.