Intersectional and Cultural Aspects of Schools Related Gender-based Violence in Europe:  

Guest Editorial team for International Perspectives to Equality and Diversity (IPED)

Dr Maria Tsouroufli, Reader in Women and Gender, University of Wolverhampton, UK

Dr Heidi Siller, Researcher at the Medical University Innsbruck, Gender Medicine Unit, Austria

Dr Angela Morgan, Senior Researcher and Lead of the Violence against Women and Girls Research Cluster, University of Wolverhampton, UK

Dr Karlie Stonard, Lecturer in Criminology, University of Wolverhampton

Dr Dorottyia Redai, Researcher and Visiting Lecturer Gender Studies Department Central University of Budapest, Hungary

Dr Valentina Guerinni, Post-doctoral Assistant Gender and Education, University of Florence, Department of Education and Psychology, Italy

Gender equality remains a key target for the EU with current priority areas including equal economic independence, equality in decision making and dignity, integrity and ending gender-based violence (Strategic Engagement for Gender Equality, 2015). There are many challenges and gaps that still need to be addressed as research shows that perceived gender roles and gender stereotyping are still causes of restricted life choices and key factors in gender violence (EIGE, 2013).

Terminology of gender and violence varies across cultural and social contexts. In this call we refer to schools related gender based violence (SRGBV) as ‘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. The term also refers to the differences between girls’ and boys’ experience of and vulnerabilities to violence’ (Plan, 2018). Although the exact consequences of SRGBV for retention and achievement have not been established, it is widely recognised that SRGBV has negative implications for health and well-being, educational success and participation (Leach et al. 2014).

Research into SRGBV is still extremely limited outside of Sub‐Saharan Africa and to a lesser extent Northern Europe. However, very little research in Europe has explicitly addressed the gender dimensions of violence in schools, and bullying for example is often discussed in gender and race neutral terms (Ringrose and Renold, 2010). There is also little research as yet on SRGBV which goes beyond examining heterosexual forms of violence perpetrated mostly by male teachers and students on female students. Nevertheless, there is sufficient evidence to show that male students, female teachers, those who are identified as lesbian or gay, and those who are from minority groups or who suffer from physical or learning difficulties are also at risk.

Timeline

We invite scholars, practitioners and others to submit a paper of no more than 7,000 words to Dr Maria Tsouroufli at M.Tsouroufli@wlv.ac.uk by 31^st January 2018. We would welcome traditional research papers as well as reflective pieces of work from different disciplines (Education, Feminist Studies, Psychology, Sociology, Health) and methodological approaches (qualitative, quantitative, mixed-method studies). All authors will receive feedback in April-May 2018 and final decisions about papers will be made in August 2018. Publication is scheduled for November 2018. Authors are expected to follow the IPED journal’s guidelines.

 

References

European Institute for Gender Equality, (EIGE, 2013), A study of collected narratives on gender perceptions in the 27 EU Member States

Plan (2008) The Global Campaign to End Violence in Schools, Woking: Plan Limited; Jones N. et al.

Ringrose, J. and Renold, E. (2010) Normative cruelties and gender deviants: the performative effects of bully discourses for girls and boys in school,  British Educational Research Journal, 36:4, 573-596, DOI: 10.1080/01411920903018117

SWD (2015) 278 final, Strategic engagement for gender equality 2016-2019.