Why we need to understand children’s views on sexual violence

You may have seen the new Netflix documentary, Louis Theroux, Inside The Manosphere, which looks at how online influencers can easily share harmful content and beliefs with impressionable audiences. Including children.

As a parent and involved grandparent, I know what it’s like. Children and teenagers seem glued to devices, and they understand tech better than we do most of the time. But, as responsible adults we can’t be caught out, we must understand the dangers our children are exposed to online. We all want the young people in our lives to grow up feeling safe and informed about the world, enjoying happy and healthy relationships. As trusted adults, we play a vital role in helping them navigate a world where messages about relationships and sexual behaviour come from many different places: online, family, school, peers, social media, and pornography.

That’s why my specialist Violence Against Women and Girl’s Team is launching an important consultation to better understand what young people really think about sexual violence and what shapes those views.

Working with the county’s Sexual Violence Partnership, this consultation aims to gather the perspectives of young people aged between 11 and 18 across Gloucestershire. It explores what young people understand about sexual violence, what behaviours they see as acceptable or not, and how their views are influenced by the information they encounter.

By doing this, we hope to build a clearer picture of what young people know about sexual violence at this age, how they are learning about relationships and consent, what messages or education they feel they need and whether support services feel accessible to them.

In the coming weeks, young people will be invited to complete an online survey, with some later taking part in small, supportive focus groups across the county. These discussions will take place in schools, youth settings, and specialist services.

Sexual violence is an issue that disproportionately affects women and girls, but it can impact anyone. Our goal is to improve safety, understanding, and prevention for all young people.

The findings from this consultation can help us strengthen education around consent, respect, and healthy relationships and ensure prevention messages are relevant and accessible to them.

This consultation will directly shape prevention work through the county’s Sexual Violence Partnership and Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board, ensuring that young people’s voices lead to meaningful change.

I encourage parents, grandparents, and carers to support young people in taking part. Your understanding and reassurance may give them the confidence to share their genuine thoughts and any concerns they may have.

You can find the survey here, we encourage you to share it and complete it with your young person.