Girls and young women in the north of England feel less safe and less happy than their counterparts in London and the south, according to a survey by the Girlguiding charity, which is concerned about “stark” regional differences in attitudes.
More than one in five (22%) girls and young women in the north aged 11-16 who took part in the survey published on Tuesday blamed fear of sexual harassment for holding them back at school. The figure was significantly lower at 16% in London and the south.
Similarly, more than a quarter in the north (26%) said gender stereotyping was holding them back at school, compared with 18% in London and the south. The problem was particularly acute among LGBTQ+ girls and young women, with almost two in five (37%) complaining about gender stereotyping at school.
