News

Launch of Equally Safe at School

A whole school approach to preventing gender-based violence

Rape Crisis Scotland is pleased to be launching Equally Safe at School (ESAS), an innovative whole school approach to preventing gender-based violence, which we have been piloting with our research partners at the University of Glasgow since 2017 and which is now ready for use across Scotland. All secondary schools will have access to a free suite of online tools and resources to help them understand the problem and implement a set of holistic measures, with staff and students working together to promote equality and prevent violence.

Website launch

From Wednesday 25^th August 2021 secondary schools will have access the ESAS website at www.equallysafeatschool.org.uk – put the date in your diary!

Online launch event

We are delighted that Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills Shirley-Anne Somerville will be joining us for the launch of ESAS on Wednesday 25th August 3.30-5pm where we will share experiences from the pilot with schools, hear the voices of young people and learn what the research uncovered. To save your place follow this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HRPf9um2RZq0T60pam44Cg

What is Equally Safe at School (ESAS)?

ESAS has been developed to support and guide secondary schools through a process of embedding a set of holistic measures to prevent gender-based violence. The approach was piloted with schools between 2017-21 and has now been developed into an interactive website with tools, information and resources to support schools and teachers to plan and implement a whole school approach.

Why is ESAS needed?

We are all becoming more aware that young people in school are affected by issues such as sexual harassment, sexual assault and image-based abuse along with other forms of gender-based violence. Young people deserve to be safe, respected and equal at school, and many are raising their voices to advocate for change. Schools are dealing with many of these issues, some on day-to-day basis, and young people are increasingly raising their voices about them. (See for example the Everyday Heroes consultation and the Everyone’s Invited website.)

About the ESAS website

The website has a wealth of information for schools about GBV, how to support young people affected, and about the research conducted by the University of Glasgow during the ESAS pilot – all of which can be accessed by schools, other professionals, parents, carers and young people.

The my esas login section contains all the interactive tools and resources schools need to embed ESAS as well as a dashboard section for schools leaders to monitor progress, delegate tasks and record their achievements. A member of the senior leadership team just needs to contact the ESAS Coordinator via the website to register an account.

For more information contact the ESAS Coordinator: laura.wylie@rapecrisisscotland.org.uk