About the seminar

Several recent surveys have shown that a significant proportion of young women feel that they have been pressured into having sex, have experienced sexual violence, or know someone else who has. Many young people find themselves in relationships or situations where any meaningful concept of consent is absent. The right to say ‘no’ has been taken away from them by peer pressure which says that, to be accepted, they must be available for sex.

Police reports have highlighted the disproportionate number of very young people who have been identified as victims and perpetrators of sexual attacks. The context in which sexual violence takes place differs widely; it may be an attack from an unknown assailant, but it is probably more likely to be a girlfriend-boyfriend relationship or as part of group or gang activity.

There are neighbourhoods where rape and sexual violence has become part of the environment in which young people grow up, and where multi assailant rape is used as an initiation rite, punishment or simply to demonstrate control. Young men (and in some instances young women) take part in or facilitate attacks, and victims know that if they report it, there will be reprisals. In a number of reported cases, images of attacks have been recorded on mobile phone cameras and occasionally posted onto the internet.

Of the young women across the UK who experience sexual assault or rape, often fuelled by alcohol or drugs, many will receive no professional support at all.

It is now time to look at ways in which young victims of sexual assault can be persuaded to come forward, with an emphasis on medical support and counselling rather than securing convictions.

The government launched a campaign aimed at discouraging violence in young people’s relationships, and it is time to build on this by looking at measures to break the link between respect on the street and sexual violence, and to look at how young men’s behaviour can be challenged.

The seminar will:

• Set out the findings of The Female Voice in Violence, recent research from Race On The Agenda
• Share the experience of professionals who work with brutalised and socially excluded young people in understanding the reasons behind their patterns of behaviour
• Look at ways to break the link between gaining respect on the street and sexual control
• Consider the role of parents, families and communities in changing behaviour
• Share the findings of projects which work with young victims and perpetrators
• Consider how existing networks such as Teenage Pregnancy Advisers, school nurses, and other health workers based at Children’s Centres can support work on sexual violence
• Consider when it is appropriate to involve the criminal justice system in prosecuting young perpetrators of sexual assault

Who should attend

• Professionals working with victims of sexual violence – ISVAs, Sexual Assault Referral Centres, Victims Support
• Organisations working to reduce violence against women
• Teenage pregnancy, sexual health, and public health specialists
• Drug and alcohol professionals
• Projects working with gang members, disadvantaged and marginalised young people
• Schools and education support services
• Social housing providers
• Youth Offending Teams
• Mental health/CAMHS specialists
• Police sexual violence officers, CPS
• Crime & Disorder Reduction Partnerships
• Academics

• Michelle Davies, Manager, The Topaz Sexual Assault Referral Centre


• Carlene Firmin, Race on the Agenda - setting out the findings of her research Female Voice in Violence Project


• Rev. Joyce Daley, Hackney Black Parents Forum - looking at where parents and family fit into the solution


• Fiona Dwyer, Women’s Aid - Building on the anti-bullying campaign: moving towards a large scale prevention campaign


• Jo Sharpen, Children and Young People Development Officer, Greater London Domestic Violence Project - Inner city experience: exploring the needs of victims…and working with the perpetrators


• Barbara Siedlecki, Manager, West Yorkshire STAR Service Youth Intervention - Encouraging young women to seek help: a joint police and health initiative


• Suswati Basu, survivor of sexual violence; Winner of the Emma Humphries Memorial Prize; Ambassador for Women’s and Girl’s Network