Why we need to show Adolescence in schools – before it’s too late

I’ve heard kids as young as nine report stalking, strangulation and assault, writes Susie McDonald, CEO of the education charity that has teamed up with Netflix – and No 10

The first episode of Adolescence leaves most viewers in shock. From the moment we meet 13-year-old Jamie, terrified and so profoundly young, we instinctively think a mistake has been made – this young boy can’t be capable of murder.

But for those of us working with young people every day, there’s no shock to be had. We know just how capable young boys can be.

From the real-life murder of Elianne Andam to the killing of Holly Newton, Adolescence portrays not a one-off horror, but a growing pattern of behaviour amongst boys of a younger and younger age. As co-creator and star Stephen Graham says himself, the question the Netflix series explores isn’t if this violence is happening – but why?

Jamie is not neglected or abused – he comes from a loving family. His actions are instead the result of extreme online misogyny, targeting boys every time they look at their phone or turn on their computer. Young boys are being radicalised under our noses and Jamie’s plight – as well as that of his victim, Katie – shows just how dangerous this can be.

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) has become everyday news, with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) recently calling it “a national emergency”. But people are less aware of its severity among children and young people.

According to data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) 16-19 year olds are at the highest risk of abuse from a current or former partner. The age most likely to report rape is just 14 – and, as the NPCC report emphasised, both victims and perpetrators of VAWG are getting younger every year.

Working with Tender (a charity focused on teaching children about healthy relationships) in schools across the country, this is highly evident. I’ve seen girls as young as 12 being stalked, threatened and attacked by boys from their own school and, even more horrifyingly, I’ve seen these girls blamed for it by their teachers – held accountable for the threats because they are “difficult” or not the “right type of victim”. With pornographic content widely available, violent acts like strangulation are often raised in our workshops – even by primary school children, aged nine or ten.

Adolescence has awoken the world not only to the problem, but the urgent need for a solution. The fact is, we do know how to halt these issues at their root – but it’s simply not being put into action.

Through proven interactive, drama-based techniques, we counteract these harmful narratives, giving young people the tools to navigate and challenge online content. I’ve seen boys with radically misogynist views transform their attitudes within a matter of days and many go on to be advocates for healthy behaviour and gender equality across their schools.

But so many children don’t have access to this support. Though relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) is now a compulsory part of the curriculum, its quality varies hugely from school to school, and academies (43.5 per cent of schools) currently have no obligation to follow the curriculum at all.

Teachers aren’t receiving the training they need to teach critical concepts like consent and equality, and schools haven’t the resources to buy in expertise. When we released a resource on this very issue, we were flooded with requests from schools for more support, more help, more guidance.

We can solve this problem via a three-pronged approach. Our government needs to be bold and brave – with legislation that ensures specialist RSHE in every single school, delivered by either external experts or highly trained teachers, whilst driving online safety measures to support this vital work. Schools need the resource to put this plan into action in a long-term, sustainable way, whilst parents and carers need guidance to help talk to their children about these issues from the very beginning and keep them safe in the home environment.

Tender is working with more and more schools every year, but, as a charity, there’s only so much we can do. Bombarded by violent misogyny on a daily basis, so many young people don’t have access to this vital education, and are left vulnerable to the radicalisation Adolescence so aptly demonstrates. We can’t leave the responsibility in the children’s hands – it’s our job to be brave, not theirs.

Bringing the series into schools is a key, positive project that capitalises on the incredible awareness the series has raised. But it must be the first step in a comprehensive plan of funding, resource and expertise, implemented as urgently as any other threat to our children’s safety.

Speaking at a Tender panel, Stephen Graham said: “So many people could have made a difference to Jamie’s life and that’s the tragedy of it.” This is the key – violence like this can and must be prevented. We have a proven, impactful solution. If the government wants to fulfil its goal of halving VAWG, it’s time for them to put this solution into action.

Susie McDonald MBE is the CEO of Tender, a nationwide charity harnessing the power of drama and the arts to educate children, young people and adults about healthy relationships