Why Are Some Girls Such Bullies?

CATHY WALKER, Education Consultant Last weekend I watched Sali Hughes’ impassioned account of the internet bullying she has endured over the past few months. A group of women targeted her online, discrediting, criticising, ridiculing every area of her life. She says: ‘“Everything was lie upon lie upon lie to the degree that I wouldn’t know who they […]

Is masculinity toxic?

ESHU CHRISTIANSON Toxic masculinity is a phrase often used in the media to describe the negative effects of the traditional male stereotype. Traditional stereotypes of men as socially dominant, along with related traits such as misogyny and homophobia, can be considered “toxic” due in part to their promotion of violence, including sexual assault and domestic […]

The RAP Project RSE Survey 2019

THE RAP PROJECT “There should be an emphasis on how unrealistic porn is & how idealised social media is. There should also be an emphasis on body image, and how there are so many body types etc.” Male,16 “It would be good if the new curriculum teaches us about the law behind sexual assault & harassment. What is legal, […]

Is Holding a Fortnite World Cup a Good Idea?

FINLAY MCDOWALL Fortnite, the highly popular online video game, played by solo or multiplayer shooters, who aim to shoot, survive and win. Epic Games released Fortnite in 2017, and now counts 250 million users internationally. The games don’t cost anything, but they generate billions of dollars. Players can splash their cash on customizing characters, upgrading […]

The Bitter Reality of Group Chats

MOLLY MANTLE The prospects of finally taking a leap from a jammed, childhood bedroom into independent adulthood can be thrilling to those teenagers currently readying themselves to take up hard-earned university places. They might also think that much of the nervousness and uncertainty accompanying the change (will I fit in? Can I keep up? […]

Mental Health: A Growing Concern Among Young People

NIKHITA VARMA Mental health is emerging as a growing public health problem in developed countries. The incidence and prevalence of mental health issues among young people is on the rise. Studies show that one in four of us will be affected by a mental or neurological disorder at some point in our lives. According to […]

“Cocked & Loaded”

ALLISON HAVEY, CO-FOUNDER OF THE RAP PROJECT The RAP Project, or Raising Awareness & Prevention, speaks to pupils from many different backgrounds, be it socio-economic, religious, & international. Deana Puccio, Co-Founder, myself, & other presenters passionately pitch our presentations so they are inclusive of all students, regardless of sexuality, gender, religion, background. Our power point presentations […]

The solution is not to ban abortions

AYOBAMI RUTH OLUFEMI-WHITE My stance on abortions remains that I am pro-life and pro-choice. Fundamentally, I believe all women should be able to make their own decisions. As a Christian that I must always do the most loving thing even if the second option is not much better the first. For me, abortion is one […]

Giving Up Social Media

LILY MCKENNA My name is Lily McKenna and I am 17 years old. I attend an independent school in North London. I gave up social media several months ago when I realised the negative sides of being on social media outweighed the positives. I did the infamous ‘social media cleanse’, but rather than returning a week […]

Why the Rape Culture in Nigeria needs to be Addressed

AYOBAMI RUTH OLUFEMI-WHITE There is little doubt that Nigeria is an impressive force of cultural, economical and political development in Africa. The nation, the continent’s largest emerging market, is often referred to as the Giant of Africa. However, it maintains a patriarchal social system, where Nigerian women and young girls are victims of high incidence […]