Research outputs
Research based resources 
- An animated video describes school-based GBV from the perspective of students and is a helpful discussion-starter with students, staff, parents and stakeholders.
- The theory of change explains how the ESAS programme works and the conditions in which it works best. It is helpful for those who want to know more about the ESAS approach.
- Brief student and staff surveys provide schools with key information to help understand the issues for their school. The survey questions are designed from standard measures, piloted and discussed with the evaluation Youth Advisory Group. They focus on experiences (students only) and views on school-based GBV. The surveys are self-administered by schools, free of charge, and produce automated results in simple graphs. These tools can be found in the ‘monitoring and evaluation’ section of My ESAS, after registering for an account.
- This blog from the Young People’s Advisory Group for the ESAS Evaluation (2023-2026) looks at school culture and GBV.
- An animated video shows how school systems influence the reporting and handling of sexual harassment, and highlights practical ways staff can respond. Designed for use in staff training on gender-based violence (GBV), it offers clear insights to support whole-school approaches to prevention and response.
Research papers
- This letter presents early findings on gender equality, stereotypes, and sexual harassment from the baseline survey of the national Equally Safe at School (ESAS) evaluation, involving over 13,000 students in Scotland. It responds to rising concerns about a ‘crisis of masculinity’ and growing reports of misogyny in schools. The data show that while most young people endorse gender equality, a significant minority of boys hold concerning views on gender stereotypes and sexual harassment.
- This paper presents a system map that outlines the school-level factors crucial to tackling gender-based violence (GBV) and the connections between them. The map can serve as a tool to support discussions with staff and students on improving strategies to address GBV. The paper explores how secondary schools shape the disclosure, reporting, and handling of sexual harassment, focusing on behaviours, processes, and culture. Drawing on data from the ESAS pilot phase, it highlights how prioritising the issue and educating students and staff can build knowledge and confidence. Conversely, ineffective reporting systems and limited communication around safeguarding undermine trust in the system, young people’s willingness to report, and staff overall engagement with sexual harassment prevention and response. The paper presents possible opportunities for effecting systems change.
- A research brief presents a 3 page summary of the above-mentioned paper.
- A paper on prevalence of sexual harassment in Scottish Schools is based on the ESAS pilot phase and found that two-thirds of students report recent experience of one or more of 17 sexual harassment behaviours in the last three months. At school, sexual harassment most commonly involves unwanted jokes and gestures and showing or sending unwanted sexual images or messages and less frequently includes kissing or sexual touching. Students expressed uncertainty about acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and said that much depended on how well they knew the other person, their understanding of intent and the degree of pressure, persistence and physicality.
If you would like to find out more about research and evaluation in ESAS, please contact us at:
- Public Health, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow
- Email: sphsu-esas@glasgow.ac.uk
