Challenging casual sexism: still an urgent issue for young people

Casual sexism – the everyday jokes, comments, stereotypes and dismissive attitudes that often go unchallenged – continues to have a significant impact on children and young people. Recent UK research shows that these messages influence how young people understand healthy relationships, consent and boundaries.

Llamau sees this every day. Many of the young people and women we support tell us how normalised harmful behaviours can feel, especially when shaped by peers, partners or online spaces. The experiences people share with Llamau are consistently reflected in national research, which highlights that:

• controlling or minimising behaviour can easily be mistaken for care or affection

• emotional abuse is often misunderstood or overlooked

• many young people say they would seek support, but more than half do not know where to turn or what help looks like

The research strengthens what Llamau already knows, young people need earlier, clearer guidance to understand what healthy relationships look like and how to recognise when something isn’t right.

The growing influence of online misogyny

Misogynistic ideas are spreading quickly online, particularly through gaming, social media and influencer culture. Studies show that:

• harmful content can be amplified by algorithms, reaching boys at increasingly young ages

• influencers often present harmful attitudes as confidence or self-improvement

• some boys feel pressure to align with these views to fit in or cope with uncertainty about the future

Llamau regularly sees how online messages shape expectations, behaviour and beliefs. These influences can make harmful attitudes feel normal, even when they are rooted in inequality or disrespect.

How Llamau is helping to prevent abuse

Many women tell Llamau that they only learned to recognise domestic abuse once they were already living through it. While support at crisis point remains essential, prevention must start much earlier.

Llamau focuses on helping young people, women and families understand healthy relationships, access support and build confidence long before they face unsafe situations. Prevention is one of the most powerful ways to reduce the risk of homelessness, because abuse is one of the leading pressures pushing people out of safe homes.

Empowering Futures

For example, Llamau’s Empowering Futures programme brings prevention work directly into classrooms. Delivered to school ages children in Gwent, Empowering Futures offers:

• conversations about healthy relationships that explore equality, respect, boundaries and power

• support to navigate online spaces, helping young people recognise harmful content and challenge sexist or misogynistic behaviour, how they can report harmful content, reset their algorithms and report and remove images that have been shared without their consent.

• practical guidance on where to turn for help, making support clearer and more accessible, giving them information on how to stay safe and reduce risk.

• early intervention that builds confidence and understanding before harmful attitudes take hold

Empowering Futures helps pupils recognise behaviours they might otherwise dismiss and gives them the language to describe what they are experiencing. The programme makes it easier to talk about concerns, ask questions and challenge disrespect among peers.

Pre and Post-Session Surveys demonstrate a clear positive impact on young people’s knowledge, attitudes and confidence.

• Before the sessions, 89% of participants reported that they understood what an unhealthy relationship was; after the sessions this rose to 100%.

• There was also a notable increase in understanding around emotional expression, with agreement that “it’s okay for boys, girls and all genders to show their emotions in the same way” increasing from 72% to 88%.

• Awareness of the role of media in shaping attitudes towards relationships also rose, from 54% pre-session to 70% afterwards. This highlights a growing awareness by participants of how external factors shape their views and behaviours.

• The most significant shift was seen in confidence. Prior to the sessions, only 23% felt confident speaking up when they themselves were treated unfairly compared to 64% afterwards, a substantial increase that shows young people are feeling more empowered to assert their rights and boundaries.

• Confidence in speaking up for others also increased, from 77% to 84%, strengthening their role as active bystanders and allies.

Overall, the results show the sessions are not only raising awareness but also building the skills and confidence needed for young people to challenge harmful norms, support themselves and their peers, and contribute to safer, healthier communities.

This work is already creating safer, more informed school communities – and giving young people the tools to shape healthier futures. The quotes above were from young people that took part in the Empowering Futures sessions.

Prevention is the path to change

Llamau will always support people experiencing abuse. But the long-term goal is a Wales where fewer people ever reach crisis point.

By challenging casual sexism, addressing online misogyny and giving young people clear routes to support, Llamau is helping to create lasting change. When children and young people are equipped with knowledge, confidence and support, they are safer – and so are the communities around them.

Prevention is not only possible. It is essential.
And we all have a role to play in making it happen.