Shipley College Launches Initiative to Raise Awareness of Misogyny and Violence Against Women and Girls

Shipley College has recently launched a coordinated, College-wide initiative to raise awareness of misogyny and violence against women and girls, bringing together safeguarding workshops, GCSE English curriculum work and a student writing competition to drive understanding and change.

The initiative took place during the same week as International Women’s Day (8 March 2026), adding further relevance to national conversations about safety, equality and respect. However, the focus at Shipley College is firmly on its own commitment to ensuring students feel informed, supported and empowered.

On Tuesday 3 March, all students were invited to attend dedicated workshops on Violence Against Women and Misogyny. Delivered both in person and via live stream, the sessions formed part of the College’s safeguarding programme and aimed to help students recognise harmful behaviours, understand coercive control, and know where to seek help.

Delivered by the award-winning Soundproof Box, a leader in delivering interactive theatre and workshops setting the scene for social change, the sessions formed part of a coordinated initiative to educate and raise awareness of these critical issues. The live performance empowered students to call-out unhealthy behaviour by waving ‘red flags’, viewers learned how to spot the early warning signs and gain a deeper understanding of social issues such as drink spiking, cyberbullying and coercive control.

Days like this help ensure students feel informed, supported and empowered — reinforcing our ongoing commitment to safeguarding across Shipley College.

Alongside the workshops, GCSE English classes have been exploring how coercive control and misogyny are represented in both literature and non-fiction texts. Students studied Tess of the D’Urbervilles, a contemporary magazine article and a real-life policing case study, examining how power, gender and control are portrayed across different contexts.

To build on this learning, Team English has launched a GCSE Informative Writing Competition. Students are tasked with writing an informative article about coercive control and misogyny aimed at their fellow students. The competition encourages learners to use their voices to educate others, while also strengthening the analytical and writing skills needed for their exams this summer.

Students are also being signposted to specialist support organisations including Women’s Aid, Bradford District Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (BFDASV), and Refuge, reinforcing the message that support is available and that no one should face abuse alone.

Through this joined-up approach — combining safeguarding education, academic study and student-led awareness — Shipley College is demonstrating its clear commitment to tackling misogyny and violence against women and girls, and to fostering a culture of respect across its community.