White Ribbon Day in schools

What is White Ribbon Day?

White Ribbon Day is observed annually on 25 November and is followed by 16 days of action to raise awareness and make change to end violence against women and girls (VAWG). It is part of a global movement that encourages men and boys to be active allies in challenging harmful gender norms and promoting respectful relationships.

Each year, White Ribbon Day adopts a new theme that reflects emerging evidence on what will make the greatest impact in preventing violence against women and girls. These themes guide schools in focusing their efforts on the most relevant and effective actions - whether it's promoting allyship, challenging harmful behaviours, or empowering young people to speak up. Schools can find information and resources for the current and previous campaigns on the White Ribbon UK website, including tailored materials for education settings.

Why is it relevant in Norfolk schools?

Crimes that disproportionately affect women and girls - such as sexual harassment, rape, online abuse, and domestic abuse - can have a profound and long-lasting impact on victims.

The Ofsted's 2021 review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges surveyed children aged 13+ on what types of harmful sexual behaviours they think happened 'a lot' or 'sometimes' between people their age:

• 79% of girls said sexual assault
• 88% of girls said receiving pictures or videos they did not want to see
• 53% of boys said sexual activity
• 92% of girls said experiencing sexist name-calling

Girlguiding's 2025 Girls' Attitudes survey reports:

• 68% of girls aged 11-21 have changed their everyday behaviour to try and stay safe and avoid sexual harassment.
• 10% of girls aged 11-16 have missed school to avoid sexual harassment
• 86% of girls aged 11-21 have avoided going out when dark to keep themselves safe
• 56% of girls and young women aged 11-21 say they don't feel safe on public transport on their own
• 70% of girls and young women aged 11-21 say they have stood up for other girls' experiencing sexism or misogyny

The NSPCC's Targeting Girl's Online May 2025 report examines how online services and platforms can be used by perpetrators to identify young female users and target abuse at them. 

Only 9% of girls report feeling safe in online spaces

Additionally, findings from Norfolk's Flourish Survey 2024 show that:

• 4.7% of pupils in Years 8-13 rated their safety in relationships (including friendships) as poor or very poor
• A further 23.3% rated their safety as only "OK"
• 1 in 5 would not seek help if concerning behaviours occurred
• 1 in 8 report not knowing where to seek help if concerning behaviours occurred
• 1 in 9 report receiving a sexist comment in the past month

These insights highlight the importance of proactive education and safeguarding in Norfolk schools.

What are the benefits of schools taking a strategic and values-based approach when marking White Ribbon Day?

Schools play a vital role in shaping attitudes and behaviours from a young age. Marking White Ribbon Day:

• Promotes gender equality and respect
• Encourages positive influences, allyship, and challenges misogyny and toxic influences
• Supports the RSHE curriculum and safeguarding responsibilities
• Builds a culture of safety, inclusion, empathy, and agency

How can schools mark it impactfully and safely?

1. Staff training and safeguarding

• Ensure staff are briefed on the sensitive nature of the topic, reminded how to deliver RSHE safely and sensitively and are aware of further support available from NCC's Safeguarding Toolkit and information, advice and guidance around sexual violence and sexual harassment
• Provide clear signposting to support services for children, families, and staff who may be affected
• Reinforce safeguarding protocols and create safe spaces for disclosure
• Involve your Domestic Abuse Champion or consider identifying a staff member to become a NIDAS-trained Domestic Abuse Champion
• Engage with the Norfolk Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB) Team for training, consultations and direct assessment and intervention when appropriate

2. Assemblies and classroom activities

• Use age-appropriate assembly packs and lesson resources that focus on themes like respect, consent, equality, and speaking up, such as:
  • White Ribbon UK - Schools: Downloadable presentations and activity packs for primary and secondary schools
  • Pol-Ed's Themed Lesson Pack: VAWG
  • NSPCC Learning; A range of free classroom activities and resources which cover the issues schools need - including bullying, sex and relationships and e-safety
  • Norfolk's Bystander Intervention Programme empowers pupils to become advocates for respectful behaviour by equipping them with tools to challenge harmful actions among peers

3. Involve the whole school community

• Invite pupils, staff and families to take the White Ribbon pledge:

"I will never use, excuse or remain silent about men's violence against women."

• Create a visual display of pledges, messages of support, or artwork and place in shared space and online

4. Pupil-led activities

• Encourage pupil councils or peer mentors to lead discussions, create posters, or host lunchtime talks
• Include pupil voice within working groups leading on and planning work on healthy relationships and respectful behaviour such as White Ribbon Day and developing the RSHE curriculum.
• Bystander training fosters positive role modelling that reinforces healthy relationships across the school community and hopefully even wider

5. Signposting to information, advice and guidance (IAG) around violence against women and girls

• See our padlet for a comprehensive list of local and national resources for Norfolk's children, families, and school staff

How can schools use White Ribbon Day as part of a whole school approach to preventing violence against women and girls?

Best practice guidance supports a whole school approach to preventing VAWG which, in your setting could include:

1. Leadership and culture: Promote a culture of respect, equality, and zero tolerance for gender-based violence
2. Curriculum and RSHE delivery: Deliver inclusive RSHE that tackles misogyny, consent, coercion, and online harms
3. Safeguarding and reporting: Establish trusted systems for reporting abuse and train staff to respond effectively
4. Pupil voice and participation: Empower pupils to speak up, lead initiatives, and shape school responses
5. Family and community engagement: Collaborate with families and local partners to reinforce respectful relationships and to raise awareness that online services enable the abuse and harassment of girls
6. Staff development and support: Provide ongoing training to confidently address VAWG and foster inclusive environments
7. Monitoring and evaluation: Use data and feedback (e.g. Flourish Survey) to assess impact and improve approaches
8. Intersectionality and inclusion: Ensure policies reflect diverse experiences across gender, race, disability, and identity
9. Domestic abuse (DA) champion: Identify and get a staff member trained for the role of Domestic Abuse Champion; include the DA Champion in strategic planning and delivery of whole school approaches

The Youth Endowment Fund Toolkit recommends 3 approaches for schools to help prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG):

• Deliver relationship violence prevention Lessons: Integrate interactive, well-facilitated RSHE that teaches about healthy relationships, consent, and respect. These programmes can reduce violence by an estimated 17% and are most effective when led by confident, knowledgeable facilitators.
• Implement Bystander Intervention training: Equip pupils with the skills to safely intervene in situations of potential sexual assault. While evidence of long-term impact is limited, these programmes show promise in changing participants' behaviour and are engaging when age-appropriate and interactive.
• Embed Social and emotional learning (SEL): Use cognitive-behavioural approaches to build empathy, self-control, and communication skills. SEL programmes have a high impact, with up to a 32% reduction in violence, and are cost-effective when delivered universally in schools.

What further support is available for schools?

Norfolk County Council have developed a padlet for schools and settings wanting to mark White Ribbon Day as part of a whole school approach to preventing violence against women and girls. This is part of our Equalities, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (EDIB) offer of fully funded support to Norfolk schools which takes a whole school approach to inclusion and safeguarding and includes toolkits, padlets and the option of a bespoke support surgery from an Inclusion Adviser.

If, after exploring the links above, you require support around violence against women and girls or wider EDIB support from an adviser or have additional queries, please call 0333 313 7165. This phone line is open on weekdays, from 9am to 5pm.

If you would like further advice, guidance and support on safeguarding in education, please contact the Education Safeguarding Team at [email protected].