Violence

While on yard duty I saw three boys (Year Two) taking the pants off a girl (Year Two) in the sand pit. I rushed to tell the principal and he said 'Now, now boys will be boys! ' (First year out teacher, in Clark 1989, p.12). THE AIM OF THIS PAPER IS TO PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR THE UNDER-standing of violence against women, in order for schools to develop preventative approaches, including policies, strategies and materials, to reduce and prevent violence, in particular violence against women. Violence, violence against women, violence against girls, and the construction of gender and its relationship to violence will be considered. The role that the education system plays in either challenging or accepting the status quo will then be addressed. It is now well-established that gender is a factor when examining violence. Two significant issues have emerged from the research and data collection within the last decade the majority of violent crime is committed by men, about 98 per cent; and the majority of violent crime against women is committed by men they know. We know that women are more at risk from a man they know well than from a stranger. In a study of reported rapes in Victoria, it was found that 61 per cent of victims who reported the rape to police were known to their offender (Victorian Community Council Against Violence 1991). We must ask ourselves