From sexist ‘jokes’ to TV shows and everyday sexism at work and in the media, concepts of institutionalised gender inequalities are nothing new. But with concerns about victim blaming, revenge porn and ‘slut shaming’ hitting the headlines, along with reports of sexual violence in schools and colleges through Everyone’s Invited, so called ‘rape culture’ has led to public protests. With questions being raised in government about the potential influence of sexualised content in everything from music videos to online porn, gaming platforms to social media, youth workers are well placed to join the debate and play their part in educating and supporting young people to get their voices heard.

In this interactive workshop, we will discuss different examples of rape culture, both historically and in our daily life, and explore some of the theories behind it to consider how it impacts on young people from childhood onwards. From there we will consider the role that practitioners can play in challenging it through youth work to promote healthy, consensual relationships, gender equality and positive self-image for all.