Nearly four in five teachers surveyed by Monash University said they had observed or experienced gendered violence at school, while 16 per cent said it frequently made them consider leaving the profession.
The national survey of more than 2,600 Australian Education Union members found 78 per cent had encountered gendered violence in their schools. About one in three said sexism or misogyny occurred frequently, while half reported an increase in gendered violence among students. The results were consistent across primary and secondary schools.
Teachers also reported widespread exposure among students to online “manosphere” content. Ninety-five per cent believed at least some of their students accessed such material, while one in four believed it reached half their students. Seventy per cent said they had noticed manosphere ideas influencing student attitudes and behaviour during the past year.
Lead author Dr Stephanie Wescott, from Monash University’s School of Education and Culture, said government schools were workplaces subject to the same safety and anti-discrimination obligations as other organisations.
“Schools employ hundreds of thousands of Australians, the majority of them women, and they are governed by the same workplace health and safety and anti-discrimination laws that apply across other businesses and organisations,” Dr Wescott said.
“Educators are skilled and essential workers who make valued contributions to Australian society, yet, for many teachers, schools have become unbearably hostile places to work, with levels of sexism, misogyny and sexual harassment that have made their jobs untenable.”
The survey found one in three teachers occasionally considered leaving the profession because of gendered violence, while 16 per cent did so frequently. Women were more likely than men to consider leaving, and early-career teachers were more likely to report frequently observing or experiencing gendered violence.
Frequent gendered violence from students and a recent increase in such behaviour from colleagues were also linked to teachers considering their future in the profession. Teachers working at schools with clear policies on sexism and gender bias were less likely to consider leaving.
Co-author Professor Steven Roberts, from Monash University’s Faculty of Arts, said the national data followed three years of accounts from teachers about misogyny in schools.
“Our research in the last three years has documented a large number of stories of misogyny faced by teachers in schools, indicating a resurgent form of brazen ‘male supremacy’ among boys and young men. Now, in addition to understanding the shape and experience of the problem, the data in our research report today signals the scale and prevalence of the problem nationally. There is now absolutely no doubt that political attention and action is required”
Professor Roberts said schools needed specific and sustained measures to address the behaviour.
“We know there are various gaps and limitations in school-level responses to misogyny, sexism and sexual harassment within school settings. Australian schools have the opportunity to foster a safer, more equitable community. However, targeted, intentional, gender-transformative reform is necessary to ensure schools are safe places for both students and teachers,” Professor Roberts said.
One participant described a change in the way some boys treated female teachers and classmates.
“As a teacher, I’ve noticed a real shift in the attitudes of some boys at school — there’s a growing sense of disrespect towards women and girls that feels different from what I’ve seen before. It’s not just teasing or immaturity; it’s often fuelled by online influencers and social media messages that normalise misogyny and dismiss women’s voices. I see it in the way some boys speak to female teachers or classmates, and in how they react when challenged. It’s worrying and exhausting, especially when some parents don’t see it as a problem.”
A teacher identified as ‘Danielle’, who has more than 10 years’ experience, said the behaviour extended to assaults and sexual harassment.
“I have personally experienced and bore witness to male students verbally and physically assaulting female staff and sexually harassing staff both in and outside the classroom. All for it to be considered as students simply ‘misbehaving’. Now, in addition to these, sadly common, traumatising experiences, we are facing a daily struggle against pervasive misogynistic ideas in our classrooms and out in the yard, undermining our ability to effectively teach and eroding our self-worth,” said ‘Danielle’.
The report called on Australian governments to establish effective workplace health and safety policies for education, strengthen regulation of psychosocial hazards and improve access to workers’ compensation for teachers subjected to sexual and gender-based harassment.
It also recommended action on pay, employment conditions and gender equity in school leadership, along with properly funded Respectful Relationships Education across curriculum, policy, professional development and school culture. The researchers called for stronger regulation of social media platforms, developed with the eSafety Commissioner.
“At a time of persistent teacher workforce shortages, creating school workplaces that are free from harm is a moral responsibility and a social, educational and economic imperative,” Dr Wescott said.
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