While there is a greater focus on increased participation of girls in education programs, without acknowledging the extent of gender violence in our schools, success of these programs is unlikely.

In a report on gender violence, Action AID concludes that “Violence is a major barrier to education for millions of girls across the globe. The prevalence of violence against girls affects both their rights to education and their rights in education, and is the focus of a new ActionAid International advocacy initiative. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), including Goal 2 (universal primary education) and Goal 3 (gender equality), make no explicit mention of violence against girls as a critical structural barrier to education (UN 2000). The issue has also been neglected by major education initiatives such as the Global Campaign for Education, of which Action Aid is a member.”

While studies in other parts of the world have documented violence against girls in schools, in India there have been few extensive studies. However, cases presented by Tamil Nadu Commission for Women have made it quite clear that violence against girls is rampant in schools in India as well. In their report, the present numerous cases like the one below:

On July 7th 2005, eight-year-old Saroja, a student at the Government Primary School, Perunthurai Taluk, Erode district, was raped by her 50-year-old alcoholic headmaster.

That such an investigation was possible speaks highly about Tamil Nadu; in many other states, such an investigation has not been conducted and is unlikely to happen. These instances are not limited to small towns alone; they are as prevalent in big cities.

In her book “Bitter Chocolate”, Pinky Virani points out that sexual abuse of children is prevalent in all kinds of societies and happens in middle class communities as much as in lower class communities. It is as prevalent in educated families or upward mobile communities as it is in less ‘developed’ sections of our society. While we usually think of such incidences happening in communities that are ‘not like ours’, in fact they are quite prevalent in ours.

Violence against girls in our schools is a reflection of violence in our societies. Numerous studies have listed such violence in our society.

In schools, violence takes numerous forms. In extreme cases violence takes physical forms and includes rape, sexual abuse, and sexualised touching or emotional abuse in the form of threats of violence. Girls also encounter constant highly sexualised verbal degradation in the school environment. Often perpetrators of such violence are male teachers, staff who may be in position of power or even senior students.

It turned out that four years ago, the headmaster had committed a similar offence in another school and had been `punished' with a transfer.

In the absence of any process of punishment or accountability, perpetrators often find no reason to stop violent behavior. In fact, it suggests that such behavior is acceptable.

In other cases, violence in classrooms is perpetrated by male peers and is often shrugged off as ‘eve teasing’ or with phrases such as ‘boys will be boys’. While this may be ‘good natured fun’ for boys, victims of such behavior are severely affected mentally and emotionally and sometimes, physically. They feel threatened and it affects their ability to focus on learning. It can also lead to loss of self-esteem, depression, anger, and fear of victimisation. Combinations of these factors cause many girls to drop out of school.

However, other forms of violence are also rampant in our schools, forms that may be less violent but affect the participation of girls in schools. These include comments about the inability of girls from learning, discouragement from teachers regarding their participation in certain kinds of courses or in games, fewer facilities available to girls in schools – whether they be absence of toilets, libraries, or space to play. A study in Nigeria says that “Boys tend to ‘colonise’ areas in schools where they act out more violent play, and girls in the know avoid those places for their own safety.” While no extensive studies have been performed in India, heuristically, the above is true.

Studies also show that violence against girls becomes increasingly acute during times of war, riots, drought, etc.

In all of South Asia, as elsewhere, violence against girls is under-reported. In fact, it is often seen as acceptable. It is linked to the lack of understanding of violence and violations against girls and women, or what constitutes violent behavior. In many societies sexual violence against girls is a norm. “Girls seemed to accept violence inflicted on them through schools and on the way to schools as an extension of what they face with their families, therefore nothing to complain about”, another study from Pakistan reports.

Parents’ attitudes towards girls can mean that they do not believe their daughters when they make allegations. So again cases go unreported. In fact, studies from South Asia point out that many parents give up their participation in the education process of their children, with the belief that ‘teacher knows best’ and if physical punishment is meted out, the child must deserve it.

Under such circumstances, the child really has no support. The girl child finds no ally who she can turn to when she is the victim of violence in the classroom.

As long as the government and the education system does not acknowledge that violence is quite common in the class room, especially against girls, remedial processes will not take off. Efforts for equal participation in the class room are hardly possible.

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