Girlguiding Scotland youth advocate Hannah Brisbane says there is still a culture in schools of "boys will be boys".

Ms Brisbane says when a boy yells at a girl "show us your boobs" teachers will just turn away and say it is hormonal boys.

Girlguiding Scotland youth advocate Susie McGuiness says teachers are ignoring, dismissing and perpetuating harassment.

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She says she has watched as a guidance teacher watched as a boy walked around undoing girls bras and did nothing.

Ms McGuinness says teachers use horrific language and one girl told her a teacher said a boy could hit her because she was a "crazy bitch".

She says this horrific language has been reported again and again.

Ms McGuinness says 25% of girls 11-16 are afraid to put their hands up in class for fear of harassment in front of teachers.

Kirkcaldy High School rector Derek Allan says young people like to be involved in campaigns and clubs for things that matter to them.

Mr Allan says that they often where wristbands to promote awareness of movements and says he is a bit like that himself showing his Fife Pride wristband.

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In response to Kirkcaldy High School student Cameron Bowie, Labour MSP Mary Fee says: "If only we could package what is in your school and roll it across Scotland.

SNP MSP David Torrance asks how the school got parents on board.

Kirkcaldy High School rector Derek Allan says the key thing is to go through the young people themselves.

Mr Allan says young people crave for leadership opportunities and they want to do good.

He says in terms of parents was about keeping it simple and clear

Mr Allan says he has only had one letter of complaint after a visit by Sir Iain McKellan through Stonewall and that letter was anonymous and homophobic.

Ms Fee asks how quickly pupils in Kirkcaldy High School were confident enough to take on the ethos.

Kirkcaldy High School student Cameron Bowie says when he started at the school it was not accepted to be LGBT+ and people would not talk about it.

Mr Bowie says attitudes changed on this and Mr Allan did not want any discrimination in the school

He said pupils got the message that these were serious rules and they would be acted upon and there is assemblies and clubs.

Mr Bowie says the school has a policy of "If you hear it call it out".

He says it is an ethos that has been built up overtime and the school is constantly building the culture.

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Labour MSP Mary Fee asks Kirkcaldy High School rector Derek Allan how the culture at a school can be changed.

Ms Fee says: "Guidance sits on a shelf and it gets dusty."

Mr Allan says a really strong set of values really makes a difference.

The rector says teacher recruitment and training are important.

He says having a contraceptive clinic in the school helped change the culture.

Mr Allan says: "If people are doing things grudgingly it will never be done properly from the start."

He says recruiting young people to reinforce the values is crucial.

Niamh McGeechan from the STAMP Project at Lanarkshire Rape Crisis says they work with 16-25-year- olds and that the organisation has a social media presence.

Ms McGeechan says that you cannot join STAMP until you are 16-years-old.

She says the organisation do work into "slut shaming" and "victim blaming" and try to challenge ideas that someone could be referred to as a "slut or a prude" for participating in or refusing sex.

Image source, Lanarkshire Rape Crisis STAMP

Lanarkshire Rape Crisis, external have established a new young person’s project to challenge gender stereotyping in the media and to encourage positive engagement with the media and social media to raise awareness about these issues.

The project is called STAMP (Stamp out Media Patriarchy) and is run by young people for young people.

You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram.

STAMP was set up with young people for young people to increase awareness of gender inequality in the media and the relationship this has to sexual violence - and provide young people with the skills to challenge the media for themselves.

The project is a part of Lanarkshire Rape Crisis, and Lanarkshire Rape Crisis is an organisation that is committed to tackling sexual violence in every form.

STAMP also finds positive role models for young people who promote gender equality, diversity and inclusivity through their work and/or fight to challenge sexual violence.

Read more here, external.

Niamh McGeechan from the STAMP Project at Lanarkshire Rape Crisis says the project focuses on the gender stereotypes portrayed in the media.

Ms McGeechan says the stereotypes lead up to bullying abd sexual violence.

She says it can depend from teacher to teacher and you get old fashioned teachers asking for "some big strong boys to move these boxes".

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Ms McGeechan says most girls feel pressured into sexting.

When they are asked why they sent the photos there is a parallel with when people ask why a victim was raped she says.

Image source, Girlguiding UK

People who were in the scouts or guides in childhood have better mental health in later life, a study suggests.

Analysis of a study of 10,000 people found ex-members were 15% less likely than other adults to suffer anxiety or mood disorders at the age of 50.

Researchers believe it could be the lessons in resilience and resolve that such organisations offer that has a lasting positive impact.

The researchers were from Edinburgh and Glasgow universities.

They looked at data from a lifelong study of almost 10,000 people from across the UK who were born in November 1958, known as the National Child Development Study., external

About a quarter of study participants had been in the scouts or guides.

Image source, Scouts

Image source, Scouts Scotland

From the Scouts Scotland website, external:

"We are the largest mixed volunteer-led Movement for young people in Scotland. We offer fun, challenge and life changing adventure to almost 40,000 young people in Scotland, who are supported by over 8,000 adult volunteers.

"Scouting exists to make young people’s lives better, helping them to realise their full potential, and providing them with the skills they need to succeed in life.

"Our mission is to support the development and growth of Scouting in Scotland and contribute towards securing the UK-wide 2018 Vision for Scouting."

Scouting Scotland SHQ commissioner Anne Whiteford in scouts there is a zero tolerance on bullying and all the adults are trained to deal with bullying.

Ms Whiteford says the scouts participation in LGBTI learning and Pride parades makes it a more inclusive organisation.

She says the scouts encourage codes of behaviour and adults work alongside young people instead of it being a "talk down approach".

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Kirkcaldy High School student Cameron Bowie is the chair of the LGBT group at his school.

Mr Bowie says the group educates pupils on different gender identities and takes away the stigma around terms like gay.

It is now uncool for anyone in his school to bully he says.

Mr Bowie says with the LGBT group and Mr Allan's support the school is accepting and a safe place for LGBT youth.

Image source, Kirkcaldy High School

From the Kirkcaldy High School website., external

"We have a long and proud tradition, with many former students proving their worth on the international stage in economics, architecture, art, engineering, literature, history, music, sport and politics. The original “Burgh” school dates from 1582 with the "High School" name first established in 1843.

"Our present premises on Dunnikier Way were officially opened in 1958. In this century, our school has developed into a first class community campus well able to meet the needs of a diverse school population of 1100 students and our local community.

"We are a modern school with the most up-to-date equipment and resources; a forward thinking learning community delivering "Curriculum for Excellence" with a wide range of community partners and employers."

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Kirkcaldy High School rector Derek Allan says: "Prevention is far better than cure."

Mr Allan says a culture and ethos that is inclusive must be built up.

He says his school has built a values based culture.

Mr Allan says his schoold decided "LGBT issues must be a bit of a crusade for the school to coalesce around."

He says they have taken the sting out of the word gay by using it in assemblies.

Ms McKelvie asks Derek Allan for an insight into how schools are dealing with some of the issues mentioned.

Kirkcaldy High School rector Derek Allan says he would find it surprising that guidance teachers would not know how to deal with issues because they are trained to deal with problems.

Mr Allan says that Police Scotland visited his school yesterday to raise awareness of "sexting".

Girlguiding Scotland youth advocate Susie McGuiness says it is girls of 12-13 who are being sexually harassed in schools.

Ms McGuiness said in one particular case young boys were challenging one another to see who could shout "rape" the loudest.

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Ms McKelvie says the committee needs to tackle sexual harassment.

The committee convener says this harassment happens online and this must be addressed.

Girlguiding Scotland youth advocate Susie McGuiness says she would like guidance teachers to be much more equipped to dealing with things online, like on Snapchat.

Ms McGuinness says young girls are having nude pictures taken and shared which is a really upsetting thing in schools for young girls to deal with.

There are instances where girls have been assaulted and filmed and video footage of rape is going around schools she says.

Girlguiding Scotland, external is calling for:

• Compulsory, high-quality Sex and Relationships Education covering consent, online abuse, gender equality and healthy relationships
• All schools to have a duty to prevent and tackle sexual harassment and be held accountable
• National guidance to ensure schools know how to take a zero tolerance approach to sexual harassment

Image source, Girlguiding Scotland

Research from Girlguiding’s annual Girls’ Attitude Survey, external has shown that sexual harassment is a top concern for girls and young women.

Read more of the submission here., external