Rape threats part of misogyny Tyneside schoolgirls face

Marchant said her charity saw generations of women using its services, with breaking the cycle of abuse having to begin by educating young people.

“We’re almost having 13-year-old girls being raped by 13-year-old boys,” she said.

“But nobody’s told the girls that boys shouldn’t do that to them, and in some cases nobody’s told the boys that they shouldn’t.”

The girls made the film as part of work with This Life Collective, which provides a range of therapeutic support and services, primarily for young people.

It has been shared with the Department for Education and Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

Director Sue Davison, a specialist teacher with 30 years’ experience in schools, said the rise of toxic masculinity among social media influencers had a serious impact on “disenfranchised boys”.

“I think the language is getting more violent and aggressive,” she said.

“There are huge numbers of boys who do not take part in this behaviour and they are really made uncomfortable by it.

“We’re talking to the girls about nine out of 10 boys would never take this further than language, which is bad enough, but it’s that one possibly out of 10 that might.”