By Shekina Rose, Marketing and Communications Manager at LMK
As a parent of a ‘tween’, (11-year-old), when I heard about Netflix’s Adolescence I knew immediately it would be a tough watch. And it was tough, to say the least. Harrowing, realistic, beautifully shot and written, it was hard to watch, but impossible to turn away.
Adolescence follows 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), who is arrested for the violent murder of a girl from his school. The story is shocking, of course, and the acting, writing and shots are incredible – which adds to the show’s power. But what I found most disturbing, is the reality behind it: the growing influence of online misogyny on young people today, and the way in which young people can be so easily influenced by the online world and those around them.
Adolescence highlights what we already know, to some extent. That harmful, dangerous ideologies are infiltrating our schools, social media feeds, and friendships, and shaping young people’s behaviours and their beliefs about gender, relationships, and power.
Many boys are being radicalised by online content that glorifies aggression and devalues women, while girls can be left navigating a world that too often tolerates or even excuses this behaviour. And it’s not just the online world. What young people see at home can normalise their behaviours, and what they can see at home, even in a loving family (as shown in Adolescence), is a normalisation of subtle misogynistic comments or behaviour, conflict that escalates, and gender roles and behaviours that are systemically entrenched in our society and day to day behaviours.
The importance of relationships education
Adolescence made me think about the importance of high quality, inclusive Relationship, Sex, and Health Education (RSHE), which of course, should be a priority. Children and young people should be taught about healthy relationships from a young age, and learn the tools to navigate difficult situations that they will inevitably be faced with – especially in the ever-changing climate of the online world.
A lack of meaningful and effective relationships education means many young people may not have the tools to question or resist harmful messaging and behaviours. And the consequences, as reflected in Adolescence, are real and damaging: unsafe relationships, increased violence, and young lives and the lives of their families forever changed, broken.
That’s why organisations like LMK are so important – we help young people to have the language and tools to navigate healthy relationships. To understand their own behaviours, and the behaviours of others around them. Something which Jamie, the protagonist in this story, struggles to do.
This is raised in episode 3, an episode almost solely filmed in one room which follows a conversation between Jamie and a psychiatrist. It is a harrowing, gripping episode, which shows their unsettling and scary, but at times tender conversation, where Jamie’s psychiatrist, Briony (Erin Doherty), questions him on his understanding of his behaviours, what happened, and his thoughts on the people around him, particularly his dad and his grandad. As I watched, as well as feeling quite distressed and utterly gripped, it made me think about how important it is to quite simply have the conversation. This is what young people need. Open, honest discussion. An opportunity to be listened to, and to listen.
All children and young people should have the chance to have these conversations, and the education to build the knowledge and confidence to build healthy, respectful relationships. How can young people see the signs, and recognise unhealthy relationships or behaviours, if they do not have the words, language or tools to identify them?
Sign up to our workshops
At LMK, we are committed to helping young people spot and stop unhealthy relationship behaviours, with friends, sexual partners and family members. Our 10 Signs workshops provide you with the tools and confidence needed to speak out, seek help and keep you and your friends safe.
Support
If you are in an unhealthy or abusive relationship with a friend, family member or partner, or someone is acting in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, there are many organisations that can help you. All questions or concerns are valid, and we urge you to seek support.
Childline: https://www.childline.org.uk/get-support/
Victim Support: https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/