A national survey of more than 2,600 teachers has highlighted the scale of sexism and misogyny in schools and its impact on teacher wellbeing and retention.
Sexism, misogyny and gendered violence are widespread across Australian schools, with new Monash University research highlighting the impact on teachers, students and school communities.
The report, Duty of Care: Teachers’ experiences of sexism, misogyny and sexual harassment in Australian schools, surveyed 2,668 Australian Education Union members and examines teachers’ experiences of gendered violence across Australian schools.
Commissioned by the AEU, the study is described by the union as Australia’s largest study of misogyny and gendered violence in schools.
The findings point to a significant workplace and school culture issue, with teachers reporting experiences of sexism, misogyny and sexual harassment involving students, colleagues and parents or carers.
For school leaders, the research also highlights the potential impact on teacher retention, workplace safety and staff wellbeing.
Online misogyny reaches schools
The research identifies the growing influence of the online “manosphere” as an important part of the picture.
The manosphere encompasses a range of online communities and influencers promoting ideas about masculinity, gender and male grievance.
Teachers surveyed by Monash reported widespread exposure among students to this content, with the research finding that 95 per cent believed at least some of their students accessed manosphere content.
One in four teachers believed at least half of their students accessed such content.
Seventy per cent of respondents said they had noticed the influence of manosphere ideas on student attitudes and behaviour during the previous 12 months.
The findings add to a growing body of Monash research examining the relationship between online misogyny and behaviour in schools.
The research suggests the influence of online gender ideologies cannot necessarily be separated from school culture, with teachers reporting changes in student attitudes and behaviour that reflect ideas encountered online.
Impact on the teaching workforce
The research also identifies a direct connection between gendered violence and teacher retention.
Almost half of teachers surveyed said gendered violence had caused them to consider leaving the teaching profession, either occasionally or frequently.
Sixteen per cent said they frequently considered leaving teaching because of gendered violence, while a further 30 per cent said they had occasionally considered leaving.
Women were significantly more likely than men to report that experiences of gendered violence had made them consider leaving the profession.
The findings are particularly significant for school leaders at a time when workforce shortages and teacher retention remain major challenges for schools.
The research also found early-career teachers were more likely to report frequently observing or experiencing gendered violence in their schools.
Clear policies can make a difference
The research points to the importance of how schools respond when sexism, misogyny or gendered violence occurs.
Teachers were less likely to consider leaving the profession when their school had clear policies outlining how it would respond to sexism and gender bias.
For school leaders, this highlights the importance of having clear processes for reporting and responding to incidents, as well as ensuring staff understand those processes and have confidence that concerns will be taken seriously.
The research also places gendered violence within the broader context of workplace health and safety.
The researchers call for greater attention to psychosocial hazards, stronger workplace health and safety policies, improved access to workers’ compensation for teachers affected by gendered workplace violence, and greater gender equity in school leadership.
They also recommend adequately resourcing the whole-school implementation of Respectful Relationships Education, with gender equality and prevention addressed through curriculum, leadership, policy, professional learning and school culture.
AEU calls for systemic response
The Australian Education Union has welcomed the findings, arguing that the research demonstrates the issue requires action beyond individual schools.
AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe said the report confirmed concerns about increasing misogynistic attitudes among some boys and the influence of online manosphere content.
“This research confirms what we know anecdotally, that there has been a disturbing rise in boys displaying misogynistic attitudes in schools, often fuelled by the manosphere,” Haythorpe said.
She said female teachers were reporting persistent misogyny, sexual harassment and a lack of respect from some male students.
The AEU also linked the issue to teacher retention and called for greater government and education department support for schools.
“Schools and school leaders should not be expected to deal with these issues alone. This is a systems issue that requires a systems solution,” Haythorpe said.
The union is calling for clear policies, adequate resourcing and strong leadership to support safe workplaces and learning environments.
For schools, the Monash findings reinforce the need to consider how policies addressing sexism, harassment and gendered violence operate in practice, including whether staff know how to report incidents and whether concerns are consistently acted upon.
The research also highlights the increasingly blurred boundary between students’ online experiences and school culture.
Source: Wescott, S., Roberts, S., et al. (2026). Duty of Care: Teachers’ experiences of sexism, misogyny and sexual harassment in Australian schools. Monash University. Read the full Monash University research report
