The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Dundee teenager turns spotlight on peer sexual abuse
ADundee teenager is raising awareness of peer sexual abuse to help young people recognise the dangers of unhealthy relationships.
Fatima Ishaq, 16, is one of seven on the city’s Young Women Know campaign, aimed at promoting healthy relationships.
Run by NSPCC, YWCA Scotland, The Young Women’s Movement, and Dundee City Council, the campaign is designing toolkits which will be issued to schools nationwide.
These resources will help young people spot so called “red-flags” in a relationship and provide avenues for youngsters to open up conversations around relationships.
Fatima, a pupil at Morgan
Academy, says she was keen to join the campaign because she passionately believes in making young voices heard.
She said: “It’s important for young women’s voices to be heard and this is an important issue to be raising awareness of, especially in schools, we don’t really talk about it.
“It can be difficult to start that kind of conversation, that’s why we’re making the toolkit, to make that easier and encourage people.
“It doesn’t have to be heavy but just making young people aware that it’s good to have these conversations and be open with each other.”
The toolkit will be launched in summer and introduced into schools during the next academic year. The work is being carried out as the NSPCC launched a helpline for those affected by sexual abuse in schools earlier this month.
Fatima said: “It’s not always physical and while it is important to talk about the physical side there’s also the emotional side and the impact on your mental health.
“With things like TV shows it’s often normalised, and young people might think it’s normal because we have less experience of being in relationships and don’t know what they should or shouldn’t be like.
“It takes a lot of courage and strength to get out of a situation and this is all about empowering young women to do that.”
Fatima is also part of a mental health group which provides support to pupils, and chairperson of Morgan’s fundraising group, Interact.
The group raises funds for various projects including shoebox appeals and a defibrillator to be fitted outside the school.
Fatima also sits as pupil representative on the children and family services committee at Dundee City Council and she is a member of the Dundee Youth Council.
She added: “I’m passionate about getting involved in the community and trying to make a difference for young people.
“I’m interested in local issues and making sure young people have a voice – I think often we’re overlooked but we’re a lot more intelligent than we’re made out to be.”