The Seoul city government said Monday that a higher proportion of female students than male students feel that there is sexual discrimination in classrooms, according to a survey of teenagers.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the city’s sexual education and counseling center Aha Center revealed the results of the survey prior to a sexual education seminar for boys held Monday. 

Out of 199 female and 124 male underage students, 64 percent of the girls said they believe gender inequality exists in school, whereas only 35.5 percent of the boys answered alike.

To another question on whether the students support the MeToo movement, which swept through the nation earlier this year, 92 percent of the female students expressed support, while the corresponding figure for male students was 60.5 percent.

“There have been many cases of the MeToo movement at schools this year, with female students who have been victims of sexual assault and harassment by their male peers and teachers going public with their experiences and exposing the misbehavior,” the government said.

“However, we are seeing some backlash from the boys as well,” it added.

Students around the nation are increasingly calling for justice regarding sexually abusive or prejudiced behavior at schools. Hundreds of students in school uniforms held a protest in central Seoul on Nov. 3 to urge the city to take action against some 30 MeToo cases at schools that surfaced this year.



By Choi Ji-won (jwchoikr@heraldcorp.com)