Almost 1 in 10 UK girls have been bullied by a teacher about their period

According to new research from global children’s charity Plan International UK, nearly one in ten UK girls and young women (9%) say they’ve been bullied or teased by a teacher about their period and 28% by their peers.

The nationwide survey of 1,000 girls aged 12-21 – released to mark Menstrual Health Day –reveals how girls are continuing to face deeply entrenched period stigma. 

Over half (56%) of girls said they felt embarrassed or ashamed when talking about periods with teachers. Meanwhile, 41% have never spoken openly to a boy or man about menstruation in their life.

A lack of comprehensive education may be contributing to the problem. One in four (24%) girls say they have spent less than an hour learning about periods in their total time at school. Alarmingly, girls were more likely to report learning about periods from TikTok than from their doctor or RSHE (Relationships, Sex and Health Education) teacher.

The research also found that when schools do provide education on menstruation, it often misses the mark. Of those girls that have had at least one lesson learning about periods: 

• One in five (20%) said they were told in school that extreme period pain is normal

• A third (33%) reported that their lessons only covered the biology of periods, without guidance on how to manage them

• 28% said they were only taught about pads and tampons, with no mention of alternative products

Millie, aged 16, from Glasgow, says: “At my school, you're only allowed one toilet break a day, and during lesson time most of the toilets are locked and guarded by senior staff.

“It's beyond common for boys to dismiss me as ‘just being on my period’ when I speak up about something. What’s worse is that teachers never step in to challenge it or educate them. In primary school, girls learned about periods and boys didn’t, like it was some secret they weren’t mature enough to handle. In secondary school, I never learnt about periods in biology and none of my PSHE lessons were taken seriously. 

“Most of what I know about periods I learned from TikTok or my mum. If girls aren’t taught properly about their bodies, how can they speak up when something’s wrong? And if schools keep avoiding the topic, nothing is going to change.”

Serena, aged 18, from Buckinghamshire, says: “I’ve barely had any proper education about periods at school - not even an hour over all the years I’ve been there. All we were told about was the biological definition and information that didn't show that everyone’s periods are different. No one mentioned other options like period pants, which would have made such a difference to me as an autistic person who has sensory issues.

“I’ve missed school days because of how painful my periods have been, and even then, teachers didn’t always see it as a valid reason. I was told, ‘everyone has periods, what’s so special about yours?’.

“We should be learning not just about biology, but about how to manage periods, what’s normal for your body, how to support others, and how periods affect mental health. I’ve seen boys act like periods are ‘gross’ or something to be ashamed of, which spreads stigma further.”

Chanju Mwanza, UK Girls’ Rights Policy & Research Adviser at Plan International UK, says: “Girls have told us time and again that not only is the shame surrounding periods directly impacting their education, but that the lack of comprehensive education is fuelling the stigma even further. 

“We were encouraged by the Government’s action in 2020 to supply free period products in schools in England and include Menstrual Education on the curriculum, but it is clear that many young people still face challenges because of deeply entrenched period stigma and shame. For many, this is stopping them accessing free period products and talking openly about periods. Because of this lack of support and education, girls are missing days of school and aren’t being equipped with the knowledge they need about their own bodies. 

“We are working hard to address some of these issues head-on with our Period Peers Programme, and are urging the UK Government to work to break down stigma and ensure everyone can access the period products they need.” 

Plan International UK, in partnership with the Nurofen See My Pain campaign, has launched a new initiative in the UK to address the barriers that girls and young people face in managing their period. The Period Peers Programme harnesses the power of peer-led activities to break down the stigma surrounding periods and build girls and young people’s menstrual health knowledge so they can manage their period confidently.