“It’s a difficult culture to break”, St Catherine’s principal Dr Julie Townsend said at the weekend after an online petition revealed hundreds of allegations of rape made by former Sydney schoolgirls against their male peers.
She’s right – it’s hard to break because this culture of sexual assault finds support in the wider community, beyond school grounds. It is everywhere: in universities, workplaces, online, in professional sports and in Hollywood. It is in our social lives. This culture does not stop at Year 12 – these codes are carried into adulthood.
Chanel Contos started an online petition calling on people to come forward with allegations of sexual assault and demand better consent education in schools.
Yet it is students and former students leading the charge for change, frustrated by this yawning gap in their education. They are right to be frustrated: comprehensive education about relationships and sexuality, from a young age, is known to protect sexual wellbeing.
Schools should be the main site of intervention. Such an approach allows for consistent, high quality teaching about sex, relationships and consent, to a large number of young people. The home is equally important, however, and equipping parents and caregivers with the language and skills to speak to their children about these issues is critical. If we are waging a battle against this endemic culture we need to confront it on several flanks.
