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The principal of a Sydney private school named among others in a sexual consent education petition that’s attracted tens of thousands of signatures has said students of the school engaged in “awful treatment” of young women, and it will take more than “education” to combat “this social disease in our society”.
King’s School Parramatta principal Tony George said he was “dismayed, saddened and angry” by the stories that emerged in the petition started by former Kambala School student Chanel Contos detailing rape culture in Sydney boys’ schools.
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“I have lived in three different countries and I have never spoken to anyone who has experienced rape culture the way me and my friends had growing up in Sydney among private schools,” Ms Contos, who now lives in London, wrote on the petition calling for lessons on consent to be taught sooner in school sex education classes.
More than 28,000 people have signed the petition.
It includes harrowing stories from young women who reported experiencing sexual assault by private schoolboys from Cranbrook, Scots College, Knox Grammar, and the King’s School among many other schools named.
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In the letter from Mr George, seen by 7 News, the principal said Ms Contos and the signatories were “right to call for a better and more comprehensive education for our children”, but “we need more” than just education.
He also said “societal expectations have changed significantly” since the parents he addressed were at school.
“Increasingly, conduct that occurred in the past is being judged and held to account in the present,” Mr George wrote.
“I expect there will come a day when we will be held to account for conduct that has contributed to the harm of children due to alcohol, porn and parties. Perhaps that day has come.”
Alcohol and parties are a factor in many of the stories shared by the women, in the sense that many of the boys in the reports exploited and took advantage of such situations to intimidate, assault and rape.
Pornography and the ability to readily access it online has also sparked concerns about its potential influence on young boys who have never had sex and only seen exaggerated depictions of it on their smartphone screens, but others have said it’s not the main issue.
“There are a lot of boys who get drunk and don’t sexually assault or abuse girls and women,” OurWatch deputy chair Phil Lambert told Nine newspapers.
“There are people who watch porn and don’t ignore the need for consent,” Mr Lambert added, saying the “fundamental drivers” relate to respect for women and girls.
Mr George questioned in his letter whether intoxicated teens would remember their sex education.
“In my experience, children and alcohol don’t mix,” Mr George wrote.
“Do we really think that an intoxicated adolescent boy is going to have the presence of mind to recall his sex education curriculum and restrain himself at a boozed-up party when given the opportunity to pursue his porn-filled imagination and desire?
“If footballers and parliamentary staffers can’t do it, I think not.”
He suggested a five point approach involving the school, parents, and police.
His comments came as NSW Police and school leaders promised on Friday to target sexual violence in schools.
In a statement, NSW Police said they addressed the concerns at a meeting with the NSW Department of Education, Association of Independent Schools and Catholic Schools NSW on Friday.
“A commitment was made to establish a statement of intent to address the issue of sexual violence within NSW schools,” NSW Police said.
“Some of the key elements that will be considered during this process include but are not limited to: consent education, protocols on reporting, and most importantly the safety, welfare and wellbeing of young people.”
The independent schools association also announced on Friday that it had established a high-level team to enhance its support to schools on “safety, respectful relationships and consent” among students.
“It’s clear from the disturbing accounts from students that have emerged recently that schools and their support bodies must rethink some of their approaches to these matters and make improvements where necessary,” Association of Independent Schools and Catholic Schools NSW chief executive Geoff Newcombe said.
Police also called for schools to encourage students who experience sexual assault to report it to police, even if they don’t want to pursue criminal charges, because the details could provide intelligence by identifying trends or repeat offenders, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
— with NCA NewsWire
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