Former Brisbane Girls Grammar school girl alleges sexual assault by Brisbane Boys’ College student
Two of Brisbane’s top private schools have been caught up in a viral online petition highlighting a toxic culture after a former student posted an allegation of sexual assault.
Education
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A Former Brisbane Girls Grammar School student has posted an allegation of sexual assault on a viral petition which has shocked the private school sector.
The former student’s account is among thousands of distressing claims which have emerged on an online petition calling for earlier education about sexual consent.
Former Sydney schoolgirl Chanel Contos last week called on victims to publicly share stories of being sexually assaulted by students from all-boys’ schools, with more than 2000 accounts posted.
Among them is a claim from a former BGGS student who alleged she was pressured into having sex by a Brisbane Boys’ College student in 2014 while in Year 10.
She alleges she was invited by the BBC student to a friend’s house and, when they were left alone in a bedroom, the boy “started trying to penetrate me”.
“I remember being so shocked I froze and couldn’t speak,” her claim states.
“It took almost 15 minutes for him to be able to break inside of me and I cried the entire time.
“After he was finished I noticed the bed sheets were covered in my blood.
“For years I have had guilt over letting this happen and couldn’t understand why I couldn’t push him off or yell.
“I think I just wanted him to like me so much, I was just so scared and simply didn’t know how to tell him no.”
BGGS principal Jacinda Euler described the published accounts as “extremely distressing” and said they highlighted the need for all schools to do more.
“There must be a determination to ensure that the stories of these girls and young women bring about urgent collaborative change amongst parents, schools – including our own – and our broader society,” she said.
Ms Euler said BGGS students were taught about sexual boundaries, healthy relationships and decision-making in pressured social situations from Year 7, while consent was explicitly covered from Year 10.
BBC headmaster Paul Brown said the content of the petition was “concerning and a stark reminder of society’s collective responsibility to educate young men and women on the topic of consent”.
“The college fully supports the reporting of any sexual assault allegation to the police,” he said.
“Every person has the right to live their life free from unwanted or forced sexual behaviour that occurs without their consent.”
Mr Brown said he welcomed conversations across the education sector about what more could be done to enhance education programs around sexual consent.
“As a college, we adopt a whole-school positive education approach designed to develop and engage boys’ abilities to build and foster positive and respectful relationships,” he said.
“Boys engage in purposeful, age-appropriate pastoral and wellbeing programs and are taught about respecting women, the importance of consent, domestic violence, bystander culture, e-safety and digital citizenship, and decision making among other topics.”