Schoolgirls take to the streets to deliver message against assault and harassment

A brave group of Brisbane schoolgirls have publicly shone a light on a disturbing culture of sexual assault and harassment after being stopped from delivering a powerful speech at their college.

A brave group of Brisbane school girls have publicly shone a light on a disturbing culture of sexual assault and harassment after being stopped from delivering a powerful speech at their college assembly.

Kelvin Grove State College Year 12 students Trinity Barr-Thomson, Lily Shortis, Jess Craig and Leyna Fassi were due to speak at an assembly on Wednesday, highlighting issues such as girls being pressured for nude pictures and forced into having sex without proper consent.

But they were told by school officials the speech couldn’t go ahead due to several support staff being absent, and given the “triggering” topic any speech on sexual assault should be postponed.

Year 12 students Jess Craig, Lily Shortis, Trinity Barr-Thomson, and Leyna Fassi from Kelvin Grove College gave a speech on sexual assault in light of recent events reported in the media. Image: Josh Woning

Unperturbed the teens instead delivered their courageous words to around 100 classmates outside of school grounds, saying they would “fight for other young adults” and “we’re not going to be stopped”.

“The culture in our school and the jokes that get made and the way people speak and the judgments we create on others is unacceptable,” Ms Shortis said.

“The fact that there are people who have repeatedly sexually assaulted people, there are people who repeatedly ask for nudes and make people feel uncomfortable and ask intrusive questions, it’s not ok.

“We understand how uncomfortable, overwhelming and traumatic these experiences can be, and the saddest part is acknowledging how many of us here, and how many of us in the wider community have had an experience like this.”

Ms Barr-Thomson urged those listening that “sexual assault is not a statistic”.

“It is real people, it is us as high school students, whose lives are irreversibly altered by the actions of too many,” she said.

“We have had enough.

Year 12 students Jess Craig, Lily Shortis, Trinity Barr-Thomson, and Leyna Fassi from Kelvin Grove College gave a speech on sexual assault in light of recent events reported in the media. Image: Josh Woning

“Whether it’s touching you, asking for pictures, continuing without consent, or any other things where you haven’t said an enthusiastic yes.

“Whether or not these things have happened to you, I can guarantee you they’ve happened to the people around you, and they’ve happened to people you know.”

Speaking to The Courier-Mail, the students revealed they had launched an online support page on Facebook called Students Against Sexual Assault.

“This is a movement, not a moment,” Ms Craig said.

“Our message to everyone is that all of your experiences are valid, none of your experiences are too small to report.”

Kelvin Grove SC Principal Llew Paulger said because the students presented their speech just before assembly the staff were concerned that the nature of the speech and some questions they planned to ask could trigger students.

“Due to the short lead time, the college was unable to ensure adequate support staff (Counsellors, School Based Youth Health Nurse, Guidance Officers) on hand to provide support for any students who may have had an adverse reaction to the content,” he said.

“These students are also on the cusp of a significant assessment block and their well-being and being able to prepare and perform to the best of their abilities was also a paramount consideration.”

Mr Paulger said the college was very supportive of enabling student voice.

“The students will be able to address their peers in Term 2 as part of the Student Representative Council’s response to this ongoing important issue,” he said.

The powerful move by the KGSC students comes in the wake of former private schoolgirl Chanel Contos launching a petition for better and earlier sexual consent education..

Education Minister Grace Grace has since ordered a review into the matter.

The KGSC group urged any school students who had experienced sexual assault or harassment to report it, and that the “ingrained culture of sexual assault” went far beyond their school.

“We have to be there for each other in such awful times ... we just want you to know that we’re fighting for you, and we are always going to be here and we’re not going to stop.”

THEIR SPEECH IN FULL

SEXUAL assault is not a statistic. Despite the fact it is likely affected the majority of people here today, through some way or another it is so much more than numbers.

It is real people. It is us as high school students whose lives are irreversible altered by the actions of too many. We have had enough.

We’re here to talk about sexual assault and the prevalence of rape culture in our community.

We want you to think, if you’ve had any experiences with this issue.

If you’ve been in a situation where you felt uncomfortable around a stranger you felt harassed, whether it’s people staring at you, taking photos of you, cat calling or honking, anything along those lines.

And now think about if something has happened with someone you know, to make you uncomfortable.

Whether it’s touching you, asking for pictures, continuing without consent, or any other things where you haven’t said an enthusiastic yes.

Whether or not these have happened to you, I can guarantee you they’ve happened to the people around you, and they’ve happened to people you know.

These are all instances of sexual assault. From everyone here, not statistics, real people, we have been affected by the culture within our community that perpetuates sexual assault. It is any unwanted or unwelcome sexual behaviour. It can present itself in many forms, it isn’t just limited to severe acts, such as rape.

It can happen to anyone regardless of gender or sexuality, and it is normalised in society to the point where often victims are unaware they’ve been assaulted, or harassed.

The school, when we spoke to them, had taken steps to address things in the curriculum – that was one of the main focuses we had because there is not enough consent education that’s going on in the schools. There’s one lesson in year 9 and frankly that’s unacceptable given how massive an issue this is in our community and in Australia.

I just wanted to stress that no experience is too small to be reported, no experience is too small to feel like you were violated or to feel like you can’t share. Anything, any experience is valid, any experience should be shared and reported if it made you feel uncomfortable.

And if it was a situation that you didn’t consent to, or you’re not sure if you consented. Because consent should be an enthusiastic yes.

And there’s this whole mentality that you’re a snowflake if you call someone out, and that’s just bullshit.

Change has to start with us calling it out, and that may be uncomfortable but it needs to happen, and that happens with a group effort where we all say ‘hey no actually it’s not funny when you make rape jokes.’

It’s not funny when you invalidate my experience. That comes from us calling people out and changing our attitudes and not being ok with it.

We want you to know that we see you, we know that victims are too often blamed, and they’re too often ignored. You have to know that the people here see you, you are going to be heard if you come forward.

And this has to change we have had enough so we are going to change not only within our school but within our society, because at this point we have to.

We just hope that now that you’re surrounded all these people who hopefully have the same values and beliefs surrounding this topic it will be a bit less uncomfortable to share your experience. Obviously when you think you’re by yourself, when you think you’re alone that no is supporting you everyone’s against you it can feel like it’s really hard to talk about and we understand that.

But hopefully now you know that you aren’t alone. This is not a moment, this is going to be a movement.

We’re going to continue fighting for you guys and fighting to get the support you need.

We have to be there for each other in such awful times.

We just want you to know that we’re fighting for you, and we are always going to be here and we’re not going to stop.