School rape crisis: Parents warned of ‘foolish’ error that ‘enables sexual assault’
The head of one of Sydney’s expensive private boys’ school has issued a warning to parents in the wake of a devastating rape crisis.
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Principals from Sydney schools say some “foolish” parents are putting their children and others in danger by allowing them to host house parties that create an “environment that enables sexual assault”.
The warnings from principals comes after thousands of accounts of sexual assault and rape were uncovered in a petition by activist Chanel Contos over the past two weeks.
Many of the victims who have come forward say they were attacked at house parties.
A common theme running through the testimonies is that the girls were raped while unconscious at these parties or forced to perform oral sex while they were severely intoxicated.
Others said they were pressured to perform non consensual sexual acts, including threesomes, forced alcohol consumption, and waking up to being touched by someone inappropriately.
In response to the findings, boys-only Trinity Grammar School headmaster Tim Bowden wrote to parents, warning them of the dangers of such parties.
“I can think of fewer more dangerous, unhelpful and foolish things that a parent could do than to provide a party of (this) sort,” he said. “These parties cause heartbreaking and life-breaking damage.
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“In hosting a party of this sort, parents end up creating an environment that enables sexual assault. This is not a statement I make lightly, and I recognise that the statement will cause offence, but I believe the conclusion is inescapable.”
He added that his warning to parents was not about shifting blame or changing the conversation about consent.
“I have heard it said that parties of this sort are a necessary rite of passage, and that they will happen anyway. I disagree. They are certainly a cultural phenomenon, but I think that in the interests of our young people’s wellbeing, we need to challenge the culture.”
In another letter, headmaster of The Kings School, Tony George, said there were parents who turned a blind eye to mass gatherings of children in their homes.
“Do we really think an intoxicated teenage 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? ” he wrote in the letter seen by The Sydney Morning Herald.
“If footballers and parliamentary staffers cannot, I think not. Our children need our support and supervision.
“I expect there will come a day when we are held to account for conduct that has contributed to the harm of children due to alcohol, porn and parties. Perhaps that day has come.”
Enlighten Education, which provides workshops on resilience and self-worth for girls in schools said that, while it wasn’t helpful to talk about “what women should do to stay safe”, it was more than reasonable to challenge adults about what they can do to keep teenagers safe.
“Often the dialogue on what women should do to stay safe, particularly after high profile media reporting on sexual harassment and assault, can become (sometimes unintentionally) focused on what women wear, where they choose to go, whether they chose to drink alcohol.
“In other words, it focuses on limiting young women’s freedoms,” Dannielle Mille, from the group, said in a statement.
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“This is never helpful. This is never OK. And it tends to assume that young men who would harm are strangers lurking in dark corners, waiting for their next vulnerable victim. As the statistics on sexual assault here in Australia clearly show, this is not always the case.
“However, it is more than reasonable to challenge adults to ensure that if they are going to host events for teens, they provide safe respectful environments.
“Booze and impulsive teens can be a dangerous cocktail – not just because of the risk of sexual assault but because there may be fights, accidents or injuries.
“We all have a role to play in keeping our teens safe.”
Meanwhile, Ms Contos’ petition for consent to be included in Australian schools’ sex education earlier has garnered almost 27,000 signatures and almost 2000 testimonies from students and former students – who say they have been a victim of sexual assault during their time in school or know of somebody who has.
The testimonies now come from students in South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria, Queensland, the ACT and NSW.
To sign the petition, visit Ms Contos’ new website
– Know more? Email benjamin.graham@news.com
Originally published as School rape crisis: Parents warned of ‘foolish’ error that ‘enables sexual assault’
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