Chanel Contos reports attacker as Sydney principals announce changes

As activist Chanel Contos reveals she has reported her attacker to police, Sydney principals have backed her call and announced it is time for change on sex consent education.

Activist Chanel Contos has reported her attacker to police and has vowed to help anyone else who may make allegations against him.

It comes as principals across Sydney’s private schools have vowed to take action following the 23-year-old’s campaigning.

Ms Contos spoke to the Wentworth Courier as part of a wide-ranging interview into her experiences and her push for change.

She has previously detailed her experience of sexual assault aged 13.

However, she has now revealed she recently approached NSW Police to report the incident — but said she was not pressing charges.

“I have reported this boy to the police so there is a black mark against his name,” Ms Contos said.

Chanel Contos pictured in her London unit. Photo: Hollie Adams for News360

“If anyone else, any other girl, reports him I will come in and help and give an interview to support her.

“The purpose of doing that is so any other victim who ever comes forward about him will have my backing.

“I have not pressed criminal charges. He does not know I’ve done it.”

Ms Contos, who is currently at university in London, said it was not until a sex education class at Kambala School aged 15 that she realised she had been a victim of a sexual assault.

“I remember the day so well, the contents so well, because it was the day my friends and I realised we had been sexually assaulted,” Ms Contos said.

“Kambala worked outside the syllabus in year 10 but it wasn’t enough and it wasn’t early enough.

“I didn’t know you could be sexually assaulted by someone you knew, someone you trusted. I just didn’t know.”

She first started her campaign for change by way of an Instagram poll.

This soon exploded into a petition of 35,000 signatures and counting demanding early and comprehensive consent education.

Chanel Contos is now living and studying in the UK. Photo: Hollie Adams for News360

Having been inundated with testimonies of fellow school student who had also been sexually assaulted she decided to launch her website, teachusconsent.com.

There are a staggering 3500 testimonies from assault victims and counting.

The contents of which make difficult reading.

But Sydney’s private school principals are now listening and have vowed to make changes.

She has been granted the ear of principals including that of SCEGGS Darlinghurst head of school Jenny Allum who told the Wentworth Courier she was taking serious long term action as a result of the shocking testimonies.

She is currently in the process of personally addressing the students in each year level and her future plans include hosting a parent forum, inviting prefects from other schools to discuss the issue and amending their sex education program to better cover consent.

“This is just the early stages. This is not a situation where you make some minor change and everything will be fine,” Ms Allum said.

“This requires thoughtful, deep, sustained commitment from everyone in our society including schools.”

St Joseph’s College, Sydney Grammar’s Edgecliff Preparatory School, Redlands School, The Scots College and Waverley College (see separate section below) are among the many other schools to commit to change.

Lana Bushell, the Head of Operations of online education service Clickview said there has been a 1071 per cent increase in demand for consent education modules since Ms Contos’ petition launched.

Chanel Contos from her time at Kambala

Ms Contos has also recently celebrated the news Federal Education Minister Alan Tudge announced both primary and high schools across the country would be provided with materials on consent and respectful relationships.

But with her initial goal achieved there’s still no stopping this young powerhouse from Vaucluse.

As well as the 30 friends and family members, including her exceptionally proud father and brothers, Ms Contos has assembled a team of global experts ranging from lawyers to doctors and academics working pro bono to support her movement.

Among her supporters is Wentworth MP Dave Sharma who helped facilitate a meeting with government figures including NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell.

“I have been horrified by the revelations but also shocked by the scale and pervasiveness,” Mr Sharma said.

“What struck me was this is obviously a more widespread and under reported issue than we might have realised.

“You hear about these things as isolated incidents but it is obviously much more prevalent than that.”

When asked about the example the federal parliament has set in light of recent sexual assault allegations, Mr Sharma acknowledged they had fallen short.

“I don’t think we have been a model in that regard. I’m happy to concede that,” Mr Sharma said.

Wentworth MP Dave Sharma said it is clear the issue is widespread. Picture: John Appleyard

“I’ve been pretty upset as I think anyone who works in parliament has been by stuff that’s alleged to have gone on especially allegations made by Brittany Higgins and that it’s not seen as a safe workplace or a place you can speak out.”

Mr Sharma said he hoped the NSW state government would adopt affirmative consent laws.

In Victoria and Tasmania consent to sexual activity must be explicitly given which protects people who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol or too frozen in fear to actually say the word no.

“It shouldn’t be ‘no means no’ it should only be ‘yes means yes’,” Ms Contos said.

“If you live in Australia you know someone who has been sexually assaulted and you also know someone who has sexually assaulted someone whether you realise it or not.

“People think rape is when someone pulls you into a dark alleyway and holds you down.

“But your rapist can be your boyfriend. It can be your best friend.”

You can find Ms Contos’ website by visiting teachusconsent.com.

SCHOOLS VOW IT’S TIME FOR CHANGE

St Joseph’s College headmaster Ross Tarlinton said the school will undergo a “significant development and enhancement” of its current sex education program to better focus on consent.

“This whole-of-school approach will include engagement with external sources of expertise, as well as the development of our own internal resources.

The external resources will continue to include specialist speakers as well as co-operative programming with other schools, particularly some of the girls’ schools with similar learning intentions,” Mr Tarlinton said.

Kambala School principal Shane Hogan wrote to parents praising “Chanel’s bravery” and said the school was working on the “critical issues” raised.

“We are currently reviewing our existing programs and will seek consultation with experts, staff, parents, KOGU (Kambala Old Girls Union) and most importantly, our Kambala students.

“This process will take time and the co-operation of the community; in particular we understand the role of parents as caregiver and role model and will offer support throughout your daughters’ time at Kambala,” Mr Hogan said.

Jenny Allum has said she will personally address students

SCEGGS Darlinghurst head of school Jenny Allum is personally addressing the students in each year level. Future plans include hosting a parent forum, inviting prefects from other schools to discuss the issue and amending their sex education program to better cover consent.

“In my opinion this is something that needs thoughtful, sustained and significant change in all areas of society,” Ms Allum said.

A spokeswoman for St Catherine’s School said they would be taking the following actions:

Reviewing all our internal program for years 8 – 12 to ensure enough depth across a range of topics.

Further education for staff, students and parents regarding up to date information on acceptable behaviour, position of consent and criminal acts.

Meetings held with eastern suburbs Heads of School regarding best practice moving forward.

Meetings held with Police and Human Rights Commission regarding how to work to change cultural expectations.

Shore headmaster Dr Timothy Petterson described the testimonies uncovered by Ms Contos as “abhorrent with no place in civilised society”.

“Chanel has called for education around these matters to begin at an earlier stage, and this has not fallen on deaf ears at Shore,” Dr Petterson said.

“We will be reviewing all of our programmes with a particular view to ensuring that messages are age appropriate and that we are preparing our boys for the culture within which they are interacting.”

Kambala Principal Shane Hogan has praised Chanel’s bravery. Picture: John Appleyard

Redlands School principal Stephen Webber said they took a wide-ranging approach to education around relationships between teenage girls and boys.

“Being a coeducational school, we look to build genuine friendships and mutual respect from a shared learning experience,” Mr Webber said.

“In addition, protective behaviours are taught from preschool. These continue throughout the school journey and education about sexual consent is part of our Year 9 and 10 PDHPE and pastoral programs.

“We are in the process of reviewing these programs. We have engaged Dr Tessa Opie from ‘In Your Skin – Relationships and Sexuality Education’ to develop a framework for our partnership, and will involve student, alumni and parent input into that review process.”

The Scots College wrote to parents and said their Amazing Me program – an independently run sex education program – would be modified for high school students

“Currently at The Scots College, the issue of safe and respectful relationships is taught as part of the PDHPE and Christian Studies curriculum in the Senior School from Year 7.

“Consent is specifically addressed in the Year 8 and Year 10 curriculum.

“In the Junior and early years, a similar age relevant approach is in place.

Scots College Principal Dr Ian Lambert said there would be modifications. Picture: John Appleyard

“The Year 6 Amazing Me program is being modified for educational programs from Cubs and Lions through to the end of Preparatory School,” The Scots College Principal, Dr Ian Lambert

Waverley College principal Graham Leddie announced a raft of initiatives including a seminar for parents with the founder of Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia.

“I have been working with the principal at St Clare’s College, and also the principal at St Catherine’s School and the principal at Kambala School to work together in joint initiatives, targeting respectful relationships and boundaries. And our College Leadership Team has been consulting with experts in law, psychology, and consent, and will continue to do so over the coming weeks, to identify further opportunities to use the influence we have in our students’ lives to help combat this issue in society,” Mr Leddie said.

Cranbrook School also communicated to parents they will be overhauling their consent education

“While we believed that we had taken many steps to educate and socialise our students, clearly there is much to learn from this series of events, and we need to take further action,” Cranbrook headmaster Nicholas Sampson.

Sydney Grammar said it would be working with SCEGGS Darlinghurst and Ascham on ways to move forward and improve their consent education

“We have endeavoured to share with families across all three campuses the range and depth of the work we have been doing with your boys to address the fundamental need for respectful relationships.

“We will continue to consider how we can enhance our programmes.

“Additionally, we believe that central to this enhancement of our approach will be collaboration with other schools.

“To this end we will be meeting with a range of school leaders from other schools, and in particular the Heads of Ascham and SCEGGS Darlinghurst … to continue the process of collaboration to address this fundamental societal concern,” Sydney Grammar School principal Dr Richard Malpass.