Former Goulburn Valley Grammar student to sue school, teacher over alleged prostitution, sex abuse

A former Goulburn Valley Grammar School teacher is accused of forcing a 15-year-old student to have sex with multiple men, including a detective.

Former Goulburn Valley Grammar student Camille Waring is set to launch legal action against her old school and teacher Rodney Howes. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

A former Goulburn Valley Grammar School student claims her former teacher convicted sexual predator Rodney Howes “pimped her out” to a Victoria Police officer and sexually assaulted her on school grounds.

Camille Waring, now 47, is set to engage legal firm Arnold Thomas and Becker to launch legal action against the school and Howes, who taught her year nine science and year 11 chemistry, over a litany of “hellish” assaults she says began when she was just 14 years old.

Ms Waring alleges Howes forced her to have sex with several other men across the state, including a former Victoria Police detective senior sergeant, when she was 15 years old.

The PhD candidate alleges Howes assaulted her at the school in classrooms, his office, in hallways and the school’s photography darkroom among dozens of other locations, including his own home and alongside rural roads.

Ms Waring says she was forced to have sex with a police officer when she was 15 years old. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

During one alleged sexual assault, he allegedly held a plastic bag over her head.

On another occasion, she claims he punched her in the face while assaulting her.

She alleges Howes abused her in towns across regional Victoria and Melbourne.

Ms Waring claims the abuse spanned her time at the school between 1990 and 1993.

She says Howes forced her to sleep with other men between 1991 and 1997, when she turned 21 years old, forcing her to be “pimped out” for seven years.

An army soldier and another teacher also allegedly sexually assaulted Ms Waring when she was underage.

Former teacher Rodney Howes Picture: Supplied

Camille Waring during her years at Goulburn Valley Grammar School. Picture: Supplied

“It was just incredibly dehumanising to have to sit in a classroom taught by a man who was dehumanising you and sodomising you at every opportunity. It was just hellish,” she told the Herald Sun.

“Abused little girls grow up into damaged women. Rape stays with you forever. Multiple rapes, multiple men, childhood prostitution – that changes you.”

Ms Waring said she was reluctant to report the alleged abuse to authorities because her father, Detective Senior Constable Lyndon Waring, was a highly decorated Vietnam War veteran who was killed on duty while working as a police officer himself in 1977.

“He knew my father was dead. He said he wanted to be my father figure,” she said.

Howes was sentenced to six months’ jail in 2000 for sexually abusing another female GVGS student.

Ms Waring has spoken out about the alleged offending, which she says was ‘just hellish’. Picture: Supplied

He was found not guilty in a separate trial over a string of rape and sex assault charges relating to Ms Waring.

Ms Waring alleges the school allowed Howes to go on a “sexual rampage” by not following up reports made by other staff about his behaviour at the time.

Ms Waring’s lawyer Kelly Schober said her client had been seeking psychological help for years as a result of the abuse she allegedly endured from Howes during her “formative” years at the school

“Howes used his position of power to exploit Camille’s vulnerability, and sickeningly, acted as a father figure who also groomed and sexually violated her throughout her teenage and young adult years,” she said.

Goulburn Valley Grammar School principal Mark Torriero said the school has been in “constructive” conversation with Ms Waring over the past few years.

“We admire Ms Waring and the courage she has shown to report the matter to police and the school,” he said.

“The school is committed to resolving this matter without causing further trauma to Ms Waring. We continue to offer Ms Waring ongoing counselling and support.”

Howes was contacted for comment.