International Women’s Day: Activist Chanel Contos calls out behaviours that ‘perpetuate rape culture’

An ugly side of Australia has been laid bare in recent weeks, but there’s a bunch of small things we can all do to make things better.

Activist Chanel Contos has exposed an ugly side of growing up in Australia and a disturbing culture in many of our schools, but she believes things can change very soon if Australia faces up to the challenge.

Speaking on International Women’s Day, the Sydneysider – who has helped bring to light thousands of previously unheard sexual assault testimonies from students and former students in Australian high schools – said that it was time for everyday Australians to reflect on the things they can do to encourage change.

She said the scale of the issue Australia faces has been laid bare in this year.

“We live in a society where sexual assault is normalised due to our attitudes towards gender and sexuality,” she said.

“We all agreed that rape is not OK, but it's the small actions and throwaway phrases we do allow that have led to the thousands of heartbreaking testimonies of sexual assault, that so many have come forward with in recent weeks.”

Activist Chanel Contos said there things we can all do to stop rape culture perpetuating.

She said that International Women’s Day was a good time for Australia to reflect on the issue.

“I’m calling on Australia to reflect on the small things we do, hear and say in our day-to-day lives that contribute to rape culture,” she said.

“Some examples of these behaviours are catcalling, inappropriately touching someone, objectifying women and shaming anyone for their sexuality, or coming forward as a victim of sexual assault.

“These things are often shrugged off but they are what maintain and perpetuate rape culture.”

She said the aim for Australia should be to get a point where “it’s more socially acceptable to call out behaviour that leads to rape culture than it is to engage in it”.

She said the stories we’ve been reading about in the media show there is still a long way to go for achieving equality in Australia and dismantling “rape culture”, but that things can change.

The former Kambala student believes a key part of this is education – particularly the introduction of early and holistic education about consent and sex in schools across Australia.

“Although, as a nation, we have the resources and wisdom to do so, we are not educating Australia’s youth on the factors that lead to rape culture,” she said.

Almost 30,000 Australians have signed her petition, pushing for that goal to become a reality, and there are now close to 2800 testimonies – many of them from victims of sexual assault or rape during their school years – on her new website.

Over the weekend, the fallout from the explosive campaign continued with one Sydney headmaster giving a powerful statement about the testimonies detailing rape culture in Sydney boys’ schools.

King’s School Parramatta principal Tony George said he was “dismayed, saddened and angry” by the stories.

In the letter, the principal said Ms Contos and the signatories were “right to call for a better and more comprehensive education for our children”, but “we need more” than just education.

He also said “societal expectations have changed significantly” since the parents he addressed were at school.

“Increasingly, conduct that occurred in the past is being judged and held to account in the present,” Mr George wrote.

“I expect there will come a day when we will be held to account for conduct that has contributed to the harm of children due to alcohol, porn and parties. Perhaps that day has come.”

His comments came as NSW Police and school leaders promised on Friday to target sexual violence in schools.

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Former Kambala student Chanel Contos started an anonymous online petition to improve sex and consent education in schools across Australia. Picture: Supplied

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In a statement, NSW Police said they addressed the concerns at a meeting with the NSW Department of Education, Association of Independent Schools and Catholic Schools NSW on Friday.

“A commitment was made to establish a statement of intent to address the issue of sexual violence within NSW schools,” NSW Police said.

“Some of the key elements that will be considered during this process include but are not limited to: consent education, protocols on reporting, and most importantly the safety, welfare and wellbeing of young people.”

The independent schools association also announced on Friday that it had established a high-level team to enhance its support to schools on “safety, respectful relationships and consent” among students.

“It’s clear from the disturbing accounts from students that have emerged recently that schools and their support bodies must rethink some of their approaches to these matters and make improvements where necessary,” Association of Independent Schools and Catholic Schools NSW chief executive Geoff Newcombe said.

To sign the petition, visit Ms Contos’ new website