A group of headmasters from nine elite single-sex private schools in Sydney, including Kincoppal – Rose Bay on Vaucluse Road and Kambala in New South Head Road, plan to make changes to their sex education classes amidst a spate of abuse and “toxic culture” allegations raised by the students.
In recent weeks, a viral petition created by a former Kambala student, 22-year-old Chanel Contos, emerged online to bring attention to what the female students have been experiencing among their male friends, boyfriends, and older male schoolmates. The petition has gained over 29,000 signatures and nearly 3,000 testimonies of abuse and assault from girls as young as 13 years old.
“There was absolutely no sex education when we were at school, I don’t know why the school decided to give us barely any sex education. By the time I left your school I didn’t have much knowledge at all and into my early 20’s I was pressured into sex by a 2 of boyfriends daily and I didn’t realise that this wasn’t okay, I didn’t understand that this was a form of assault as we weren’t taught anything,” one testimony stated.
“Many boys touched and grabbed all my lady parts “for fun” during my high school experience… if you’re a parent, imagine hearing that happening to your child. Not a good time is it.”
Dr Ian Lambert, the principal at Scots College in Bellevue Hill reached out to the principals and headmasters of Kincoppal-Rose Bay and Kambala, as well as Ascham (Edgecliff), Waverley College, Sydney Grammar School, St Vincent’s College (Potts Points), Cranbrook (Bellevue Hill) and St Catherine’s (Waverley) to discuss how they can address these issues.
The school officials also emailed parents of their commitment to “audit programs” and share their solutions with each of the schools to help the young men and women in relating to each other better during various events.
They also met with Ms Contos via Zoom to hold an insightful dialogue, after she conducted an informal Instagram survey on the culture among elite private schools.
Ms Contos explained that schools must use their position of authority to mitigate the culture that “objectifies women, normalises sexual abuse and assault and shames the victims.”
Meanwhile, Stacey Maloney, the head of NSW’s Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad, said that they have gotten in touch with school officials after discussing Ms Contos’ petition with Chief executive of the Association of Independent Schools NSW, Dr Geoff Newcombe.
Ms Maloney said that they will work together with the schools and the students to ensure that they can “focus on education and empowerment safely without fear” and will likely conduct webinars on sexual violence for school personnel and teachers.
If you or someone you know have been a victim of assault and abuse, phone National Sexual Assault, Family & Domestic Violence Counselling Line: 1800 737 732.