Dear Parents and Carers,

I wrote in the last edition of Highlights about the topic of sexual violence against women, which is, as you know, a story of national significance. I wanted to provide senior female students at the school an opportunity to voice their thoughts on the matter. I commend the following piece to you, which was written by Nadhira Abeyarathna (Yr 11), Eleanor Cooney (Yr12), Bou Maualaviao (Yr12) and Wei Li Boey (Yr12).

Yours sincerely,

Richard Minack

Principal

We would like to preface this article with a warning, as there will be some talk about sensitive topics such as sexual harassment, assault and rape.

Consent is when an individual has given permission for something to happen or have come to an agreement to do something. For something so simple, the issue of consent has recently become a heavy talking point within Australian politics and society, especially when referring to sexual relationships. However, this is not a new issue.

The issue of consent, especially with regard to sexual relationships, has been an ongoing issue and has circulated through the media in waves and surges. Most recently it has come up again due to the Britney Higgins case. For those who are not familiar, Britney Higgins is a former Liberal staffer, who claims she was allegedly sexually assaulted by a colleague inside then-defence industry minister Linda Reynolds's office two years ago, In March 2019. The reason this case is such a big deal is that it is a wake-up call for all Australians, to alert them that sexual assault and harassment are real things, and they are more common than we think.

Within the bayside community, there have been 79 sexual offences and over 78 cases of stalking, harassment and threatening behaviour in 2020 alone, and these were just the reported cases. It is important that we highlight that Sexual assault and harassment aren’t gender-exclusive issues. While they do affect women and girls more predominantly, they affect men and boys too, which is why it is so important that we, as a society, learn to talk and educate each other on the topic of consent.

Another thing that is extremely important is that Consent isn’t a maybe, it is a yes. And that means an enthusiastic yes. Consent isn’t being too drunk to reply, it isn’t being unconscious, it isn’t saying yes earlier, and it isn’t assuming you have consent because of how they are dressed. It also isn’t assuming you have consent because you are currently in a sexual relationship with the person. Consent can be given, but it can also be taken away at any time, and it is up to us, as people, to respect the person with whom we are engaging in sexual relations with decision. It is also up to us to call out any wrong behaviour we may see. By this, we mean that if you see something, say something. If you see someone harassing someone, call them out on it. We must hold people accountable for their actions.

Here at Brighton Secondary College, there is no doubt that we as a community strive to make the school a safe environment for girls and women. Nonetheless, there are still many things that we, as a school community, can do to improve. Things such as calling out sexist or hurtful comments/behaviour, listening to women about their experiences and, most importantly, educating ourselves to do better.

Let's recognise that this is an issue that impacts every single one of us, and try to evolve ourselves to ensure everyone feels comfortable and safe in our society.

If any part of this article has sparked your concern or you want to reach out to talk to someone about any of these issues here are some of the many hotlines which you are able to call.

Sexual Assault Crisis Line: https://www.sacl.com.au/ 1800 806 292

Womens Health Victoria: https://whv.org.au/ (03) 9664 9300

Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636

1800 Respect national helpline: 1800 737 732

KidsHelpline : https://kidshelpline.com.au/ 1800 55 1800

TOP SCREENS PREMIERE