Recently videos have emerged of senior students from St Kevin’s College chanting widely condemned misogynistic lyrics on a tram, with a follow up ‘song’ targeting girls at St Kevin’s sister school Sacré Cœur. Despite these contemptible events, it would be remiss to believe this was a unique example or think that all other schools were outstanding examples of respect for gender and equality.
More likely, St Kevin’s is a symptom of a systemic issue that exists for all Australians. The Human Rights Commission recently highlighted that sexual violence is far too prevalent and normalised in Australia with significant underreporting of sexual violence minimising our awareness of the issue. The Commission also illustrated that by not taking the time to build respectful cultures or provide appropriate responses to victims and perpetrators, our pivotal institutions do not adequately prevent abuse from occurring.
Reactively calling for retributive punishment for these St Kevin’s students is unlikely to drive behavioural change by itself and instead encourages students to ‘not get caught’. As good as people may feel by cheering on this sort of punishment, the root problem will only be solved by searching deeper than this. A solution which instead looks to modify the scruples, attitudes and actions of young men over the long-term should be sought after instead.
Empowered Together’s workshops solve this underlying problem by helping students empathise in their relationships, explore consent and its practical application, and consider the legal, social and emotional consequences of sexual assault not just for themselves, but for victims and all involved. Students who have experienced these workshops strongly feel they have a greater understanding of consent and that they are more confident in their ability to ask for and give consent. This demonstrates how education can help students internalise a healthy way of participating in relationships – an unlikely outcome with punishments like suspension.
Society at large has slowly been improving in all areas of gender equality, but these recent incidents remind us we still have a way to go. Positively, the St Kevin’s headmaster Stephen Russel has acknowledged the depth of the issue, stating that this ‘has intensified our determination to resolutely reshape our programs and to look to do so much more in this area’. If executed well, I’m hopeful that St Kevin’s can use this opportunity to become a shining example on how to reform the attitude and behaviour of their young men. If these intentions are shared with all schools, misogyny may yet have an end date, and we may share a world in which all people can be free from the fear of sexual violence.