More girls break silence following the release of sexual assault survey

More girls are breaking their silence following the release of a Christchurch Girls' High survey around sexual harassment and rape.

Three more students have formally reported incidents and nine have spoken with police and school counsellors, and are considering more formal reporting.

The survey, released yesterday, uncovered 20 cases of rape, three of group rape and hundreds of examples of sexual harassment amongst the more than 700 students who took part.

"We had a number of students begin a reporting process. I think they are realising they are not the only ones experiencing these things and that is giving them strength and courage to report, the school's principal, Christine O'Neill, said.

Police officers have been at the school the past two days and are speaking with each year group to provide information about what is involved when making a report of sexual assault, with more were expected to come forward.

"We often see this. As one feels they can come forward, others do too. That's why shining a light on this unacceptable behaviour and supporting people to report it, is so important," he said.

The feedback from students yesterday was "we are not alone" and it was this that brought a number of them forward to report their experiences, O'Neill said.

"The kōrero now must happen between ministers, schools, community support agencies and the Education Review Office (ERO). As our head girl Amiria Tikao said - we have lit the fuse; it must not be allowed to go out."

Education

Yesterday, in response to the survey, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the culture needed to change and that it began with education.

"We need to create environments where young people have safe places to go to report where issues have occurred.

"ACC has been supporting a programme called mates and dates which does talk about some of these issues. But, I know there are calls for us to ensure that there's greater and wider access for our young people to some of these programmes."

Education Minister Chris Hipkins said more funding had been made available for schools to access to better educate young people around these issues.

Advocates against domestic violence are glad the survey had sparked discussions around what healthy masculinity looks like and were rallying for action and changed behaviour.

Suran Dickson, the founder of Diversity Role Models, a charity that tackles gender and sexuality-related bullying, believes exposure to porn is the main reason some teenage boys do not respect women.

"Things have changed significantly since pornography has come on the scene and has changed the landscape in which young people operate.

"Seventy five percent of 13 to 14 year old boys have watched porn and 35 percent of it contains non-consensual behaviour, 40 percent of it contains physical aggression - this is influencing the way young people behave towards other genders," she said.

Although educating young people was a main priority to eradicate such disturbing behaviour - perpetrators within the survey were also adult men.

Healthy masculinity

Male mental health is an ongoing issue, with men making up more than 70 percent of the 654 people who died by suicide in 2020.

But, what is being done at a grass roots level as men grapple with the meaning of manhood?

Founder of 'She is Not your Rehab' movement and barbershop owner Matt Brown has been changing the narrative - encouraging men to treat women with respect.

"We don't objectify women when a pretty girl walks past the barbershop. We are not whistling, making comments. It's about humanising people. We need to model that.

"The way you change unhealthy masculinity is seeing another bloke having the courage, being brave, expressing himself, crying. If someone comes along treating you empathetically and compassionately - that's what makes a big difference," he said.

Seeing positive examples and role models in media, at home, work and sports teams changes the game, White Ribbon Manager Rob McCann said.

"Healthy masculinity really is just not having all those horrible constraints that we think belong to masculinity which are out of date.

"We need to have a call-in culture without ostracizing them. So we have to encourage them to be part of a greater good."

In a statement, Christchurch Boys' High headmaster Nic Hill said over the past few years, the school encouraged discussions on diversity and inclusion.

"The school has been working incredibly hard with our students and community to talk about, take action on and lead on the issues of female safety," Hill said.

"Our senior boys in particular have shown strong leadership in this area and we will continue to support efforts in calling attention to, and stopping behaviours and actions that work against diversity and inclusion."

Christchurch Boys' High student and Wellbeing Committee leader, Carlos James Knigh, said his school was actively working on issues of female safety.

"We have had mental health talks in whole school assembly about how to treat women, we have a student-led wellbeing group talking about these topics and taking action.

Although not all men do this - everyone needs to make a difference in stopping this behaviour and more boys from his school are feeling braver to do so, he said.

"Women are really trying to make change and because it comes from both sides we have to actually accept that this is what we are doing.

"You can feel brave to join the cause to end this problem. At the end of the day the most manly thing you can do is stand up for women and stand up for this woman."

Where to get help:

NZ Police

Victim Support 0800 842 846

Rape Crisis 0800 88 33 00

Rape Prevention Education

Empowerment Trust

HELP Call 24/7 (Auckland): 09 623 1700, (Wellington): be 04 801 6655 - 0

Safe to talk: a 24/7 confidential helpline for survivors, support people and those with harmful sexual behaviour: 0800044334.

Mosaic - Tiaki Tangata Peer support for males who have experienced trauma and sexual abuse: 0800 94 22 94